Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-05-17
THE RURAL DELIVERIES.
Great Benefits Derived From Free Pos
tai Service.

IL IS nara LOT Cne CltlZen anu Iax-
payer to realize that this country Is
rich enough to deliver the mail to the
door of every man in the Union. 1t
is still more difficult for him to believe
the assertion, made by officials Of the
postoffice department, that the more
rural delivery routes there are in the
country, the cheaper it will be for
Uncle Sam. 1t has frequently been a
source Of wonder to the citizens Of
the country districts that it was so
easy to secure the establishment Of
rural delivery routes. The government
insists on putting in these routes, In
some instances against the will Of the
patrons. There are some sections In
which there are no such routes at
present, but they will not long. be with
out them. In the course Of a year or
two every community will be served by
the rural carriers, and every farmer
will have his mail delivered at his
door.
The explanation Of the economy of
the method which the government is
adopting for the delivery Of the mail
Is simple when given, but 1t is doubt
full II the father Of the free rural de-
livery system thought 1t would ever
save money to the government.
The postmasters at all fourth class
postoffices in the country receive the
total amount Of stamps cancelled In
the year, up to 5000. They receive,
then, sixty per cent Of the cancella-
tion up to $1,000, and when the latter
sum is reached the office is raised to
the third class, and the official is paid
salary, based on the receipts.
When a rural delivery route is es-
'ablished, all the fourth class offices
on the route, with the exception of
the one at the starting point and the
termination, are abolished. This has
the effect Of greatly increasing the
cancellation at the initial and termi-
nal offices, as the letters mailed on
the route are cancelled at those off,
ces. The result Is that the two post
masters receive all the cancellation
up to 5000, and after that they only
get a percentage, while the rest goes
into the United States treasury. In
great many instances the increase
in cancellation alone results In put
ing into the treasury more money
than the cost of the route-that is, the
sixty dollars month paid to the car
rier. In the great majority Of cases
star routes are abolished by the es-
tablishment of the free delivery, and
the salary paid the contractor is saved
to the government and may be ap-
piled to the payment Of the cost OF
the free route.
Congress appropriated this year the
sum Of thirteen and half million dol
lars for the maintenance Of rural free
delivery. I am informed by postal
official that the total cost Of the sys-
Item will be about thirty-five millions
and that the increased income from
stamp cancellations will amount to fif-
ty millions, approximately.
The salary Of rural carriers was In
creased to $50 a month at the recent
session of Congress, but the carriers
are not allowed to solicit business or
receive orders for any person or cor
poration, and, quoting from the post
office appropriation bill, shall not dur
ing their hours of employment carry
any merchandise for hire; provided
that said carriers may carry merchan-
disc for hire for and upon the request
Of patrons residing upon their respect
i've routes, whenever the same shall
not interfere with the proper discharge
Of their official duties, and under such
regulations as the postmaster general
may prescribe"
| The last estate Of the carrier Is
much better than the former, for the
reason that very few Of them ever
made as much as ten dollars month
from business solicited for another
| The star route carrier is doomed
1t will not be many years before the
delivery of mail by contract carriers
will be entirely a thing of the past
and instead of the farmer getting his
papers and letters from the local post
office, where it is left by the carriers
who get the contract to deliver 1t af-
ter competition with other bidders
everybody will get his mail at his door
or as nearly ut his door as the route
of the carrier runs. The effects OF the
introduction Of the rural delivery sys-
tenn are manifold, not the least OF
which is the increase in the amount OF
mail matter. Mail communication Is
made so much easier that more letters
are written daily; daily papers may De
received by subscribers in remote dis
tricts on the day Of publication, and
the subscription lists Of such publica-
tions show consequent increase. II
is not possible to estimate the infience
which will be exerted by thus increas-
ing to such an enormous extent the
amount of reading matter in the hands
of the masses Of the people.-Washing-
ton Letter.
| Body Grows Short.
What are the proportions Of the
ideal human body?" The vexed ques-