The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-02
SPuIIs" and Other influence to BE Ig-
nored Hereafter by the POST
OfHce Department.
DISTRICTS DONE AWAY WITH
ROUTES WILL BE ALLOTTED WHERE
THEY ARE NEEDED MOST.
One Hundred Names Must Be Attached
to a Petition and There VIII
BE No Deviation.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, July IA new and rad
ical policy with reference to rural free de-
livery has been adopted that is certain to
cause CONSERVATION in congressional cir
cles. Rural free delivery has been taken out
Of the classification Of patronage" and
hereafter the political pull will be ignored
in the establishment of routes. The con-
gressional district will no longer be the unit
in the establishment of rural free delivery.
Rural routes will be allotted to the States
and not to the congressional districts. This
course has been decided upon by Postmas-
ter General Payne after very careful con-
sideration of the subject and 1t has the
cordial approval of President Roosevelt.
The new policy will in no way retard the
development and extension of rural free de-
livery, but there will be no favored districts
in the future and the obscure member will
strong pull His turn will come in the reg
ular order of things, and, as an official ex-
pressed it to-day. 1.-The new member will
not have to take the leavings." 1t is the
purpose of the postmaster general to have
rural free delivery established in the same
manner as postoffices. They will be placed
wherever they are needed and the require
ments as to population and condition of
roads, ETC., must be actual instead of theo-
retical. The present investigation has dem
onstrated that under the Machen regime
routes were frequently established to aid a
statesman who was in peril and oftentimes
little attention was paid to the population
to be served, the condition of the roads, the
area or the character of the people who Pc
titioned for the service.
NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS.
In extending rural free delivery in the fu-
ture the special agents will be charged to
determine whether the people living on a
proposed route can read and write, whether
they are in the habit of writing letters or
whether they received mail. In fact it will
be the duty of the special agent to ascer-
tain by careful examination the average
intelligence of the population on a proposed
route, and II Ii does not measure up
to the standard that will be fixed the
service will not be established. As gen.
eral proposition, the system inaugurated
by August w. Machen will be followed
closely, but 1t will be improved.
The rule now requires that one hundred
names shall be attached to petition. There
will be no change in this respect. The spe-
cial agent, however, will be required to
make ii his business TO ascertain If the sig
natures are bona fide. The postmaster gen.
eral does not apprehend any serious diff
Guilty in enforcing this policy as soon as
senators and members are convinced that
the department intends to adhere to it, 1t
is charged that most of the extravaganza
attending the development Of the rural serv-
ice was due to the tremendous pressure ex-
erted on Machen TO establish rural routes.
The former chief of free delivery made it
his business to cultivate senators and men,
bers. and only in rare instances was a con-
gressional request turned down.
1t is the intention of the postmaste gen.
eral to divorce the rural service from poll
tics as far as possible. and In accordance
with this plan the rural free delivery divi-
sion will doubtless be placed permanently
in charge of Fourth Assistant Bristow, who
is a well able, perhaps. as any man in pub
lie life to resist the opportunities of sena-
tors and representatives in Congress- The
postmaster general. however has come to
no DEFINITE conclusion in this connection.
The assignment of rural free delivery to
Mr.. Bristow would necessitate an entire
rearrangement of the duties of the four
assistants and this Is phase of the prob
lem that the postmaster general does not