The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-23
RURAL MAIL PROBLEM.

! Correspondent to the New York Evening
! Post from Washington says:
/ The tangle in which congress finds It
! self over the question of regulating rural
/ delivery carriers is one which the house
may not settle. Members seem to think
/ that a distinction should be made for the
( carriers between serving persons on the
route and serving outside interests which
desire to cater to this trade. For exam
pie. if a farmer wants to send 4 piece
of a moving machine into the village
to be repaired. or TO ask the rural carrier
to bring along some piece of merchandise
when he is coming, the house people think
this ought not to be prevented, though
similar services for the large department
stores and city concerns which want
dr-ummers in the field will, according to
the terms Of the bill, be henceforth for
hidden.
This suggests a line which it would be
rather difficult TO draw The probabilities
are that errards for the people on the line
would be performed anyway. and that no
law could wholly prevent it. The star
route carriers, many of whom conduct
what is in effect 4 rural delivery now,
perform services OF 4 miscellaneous sort
for the ncighborhoods through which
they pass; they usually run a coach and
carry passengers as well as mail. The
law can, Of course, prevent a rural car
rier from helping out a fellow traveller on
the road by giving him ride, but it
seems contrary TO j certain sort of pub
lie policy ont to let this functionary make
There is plainly one way in which this
could be accomplished without infringing
upon the governments tine and inter
ests. and that would be by giving out
the rural delivery work on contract. just
rs the star routes are now conducted.
The government would hire the service
performed on the best terms the market
oTeIed and the bidder. in accepting the
contract would assemble in his business
as many other harmonious interests. such
as the transportation Of passengers. bag
gage. parcels, etc. rs he liked. The con-
tract system would also adapt oomnen-
s1ticn to the varying standards of cost
to the different parts Of the country. Tn
Gle sam would get the benefit Of the low
price i'm hay in some sections. instead of
having TO pay everywhere the cost of the
most expensive part Of the service. Rep
rcsentative aGrjner of New Jersey told
the other day Of a case where an eight
mile raute was covered under star CON
tract Of sixty cents q day. and yet the
carrier was confent7d because his coach
had So many other sources Of income
Speed is not u consideration in The rural
delivery.
1t viii he recalled that the house post
Office committee reported almost uaani-
wcG-ly in favor Ct She contract system q
year aeo. hat were orerrilden by the
house. They arc afraid that similar in
flences ROW will override their plans
Members Of congress are complaining 4
raod deal because while the sel2 ,t:o1 of
rural carriers has rouiraHv ben tjE
out Of their hands and pat u0on merit
service basis. the carriers stHl have IN
opnn-,u~irv in eoing from farm u farm
10 use their influence against a con-
gresham who does not vote Tor every
tN!rs thot they desire. If We had them
directly under our thumb" remarked a
westeruer 70 your correspondent today.
so that we could turn thrm out when
over we wanted CO. We could vote rs we
rleasc on the question Of compensation !
and they wouls hsve 70 attend 80 bust
moss: EutG r6er the rrcS7r1 urranceuent
rs, are HELPLESS Thev can set Up thei~
organizations AMI sand their committees
10 congress ard tell rs what they want
sore. end We can oaly with great risk
refuse 20 rrant &C.
Tha -rerIt system obviously requires -
lis co-'-Ia -usnt II, viStI enforcement ot
thc rula against government employees
a~ocal.-2 20 CONGRESS- for Increases II
salary ovo- tho hea5s of their derart-
men- CHIEFS Tho l--te- carriers - The
critics have compelled tse adoption II this
rude. ard row ths rural CARERS arc PRO
eeeIinS En- way that threatens u make .
r 6oublv -ecessarv The president -
their association bcCove the post o:fce I
committee e tha senate the other day
PROTESTING against 50 smsil an Increase /
n salary as that proposed in the bill
from Sse' TO So. he vented the rate fixed /
al 80 so- ell who have beea three years .
IL the service. In many Of the rensote .
-ourtr- districts this Is very handsome +
ana the rural carrier. who /
ras originally supposed 70 be a farmers /
boy satisfied to pick Up s1os yesx hy Us !