Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1904-10-20

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 FLATIE 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
yressmen, 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 !
10 wise Republican measures. and near
" half Of every session of Congress is
wasted by Democrats either in openly |
Glibustering or in talking against time,
with the view of delaying or killing bills
that would benefit the people
WIN of Congress Defied.
And Democratic opposition to u 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
tration Republican Congress APP
propriated $4,000 for the purpose of
establishing experimental rural free de-
livery routes, and Postmastg General
Wanamaker began experiments on six
routes Before anything material could
be done, however, a Democratic admin
istration came into power. Mr.. Bissell
was appointed Postmaster General, and
he, with Mr.. Cleyeand's consent. de-
clined to carry out the law. Congress
appropriated money again, with the same
result-A DEMOCRATIC ADMINS
TRATION THE SECOND TIME DE
FLED THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE,
AS EXPRESSED THROUGH THEIR
REPRESENTA- IN CON
GRESS, AND REFUSED TO IN
AUGURATE THE RURAL FREE
DELIVERY SYSTEM.
Mr.. Wilson followed Mr.. Bissell as
Postmaster General, and he also decided
that rural free delivery was impracti'
cable. President Cleveland was of the
same opinion, basing his objection to the
scheme on the ground that it would cost
millions Of dollars.
II in thus shown that Democracy die
the very opposite of inaugurating rura
free delivery. Members of that part,
fought IL in both houses of Congress
and President Cleveland and his cabine
officers put themselves above the legis
latiye branch of the government, ant
virtually told Congress that it was sub
ordinate to a Democratic sdministra
ton. 1t was q case of the servant die
tating to the master-an unwarrante'
usurpation of power for a harmful pun
pose.
What Republicans Did.
To further show how utterly false
Democracy's claim to the honor Of givin
farmers free delivery of their mail, fiji
ures from government reports are her
reproduced. The first appropriation fo
rural free delivery was $4,000, in 1S0-
The same amount was allowed by Coz
grcss for 1896 and 1896, but the none
was not used for the purpose intended
as has already been stated. In lS0'
when the Mckinley administration cam
into power, only half dozen rural ma
routes had been established, and thes
had been partially put into operatio
four years previously under PrcsideI
Harrison. Democracy did nothing du
ing the Cleveland administration, excel
to block the wheels of progress,
Now mark the difference when the II
publicans came into power. Postmast'
General Smith, unlike his predecessor
urged the establishment of many ne
routes. In his annual report he said:
The benents accrulng from the extenslC
of postal facilities TO the rural conImur
ties may he summarized US follows: l
creased postal receipts. making manS
the new deliveries almost immediate
self-supporting. Enhancement OF the vail
Of farm lands reached by this service al
better prices obtained for farm produc
through more direct communication wi
their state. Improved means OF tray,
some hundreds OF miles OF country road
especially In the Western States hsyil
rafai Free d.l iper Higher %Sucational
nuences, broader circulation OF the mea
of public Intelligence, and closer daily 90
tact with the great world Of activity exter
ed to the homes OF heretofore isolated run
communities.
what Mckinley Said.
President Mckinley, in his MESA
to Congress In 1000, speaking of {
postal service, said:
Its most striking new Development is I
extension of rural free delivery,
This service ameliorates the isolation
farm life, conduces to good roads a
quickens and extends the dissemination
general information. Experience thus
has tended to allay the apprehension II
Il would be so expensive as to forbid
general adoption or make 1t serious h
den. Its actual application has shown Il
II increases postal receipts and can be
companled by reduction In other brancl
Of the reryice, so that the augmented +
enues and accomplished saving togctl
materially reduce the net cost.
When President Roosevelt assun
ONCE he vigorously championed extens
of the service In his first message
Congress he said:
Among recent postal advances the succ
OF rural free delivery wherever establish
has been so marked and actual e1perie
has made its benefits so plain that the