The state herald., 1904-10-21

frObnbiy the gTeh'est eAuhipie VI
Democratic gall the campaign has pro-
duced is the claim made by some OF the
leaders of that party that the blessings
of the rural free delivery system were
conferred on farmers by Democracy. No
more patent untruth was ever uttered.
INSTEAD OF PROMOTING RURAL
FREE DELIVERY, A DEMOCRATIC
ADMINISTRATIONS FLATLY RE
FUSED TO HAVE ANYTHING TO
DO WITH THE MATTER, EVEN
AFTER CONGRESS- HAD APPRO-
PRIATED MONEY TO ESTABLISH
ROUTES.
The fact is. 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-
gressmen, 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. and near
" half of every session of Congress is
WAkttu ul ih of''s
flibustering or in talking against time,
with the view of delaying or killing bills
that would benefit the people.
Will Of Congress Defei.
And Democratic opposition to bench
cent act does not always cease when
Congress has passed the law. as was the
case with rural free delivery. Near the
close of President Harrison's admins
,ration Republican Congress ap-
propriated $4,000 for the purpose of
establishing experimental rural free de-
livery routes. and Postmaster General
Wanamaker began experiments on six
routes. Before anything material could
he done, however. a Democratic admin
istration came into power. Mr.. Bissell
was appointed Postmaster General. and
he, with Mr.. Cleveland's consent, de-
clincd TO carry out the law. Congress
appropriated money again, with the same
result-A DEMOCRATIC ADMINS
TRATlCN THE SECOND TIME DE
FLED THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.
AS EXPRESSED THROUGH THEIR
REPRESENTATIVES, IN CON
GRESS. AND REFUSED TO IN.
AUGURATE THE RURAL FREE
DELIVERY SYSTEM.
Mr.. Wilson followed Mr.. Bissell ns
Postmaster General. and he also decided
that rural free delivery was imprncti-
cable. President Cleveland was of the
same opinion. basing his objection to the
scheme on the ground that IL would cost
millions Of dollars.
1t IN thus shown that Democracy did
the very opposite Of inaugurating rural
free delivery. Members Of that party
fought II in both houses Of Congress.
and President Cleveland aud his cabinet
officers put themselves above the lcgis-
laiive branch of the government. and
virtually told Congress that II was sub
ordinate TO n Democratic administra-
tion. II was a cas-. Of the servant die
tnting TO the mnster-an unwarranted
usurpation Of power for harmful pur.
pose.
What Republican,. pid.
To further show how utterly false is
Demccrncy's claim to the honor II giving
farmers free delivery OF their mail, fig
urcs from government reports are here
reproduced. The first appropriation for
rural free delivery was $4,000. In 1884.
che same amount was allowed by Con-
rrcss for 1895 aud ls,'J. hut 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. aud ihes.
had been partially put into operation
four years previously under President
Harrison, Democracy did nothing dur.
Ing the Cleveland administration. cxcep,
20 block the wheels Of progress
Now mark the difference when ih. lie,
publicnns came Into power. Postmaster
General Smith. unlike his predecessors,
urged the establishment Of many new
routes. In his annual report he said:
The benefits hocruing from the e,lsn.io,
Of postal facilities in the rural rpmmuuI
ties may u" suinna fiEsd ar follows; In.
creased postal rrc-lptH, making many ~
the new deliveries almn-t immediately
self supporting. Enhancement ~ ~. value
NJ farm lands trnrh-d by thls saftlr. aud
better prices obtained for farm product. .
through more difrrt communication With
the markets aud ptompter Information ui
their state, Improved means ~ ttnyrl.
some hundreds of miles ~ country roads.
especially In the Western States. having
been graded specifically IN order To ohtHin
furnesr broader rlfculsiluu ~ the means
of public Intelligence, aud closer daily ronl
frff Win the gfrht world of activity extend,
ed io ths BONES VI heretofore Isolated rural
eommuniti-s,
what Mckinley said.
President Mckinley, In his messag.
90 Congress In 1900. speaking of III,
postal service. sniii
its most striking new Development /, III,
extension " rural free delivery.
This service Hni-ilorat-u the isolation o
farm NE. raninr"a 10 gpoi roads, an,
aurlsns aud ritrnds the dissemination o
general Information. iNp.rirnrr thus IA
has tended io Hiiny the apprehension tina
" would be- 80 expensive ~ 10 fortii N
rrnrfhl adoption ~ make n n serious huf
den, ita actual Application has shown ihA
II infrrAsHs postal receipts and can he NJ
rompAnl-d ny Reduction IN other branche
Of the service, so that the augmented frN
.nur- aud accomplished saving togpth-
materially reduce ID. net cost
When rrr.iden, II osr,elt assume
one. he vigorously chpmpionrd rs,cn.io
of the service In his first message I
Congress he said
AmonF recent pa-ial advances the surrrs
o. rural IT." delivery wherever "stHbllshr