La Junta tribune., 1904-10-22

cOgi erred On FARMERS by democracy. ->o
more patent untruth was ever uttered
INSTEAD OF PROMOTING RURAL
FREE DELIVERY. A DEMOCRATIC
ADMINISTRATION FLATLY RE
FUSED TO HAVE ANYTHING TO
DO WITH THE MATTER. EVEN
AFTER CONGRESS- HAD APpKO-
PRiATED MONEY TO ESTABLISH
ROUTES.
The fact 10. DEMOCRACY ALWAYS
HAS BEEN A STUMBLING BLOCK
IN THE PATH OF PROGRESS.
Every great national policy that has
proved to be a boon TO the people has
been bitterly fought by Democratic Con
grsssaleu. urged on by Democratic news
papers.
Democracy has been well named the
party Of obstruction Two-thirds of
the Congressional Record is taken up
with speeches and debate in opposition
TO wise Republican measures, aud near
ly half Of every session OF Congress is
wasted by Democrats either in openly
hlibustsrins or in talking against time.
with the view of delaying or killing bills
that would benefit the people.
viii Of Congress Dea-d-
And Democratic opposition to beneh-
esut a0 does not always cease when
Congress has passed the law, as was the
case with rural free delivery. Near the
close Of President Hnrrison's admins
trstion Republican Congress APP
propristed $4,000 for the purpose of
establishing experimental rural free de-
livery routes. snd Postmaster General
wsaamaker began experiments on SIX
routes. Before anything material could
be done, however. q Democratic admin
istrstion came into power. Mr.. Bisscll
vss appointed Postmaster General, and
be. with Mr.. Cleveland's consent. de
clined to carry out the law. Congress
Appropriated money again. with the same
resuit-A DEMOCRATIC ADMINS
TRATION THE SECOND TINE DE
FLED THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE,
AS EXPRESSED THROUGH THEIR
REPRESENTATIVE IN CON
GRESS. AND REFUSED TO IN
AUGURATE THE RURAL FREE
DELIVERY SYSTEM.
Mr.. Wilson followed Mr.. Bisseli as
Postmaster General. and he also decided
that rural free delivery was impracti-
cable. President Cleveland wns Of the
same opinion. bnsin1 his objection to the
scheme on the ground that it would cost
millions of dollars.
the very opposite of inaugurnting rural
free delivery. Members Of that party
fought it in both houses of Congress.
and President Cleveland and his cabinet
officers put themselves above the lcgis-
infive branch of the government, and
virtually told Congress that IL WAS sub
ordinate to q Democratic administrn-
tiou. Ii was a case of the servant die
tating to the master-an unwarranted
usurpation of power for a harmful pur
pose.
what Repnbiicans DID.
To further show how utterly false is
Drmocrncy's claim to the honor of giving
farmers free delivery of their mail. fig
Ires from government reports are here
reproduced. The first sppropriat ton for
rural free delivery was $4,000. in 1894
The same amount was allowed by Con
gress for 1895 and 1896. but the money
was not used for the purpose intended
- has already been stated. In 1897
when the Mckinley administration came
Into power. only half dozen rural mail
routes had been established. and these
had been partially put into operation
four years previously under President
Harrison. Democracy did nothing dur
ing the Cleveland administration. except
to block the wheels of progress.
Now mark the difference when the Re
publcans came into power. Postmaster
General Smith. unlike his predecessors.
urged the establishment Of many new
routes. In his annual report he said:
The benefits accruing from the extension
o. postal facilities TO the rural communi.
ties may be summarized as follows In
creased postal receipta. making many of
the new deliveries almost Immediately
r.rh.a nsIsmfbf sr sbi. Of c THE ,Ins
better prices obtained for farm products
through more direct Communication with
their state. Improved m.ans Of travel.
some hundreds of miles of country roads.
especially In the Western States. having
rural free delivery. Higher educa tional In
auences. broader circulation Of the means
sf publtc Intelligence. and closer daily con
tact with the great world of activity extend
ID t. the homes Of heretofore Isolated rural
esmmunities.
what Mckinley Said.
President Mckinley. in his message
to Congress in 1900. speaking Of the
postal service. said:
Its NEST striking new development 10 the
eItensiop Of rural free delivery.
This service ameiiorates the isolation Of
farm life. conduce. TO good roads. and
suickens and extends the dissemination Of
general Information Experience thus far
Il would be so expensive a. to forbid its
general adoption or make II Q serious bur
den. Its actual application has shown that
II increases postal receipts and can Be ac-
eompanisd by reduction In other branches
e the service, so that the augmented rev.
enues and accomplished saving together
materially reduce the net cost.
When President Roosevelt assumed
s6lce he vigorously cbampioned extension
Of the service. In his first message to
Congress he said:
Among recent postal advances the success
Sf rural free delivery wherever established
has been 10 marked and actual experience
has made Its benefits so plain that the de-
Dand for Its extension Is general and ur-
Gsnt. II 10 just that the great srrtculturai