The Washington herald., 1906-10-11
INSANITY CURED BY MAIL
Mr.. De Graw Says Claim Has Been
for Rural Delivery Routes.
In Letter to President of Carriers,
He Tells of Advantages and
Cost of Country service.
special to Tho Washington Herald.

SPECIAL % Tho Washington Herald
Peoria, H.. Oct. 1o.-At the annual con-
vention OF the National Rural Letter Car
riers' Association to-day President Paul
Lindsay. of Tucker, Ca. submitted "A let
ter from Assistant Postmaster General
De Graw regretting his inability to at
tend the convention. The communication
recites the status OF rural delivery
throughout the country. and instances its
many advantages TO farmers, not only
from the viewpoint OF accommodation.
but from its great educational Influence.
the Improvement Of roads. and the pllad-
bic increase in the value Of lands. and
points out how, by cooperation with the
department. rural carriers may aid ia
minimizing the many vexatious problems
which surround the establishment and
maintenance OF the service.
Among other things in his letter. Mt
De Graw says;
1T Is costing the government over s. q
year for each of the 49, 90 persons now
receiving the service. but there IS no
doubt that the expenditure Is fully iusti-
fed by the results obtained. Some per
sons have gone so far as 10 declare that
rural free delivery has Iesseued insanity
in many districts, and are pronouncinE il
a sure cure for melancholia. StlU other
correspondents insist that one of the
greatest. II not the greatest. benefit de-
rived from the service IS its influence for
good roads wherever established.
The amount of money appropriated by
Congress for the rural delivery service for
the current fiscal year is $2S,200009. For the
year ended June 80 last fl was S.. .S2S, ,240
an increase Of more than Sf7o0oo0 oy er
the previous year. when it was $2l.l1s6oo
which in turn was an Increase of s.. 90. 900
over the fiscal year 1903-0l
Publications have appeared asserting
that certain named States are being dis
criminated against in the matter Of es-
tabhshment ana maintenance Of rural
routes. and that inspections have been in
augUrated for the purpose OF discCutinu-
ing or changing from daily TO tTl-weekly
the routes in certain sections of the Coun-
try. particularly in the Southern States
This, Of course. IS wholly mistaken
idea
Tho matter Of approved boxes has
also been the subject of considerable dis
cussiOu in Congress and in the daily
press. The fact that DOG different makes
Of boxes have been approved. which may
De purchased at prices ranging from 81
cents TO S. appears effectually TO refute
the charge that the manufacture of these
boxes is in the hands OF mOnOpolies Prior
TO August !, 1901. the use Of approved
boxes in the rural delivery service was
not required, and some OF the reCeptacles
orected-such as oil and powder cans,
cracker and cigar boxes. stove pipes. and
even boot lcgs-were not only unsafe and
unsuitable for the purpose. but also a re-
pToach to the service
During the fiscal year ended June 30
1865. there were ASS rural carrier exami-
nations held under the direction of the
commission In which there were 30.3S3
competitors Ten thousand six hundred
and twenty-sevcn appointments were
made as a result of these examinations.
1,4S9 Of which were TO MI positions on
routes which had been newly established
There were only 214 removals for cause in
total force of $3.50, and only 10 arrests
for violations of law.
The commission believes that in no
branch of the service has IT been able TO
ill vacancies with less friction and great
er satisfaction than IN the rural carrier
service.
al of which is additional and convinc-
ing evidence of the excellent character of
the force OF rural carriers and the wis
dom Of the rules governing their appoint
ments"