New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-07-02
POSTAL SERVICE REFORM
Il NEW POLICY ADOPTED.
Eliminating Politics from Rural
Free Delivery.
[FRoM THE TR1puNE BUREAU

Washington, July 1.-The first important step
in the reorganization of the Postoff1ce Depart
nent forecast in The Tribune of June 3, and
one especially intended TO place the rural free
delivery a business basis. was taken to-day
policy which will ignore the existence of Con-
gress districts in the establishment Of rural
routes has been adopted.
Postmaster General Payne has regarded with
serious apprehension rhe extent to which Con-
gress and especially political, influences have
dominated the rural free delivery service, and
has seen in this domination a serious menace
to the busnessliGe administration of this branch
of the postal service. was explained in The
Tribune on that date. Hereafter an entirely
new policy will be pursued In the establishment
of rural routes. Each State will be regarded
as unit Congress districts will be ignored. and
inspectors will examine proposed routes in the
order in which the applications are received.
The extent of the wirepulling by members of
Congress, each of whom insisted that the routes
applied for by residents of his district should
be inspected first has caused expense and de-
lay. to say nothing OF annoyance, ana TOO ire
queatly the eventual establishment of routes In
sections less deserving Of the service than others
1t is confidently believed that the new depart
ure will remedy these difficulties. The inspector
going into a State will receive the applications
filed. each bearing the date of it's receipt. So
in the order in which the application was filed.
and where it is found impossible to establish all
the routes on which a favorable report is made,
preference will be given to those which will give
the improved service to the largest number of
people, regardless OF the political complexion of
the districts in which such proposed routes may
be situated.
1t is the further intention of the Postofhce De-
partnent to adhere strictly to the rule long
established, but heretofore often observed only
in the breach that each route must be approx
mately twenty-five miles in length and must
serve at least one hundred persons.
This policy has been adopted with the full
knowledge that it will meet serious opposition
from those members of Congress who desire the
establishment Of rural routes as aid to po-
Htical strength in their districts. 1t is in &C
cord with the record Of Fourth Assistant Post
master General Bristow, whose one idea is said
to be the improvement Of the service. and the
Postmaster General Is prepared to uphold his
Fourth Assistant in the face of all opposition
thorough investigation of the affairs of the
General Manifolding Company or FRANKLIN
Penn is now in progress. 1t has been discov-
cred that as a result of the clause inserted IN
the Sundry Civil BILL instructng the Public
Printer to purchase the manufactures or TINS
company whenever requested TO do so Dy tne
chief of a government bureau, the concern Is
now selling/to the government approximately
100000 worth of duplicating paper and forms
every year. prominent official who has much
inside knowledge of the purchase OF govern
ment supplies, and especially OF the postofhce
investigation, said to-day that the securing OF
contracts by members of Congress for companies
in which they are interested was growing into
frightful abuse. Having secured contracts Tor
their companies, there was an ever present
temptation to make extravagant appropriations
for the purchase of such goods, and this off1clal
estimated that the custom entailed an expense
to the government OF not less than S5O.OOO.OOO
year in excess of what would be expended under
economical administration.
Eight hundred and ninety-six new rural free
delivery routes were put in operation to-day, the
first since the establishments were suspended IN
view of the deficit on that account for the fiscal
year Just closed. They bring the total number
of routes in operation to approximately 5000.