The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-01-31
RURAL ROUTES IN GREAT
DANGER.

Congressman Aiken Makes StrOn
Appeal to the Public 10 Support
the Seryice-POints Out the Dan
gers and Suggests Remedy.
Washington, D. c., Jan. %, 1906.
Editor of Press and Banner:
You have doubtless noted In the papers g
statement from the Post once Department,
indicating its purpose TO discontinue a large
number OF the rural routes throughout the
country, on the ground that they are not ap.
~preciated."
Knowing your deep interest in the welfare
OF our county, and in the general upbulldlnR
Of the rural sections, hat make for material
prosperity, I desire through your paper, 10
direct public attention to The necessity lor
building up the business OF the rural SER
vice.
Cities and towns only reflect prosperity,
the country iB It's real birth place. Anything
that detrscts from or retards the advance
.ment Of the producer roos the Nation In DOL
lars and cents.
There is q natural tendency in all men to
gravitate to popuious centres; IT 1s the social
and tnquisitive sid OF mans natnre NAT at
iserts itself. Telephones and trolley lines
have done much toward blotting out time
N space, toward making neighoors OF those
geographically far apart, but greater tnan
cit Their Of these Is the free rural delivery sys-
tenn. Not every community can nave q troll.
ley line, not every man can have q telephone,
but the humblest citizen may nave Dis mali
delivered daily at bis door. BY tnese mooein
agencies, the most remote rural resident ID,
In essentials, made . suburban resloent VI
the towns and cities, n q long step tOWard
desirable lie in the country Is attained. IL
ment, which must realize the importance OF
main tanning the highest and most lntelllgent
citizenship in the rural sections. would
snatch from these good people me only iitds .
the millions they have contributed 10 the
National Treasury. And yet, this order OF
The Post Once Department 10 discontinue
rural routes which do not handle 2OOO pieces
OF mail monthly" will do this very lining.
Arguments as 10 the unwisdom Of the Gov,
ernment's course are futile. when confronted
noting, however, the Inconsistency in ap-
p%Fopriat1ng annually, 10 the Phlllpplnes, an
alien people, millions In excess OF their reve-
nue., with the single purpose OF eonoatlng
them TO the standard OF GOOD citizenship.
while Withholding from It's best citizens ut
home the little amount necessary TO supple
ment rural routes not entirely SELF sustain
inf f. eovsrnmsn, d,sola,ms any intention
of discriminating against the South in this
order, and We do not charge IL WITH olscriml-
nation or s~ectionalssm, bot the effect Will De
none the less disastrous to southern rural
routes because OF the disclaimer. There ls
scarcely a carrier in the popuious North that
does not handle four or five thousand pieces
Of mail monthly while many OF our own car
under 1000 pieces. Truly the government
should lake the larger view, and extend
its bounty TO those thinly settled sections
which need building up, but we need not e1-
So great have the Government expendi.
lures grown, that the present excessive TAR
IL ,so5 rates s,s are ser i ansss shs s iSp t1s ap paTty Is
forced to call a halt to IT. policy OF extrsva.
CANOE. Many appropriations heretofore
made, will be either LEFT on entirely or very
much reduced; and "the poor mans lamb"
the South's little mite will be taken. It Is
only TOO true that this order OF the Post ONCE
Department is no idle threat.
of mail handled by the various carriers OF
the Third District, 1t is impossible TO say
which routes, II will be affected by the
order. Some OF them are doubtless on the
in the people who are now served by. the
routes, u In the ever faithful carriers, l de
sire 10 stir them up TO q realization OF the
danger tina contronts the system.
More OF our people should take the daily
and tri-weekly papers, and should do this al
once. There Is no greater agency for public
good, no better educator than the news pa
the District that does not take some good
newspaper. Beside serving the immediate
end Of increasing the rural business. 1t VIII
tell for good In our children and our child.
ren's children.
+ Aside from the paramount advantages al
forded by the rural delivery system Tor Build.
ing mp and making content spsrsely settled
BeCL1O0b, tn6 m6Io mAIt6I VI "OuoS Iot loooo
In the South thereby Is q consideration. In
this district alone, there are something like
$50 carriers, receiving an aggregate OF some
dollars annually, which Is distributed
through our avenues Of trade. 1t is paid to
an faithful and deserving men "a our country
affords; most OF them earn in dollars and cents
for the Government and ell Of them earn 10
labor, every dollar and more than the Gov
eminent pays them. Will we, for lack Of
proper support, surrender this appropriation,
with the greater advantage of q daily mall,
stimulating trade between country and town,
or will we meet the exegency? II Is up to the
good people who are served and the courteous
carriers, for the Government has spoken.
WYATT Aiken,