The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-10-05
LOCAL SUPERVISION OF
THE RURAL FREE DELIVERY
Address Before Annua conynen Of the National rosmas
ters Convention, BY ]. l. Waite Postmaster
AZ Burlington Iowa.

should personally pte ana know iae|
man he appoints. or at least know the
people who certify 10 hla qualifications.
lie should nlso have personal knuwl
cdgn OF the local conditions aud the
kind ~ q man required for each cons
muui,y. Leave the selection 20 him
with power 10 discipline and control,
and the postofiicu department will get
the same high degree OF efficiency that
the great railway and other corpora,
TONS set.
This plan might or might not do
away with rural inspectors. IL not,
then tho inspectors ought to DO rs.
signed 70 permanent districts and re-
quired to thoroughly familiarize them
selves with every route and all the
local conditions 30 that not CARRIER
or mail box would escape his personal
attention and every complaint have
immediate attention.
One result OF the localization OF tine
rural free delivery administration
would be speedler correction OF care
lessness, inefiiciency and dishonesty
The present plan is exceedingly tedi.
GUS, uncertain and demoralizing to the
service. Plenty Of illustrations can
be had; any postmaster having rural
service can. furnish them.
Al case similar to the foregoing was
cited by Mr.. Waite.
Also an instance where list OF de-
fective boxes was sent to the depart
ment over two years ago, as ordered,
and no action has yet been taken.
The boxes meanwhile are becoming
more dllapidated, one.half OF the num-
Der now unht--many Of the metal
boxes without tops. As rule, the
farmers are not particular nDout the
condition OF their boxes, but as the
department requires every new patron
to put in good box he complains he
| is Disseminated against because no 10
compelled TO put In a good box while
his neighbors are permitted to lave
poor ones that do not meet the re-
quIrements OF the department.
In another town there are old wood
en- boxes that were put up In 1896.
In another case box was supposed
| TO BIO stolen. II was three month"; be-
fore an inspector took up the case,and
he contented himself with an inquiry
| by mai. Continuing, Mr. Waite said
In conclusion:
Il respectfully submit tnat this Is
not real inspection. II does not meet
the necessities Of the service. It does
not remedy defects. IL does not salts
~ patrons who file complaints. II
embarragses the postmaster and II
minimizes discipline.
These things are not said In crit
cism OF the postal authorities; for they
are dealing with system created by
congress-, q system necessary at hrst
no doubt, but which, after the expert.
ence gained, should be supplanted BY
practical modern business methods
The oficials at Washington are doing
the best they can under existing laws
and the limitations OF the postoffice
appropriations
"Will congress change the system
Doubtful. IL is a Job for the dentist
"Tne patient may know the tooth
ought TO be pulled, but he Is indis'
posed TO hasten the operation. But
eventually through public sentiment
and enlarged experience there will be
an evolution into a system that VIII
give the rural service the local per
sonal supervision II so obviously
needs"