Evening journal., 1905-06-13
RURAL DELIVERY'S
GREAT GROWTH
Postofhce Department Has
Nearly 5000 Applications
for Service
70 EXTEND OUR FOREIGN TRADE
BY William woIH Smith.

lU tAlthU Jun fUn[lhA lnhUt
BY William Wolff Smith.
Washington. d. C., June 13.-Rurai
free delivery is a plant of astonishing
ly rapid growth. II required some
time for It to get a start, and at first it
was no larger than the mustard seed
OF the parable. but after il once germ
mated it rapidly developed and grew
until IL has become a mighty branch OF
the government tree. on June 1 there
were 3l,796 mail routes in active sery-
ice in the country, and new routes are
being established at the rate Of six
hundred a month. Nearly five thous-
and applications for the service are
now on file in the Postofnce Depart
ment. Illinois appears to have the
lead In operative routes, the number in
that State 247s. Ohio is a close second
with 2iS6 routes in operation. Indi-
ana, where the system was first tried
on an extensive scale. is now third in
the list with 1894 active routes in SER
vice.
The South is now actively asking for
the benefits OF the service, and the
pressure for its extension in that sec
ton is very strong. Petitions are on
file from the Southern States as fol-
lows: Alabama. 2S2; Georgia, 342:
North Carolina, S66; Virginia, 2S6;
South Carolina, ia; Mississippi, 2O3 I;
Arkansas, 10S. and Texas. S0s.
The deficit for the year in the Post
Office Department is something more
than thirteen million dollars. the larg-
est in the history OF the service. Much
OF this large deficit, il Is said, is ow-
ing TO the rapid extension Of the rural
system. Murmurings are beginning to
be heard from the smaller cities and
towns over the fact that the country
resident has his mail brought to his
door, while those who live In the
smaller cities are compelled to make
a call at the postonice.
The carrying of the malls is the one
great departmental service Of the gov
ernment in which all the people are
directly interested. II costs about
Sl70.O00.OO0 a year to serve the country
with mails and the rapid increase Of
the rural delivery system will add very
largely to the annual expenditures for
postal matters. but the people are will
ing that the expenditure be made.
n may surprise many readers of
these letters, who have been accus-
toned to hear so much about the pros
perity of this country, to know that
only about one per cent. of American
manufactured articles are being sold
abroad. This fast has recently come
home to Secretary Metcalf with such
force that he now has in mind the
calling OF a national conven-
ton OF manufacturers TO con-
slider ways and means for
extending American trade in manufac-
lures. 1t Is contended that other coun-
tries buy our raw products and food
stuns because they have 10, but that i'm
the finished product Americans have
lost because we have practically made
no concerted effort to compete with
the countries of the world for the for
eign business.
Secretary Metcalf has not fully for
mulated his plans. and win make no
announcement until the new head of
the Bureau Of Manufactures has had
an opportunity TO give the subject
some attention. He has. however. gone
into the subject suhiciently to convince
himself that something is wrong in the
American system. There Is a national
association OF manufacturers. but the
new convention, the Secretary Of Com
merce and Labor says, will consider
methods for real campaign Of the
world with our manufactured products
Discussing this subject. Secretary
shaw said: I'VE grow three -fourths OF
the cotton of the world and Il requires
no travelling salesman to dispose Of our
surplus. The world needs it and
comes after IL, and is willing to fur
nish the ships. If American harvest
should fail TO follow seed time for six
consecutive months. the world would
starve; therefore. II requires no for
|eign agent TO sell the surplus produced
IN the Mississippi Valley. The world
never has gone and never win go ar
ter manufactured goods as Il does af-
ter cotton and food. II will require
statesmen, foreign agents, foreign
warehouses and a merchant marine te
dispose Of our surplus manufactures
We VIII not always sell fifty per cent
Of our surplus to Great Britain. Frame,
and Germany and buy only twelve pei
cent OF theirs"
How best to increase this market FOL
manufactured products lis a problem
not easy Of solution but Secretary Met.
calf believes it is one that should b,
taken up for serious consideration and
he proposes through his convention
plan to bring together the best minds
OF the country with that end In view.
The war in the Far East has s,
largely depended upon the naval yes
sells OF the two countries as TO awakei
lother naval authorities 70 the necessit,
OF stronger armaments for their war
ships. This country has not been tn
least interested observer OF the grea
contest now being waged. The nava
bureau of construction is perfectin,
plans for the battleships Michigan
land south Carolina which will max
them the most powerful warships Ii
the world Many important innova
ltions will be introduced. the most strik
Ing OF which is a complete battery o
l2-lnch and i0-inch guns such al
arrangement Of heavy guns has neve
been tried in any vessel There ~ ~
warship afoat that carries more thar
four guns OF the caliber named.
In tonnage the ships viii abou
equal the splendid new British vessel
lof the King Edward VII and Afric
class. These vessels displace betwee