The National tribune., 1903-02-12

the Post-offce appropriation bill, but in
his annual report he objected to any fur
Their legislation on that subject Congress,
however, renewed the appropriation in
1898, and 1894 and 1895, and in 1896 made
the law mandatory, so that during the
last few weeks of his Administration Post
master-Gene-al Wilson, who was almost
equally pronounced in his hostility, estab-
lished 40 experimental routes in different
parts of the country, and did not take
enough interest in them to report the fact.
Thereby was given to another Admins
tration an opportunity TO gain all the
credit for its establishment.
The first routes were established on Oct
!, 1896, in West Virginia. Others fol-
lowed at once, and by the close of the
fiscal year the experiment showed satisfac-
tory results. There were IA routes in the
Fall of 1897; this number increased to 12S
In 1898, and on Nov. /, 1889, there
were 634. These radiated from 3S3 dis
tributing points and served a population
of 452, 1876 persons. On June 80. 1900, a
little more than six months later, the num-
Der of routes had grown to LIZA for a
population of S19, 127, and in the next four
months the system again more than dou-
bled its proportions, showing on Nov. 1,
1900, 2,551 routes for 1901 ,524 persons.
At the present time the number of routes
Is about 1900, and rapidly increasing.
RURAL DELIVERY ABROAD.
Rural delivery service is by no means
a novelty. More than half a century ago
Germany, France, England, and other
countries became convinced of the wisdom
of carrying the mails daily to the homes
of the people in rural districts. This SER
vice has been extended until its benefits
have reached almost every community. To
practically every home throughout Eng
land and Wales the rural carrier makes
his daily visit. The most remote hamlet
In mountainous Switzerland enjoys at least
one free-deiivery of letter mail every day.
and within local radius the postage on
Q Swiss letter up to half pound in weight
Is but one cent, and for greater distances
within the republic two cents. Other Euro
pean countries enjoy the privilege But
In no other country has the enterprise been
established on so vast a scale as in the
United States, and nowhere is the system
patronlZed with any approach to the lib
crafty already displayed here. The sue
cess of our American system is very large
ly due to the faith, energy and intelligent
zeal of Hon. August w. Machen, who has.
from its beginning, been the Departmental
mead OF the service, and on whom the
arduous labors of its organization and ex-
tension have deyolved.
A LOGICAL INNOVATION.
For many years the people in the cities
were compelled to send to central post
office for their mail, and did not complain
that any hardship was thereby imposed
upon them. When free delivery by carriers
was introduced and boxes for the deposit
OF mail matter were placed at convenient
points, it was soon realized that this in
novation was to be permanent. The con-
yenieDce in transaction of business was SO
great that the system was gradually i'm
proved and brought to its present marvel
Gus efficiency.
Now logically follows rural delivery. and
It has come to stay. By It's fruits it has
demonstrated not only its usefulness. but
Its indispensability. No improvement of
the public service ever attempted by the
Government has been so Immediately and
universally successful. 1t has delivered
mail at the homes of the farmers, put them
in daily touch with the outer world: given
them daily papers, market reports, wealth
er signals. registered letters, money orders.
stamps. and packages of mail. 1t has
made the farm more pleasant, and light
ened the life of many farmers boy, re-
Eeved his solitude. saved him from the
maelstrom of the city, and in so doing has
relieved the anxiety Of his father and
mother. 1t is the first real effort ever
made to put the farmer on an equal footing
with his neighbors in the cities and towns
30 far as the postal service is concerned.
THE TRAVELLING PosT-oFFICE.
One great element of value country peo-
pie find in rural free-delivery is that the
carrier can supply stamps and stamped
envelopes for the accommodation of pa
irons on his route. He is required to de-
liver special delivery and pension letters
to the addresses: to cancel stamps OH
letters collected for delivery on his route
before bis return to the post-ofiice, and