CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1904-10-27

conferyeA On farmers by Democracy. No
more patent untruth 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 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
wasted by Democrats either in openly
6libustering or in talking against time.
with the view of delaying or killing bills
that wsah benefit the people.
Will of Congress Defied.
And Democratic opposition to benefi-
cent act does not always cease when
Congress has passed the law, as was the
case with rural free delivery. Near the
close ef President Harrison's admins
tration q 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
be dose, however, Democratic admin
istratiea came into power. Mr.. Bissell
was appointed Postmaster General, and
he. with Mr.. Clevelands consent, de-
clined to carry out the law. Congress
appropriated money again, with the same
result-A DEMOCRATIC ADMINS
TRATION THE SECOND TIME DE
Flied 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.. 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.
1t is 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-
htive branch of the government, and
virtually told Congress that it was sub
ordinate to Democratic administra-
ton. 1t was case of the servant die
tating t. the master-an unwarranted
usurpation Of power for harmful pur-
pose.
What Republicans Did.
To farther show how utterly false is
Demoracy'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-
gross for 1895 and 1896. but the money
was not used for the purpose intended.
as 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 hcen partially put into operation
four years previously under President
Harrison. Democracy did nothing dur
Ing the Cleveland administration, except
to block the wheels of progress
Now mark the difference when the Re
General Smith, unlike his predecessors,
urged the establishment of many new
routes. In his annual report he said:
The benefits aceruing from the extension
Of postal facilities TO the rural commuuI-
ties may be summarized as follows: In
creased postal receipts; making many OF
seifsupporting. Enhancement of the value
Of farm lands reached by this service and
better prices obtained for farm products
through more direct communication with
the markets and prompter information of
their state. Improved means of travel,
especially In the Western States. having
been grnded specifically In order to obtain
rural free delivery. Higher educational In
nuenccs, broader circulation of the means
of public Intelligence. and closer daily con-
tact with the great world OF activity extend
ed to the homes Of heretofore isolated rural
what Mckinley Said.
President Mckinley, In his message
to Congress In 1900 speaking Of the
postal service, said:
Its most striking new development il the
fxtensisn Of rural free delivery.
This service ameliorntes the isolation of
ana eases. e b sSEs an@
general Information. Experience thus far
has tended to inlay the apprehension that
General adoption or make II q serious bur-
len. Its actual application has shown that
lt increases postal receipts and can be ac-
~ the service. SO that the augmented rev
enues and accomplished saving together
materially reduce the net cost
When President Roosevelt assumed
once he vigorously championed extension
Of the service In his first message to
Congress he said:
Anonx recent postal ndvsnccs the success
of rural free delivery wherever established
HAS been 30 marked aud ncfuni experience