The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1904-10-20

conferred on farmers by Democracy. No
mure patent untrutl 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 APPRO-
PRIATED MONEY TO ESTABLISH
ROUTES.
The fact Is. DEMOCRACY ALWAYS
HAS BEEN A STUMBLING BLOCK
IN THE PATH OF PROGRESS.
Every grent national policy that has
proved to be boon ia 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-tbirds 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
wasted by Democrats either In openly
Administering or In talking against time.
with the view of delaying or killing bills
that would benefit the people.
VIII Of Congress- Deficd.
And Democratic opposition to benef-
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
trstion q Republican Congress APP
propriated $4,000 for the purpose of
establishing experimental rural free de-
livery rontes, and Postmaster General
Wanamnker began experiments on six
routes. Before anything material could
ka 1nxv IL 1p,i
istration came into power. Mr.. Bissell
was appointed Postmaster General, and
he, with Mr.. Cleveland'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
REPRESENTATIVE IN CON
GRESS, AND REFUSED TO IN
AUGURATE THE RURAL FREE
DELIVERY SYSTEM.
Mr.. Wilson followed Mr. Bissel ms
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.
1t il thus shown that Democracy did
the very opposite of inaugurating 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 legis
lative branch of the government, and
virtually told Congress that it was sub
ordinate to Democratic administra-
ton. 1t was a case of the servant die
tating to the master-an unwarranted
uaurpation of power for a harmful pur-
pose
What Republicans Did.
To further show how utterly false is
Democrncy's claim to the honor of giving
farmers free delivery of their mail. fig
ures from government reports are here
reproduced. The first appropriation for
rural free delivery was $4,000. in 1894.
The same amount was allowed by Con-
grcss 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
- tIrur tha ,,,ho.,s - ,ro,rrss,s
."r VI p'oei
NOW marx the diiIerence whep the he
publicans came into power. Postmaster
CeneraI Smith uniike b;s nred.cessors
-, ' .''' p- 81 o.
urged the establishment OF many new
routes. In his annual report he said:
mr.. nae,. . 49,, a..
Of postal facilities to the rural communi
ties may be summarized as, follows: In.
ere po dds receipts making many o.
seif-supporting. Enhancement of the value
81 farm lnnds reached by THIS service and
petter prices optainea Ior tnrm ,prouuets
ttsrousn more uirect conlhu ai WIN
TT, nv Iu paunp'es ,nioi ,Sn',om "
their state improved means OF travel,
some hundreds OF miles OF country roads,