The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-07-23
United States Government to Lay Out
a Net Work OF Postal Routes in
Racine and Kenosha Counties
CONGRESSMAN COOPER SUCCEEDS
United States Rural Mail Officials Sent to
Counties With Instructions to Give
Every Resident Free Delivery.

Every farmer in Racine and Kenosha
counties will within a very few months
receive mail by rural delivery. For
over year Congressman Cooper has
been working for this, but because of
the acts of August w. Machen, super
intendent of rural delivery, and who
is now under indictment, the plans of
Mr.. Cooper, accepted by the depart
ment, were shelved and promises made
to farmers Of his district could not be
carried out. Time and time again was
Mr.. Cooper put off by the postofice
officials.
The rural routes in Racine and Ke-
nosha counties were promised last
January. Then followed the postofice
scandal and the routes were again held
up with promises to be placed July /.
This not being done and after Mr..
Cooper's visit to Washington, he again
took the matter up and the result is
that last evening George E. Fox, spe-
cial agent of the postoffice department,
arrived in Racine and reported to Mr..
Cooper. Mr.. Fox will remain in this
section for three months, making his
headquarters in Racine. He will
cover Racine and Kenosha counties
and prepare routes in order that mail
may be delivered daily to every farmer
in the two counties. There is TO be no
further delay in the work and Mr.. Fox
will within the period of three months
have everything arranged and mail
will be delivered probably at the ex-
piration of that term.
Racine and Kenosha counties are to
be combined in the rural delivery
routes. On the east the Northwestern
road passes through both counties and
on the west the Wisconsin Central
passes through. In both counties there
are two main roads running east and
west, and it is believed that Mr.. Fox
will have but little trouble in arrang-
ing the routes. There may be changes
in the present routes in order that the
new routes may be complete in every
way. 1t has been a difficult task for
Mr.: Cooper to secure what the farmers
been successful and is deserving of
great credit in winning his fight, de-
spite the scandals III the postofice de-
partment and the promises of a. W.
Machen, which have never been full
filled.
The new policy established by Post
master General Payne, relative to ru-
raj free delivery, will in no way retard
the development of that service. The
Postmaster General himself is author
ity for this assertion, and the officials
Immediately in charge of the service
declare that the plans of the depart
ment have been so framed as to pro-
vide for general extension of rural
free delivery. There will, no vever, be
many changes in the system.
Every effort will be made to bring
about complete separation of the
service from politics. Under the ad-
ministration of August w. Machen, it
is declared by department officials,
there were certain favored States and
districts.
Machen's policy was to ingratiate
himself into the good will of certain
potential leaders, and while he did not
carry it to an extreme, the former SUI
perintendent undoubtedly placed the
service in many cases where it would
do him the most good. New rules in
contemplation will probably have the
effect of reducing the number of routes
in the south. In the middle west and
northwest the rural free delivery will
be extended to the extent that was
contemplated by Machen at the time of
his retirement. Wisconsin, Minneso-
ia, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and
Iowa embrace within their borders a
large proportion of the routes now in
existence.