Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-05-31

All of the carriers named with the
exception Of Messrs. Sandifer and
Mendenhall joined the association. Az
ter the completion Of the organization,
delegates and alternates were elected
as follows to represent the county at
the annual meeting Of the association
to be held in Greenville on July 4:
Delegates-D. c.. Clark, J. R. Stephen
son. John M. Smith. Alternates-J.
O. Allison, E. B. Patton, T. G. Mat
thews.
Although more In the nature OF an
informal talk than a set speech, Con-
gressman Finley's remarks to the car
riers were both interesting and In
structive.
Beginning his talk with a descrip-
ton of the primitive facilities Of the
old days, Mr.. Finley reviewed the
various stages Of development up to
the present time and showed by COM
parison that the postal system of this
government Is now not only the most
perfect in the world, but by far the
most extensive. In this connection
also he pointed out how essential 1t Is
that each Individual who constitutes
part Of the big machine do his fuli
duty-how the complete effectiveness
of the system depends upon the INTEL
ligence and loyalty Of. every employee
from the highest down to the lowest.
He spoke Of the rural delivery sys-
tenn as having been originally inau-
gurated merely as an experiment
stating that when he first went TO
congress eight years ago, there were
only $50 carriers in the entire SER
vice and the appropriation for their
support was only $15O,OO0. since
then the number Of carriers has
grown to an army of 10000 and the
last appropriation was $34,0O0,0O0.
He was quite sure, however, that the
government has never made a better
investment, and thinks that the rural
delivery system has added not less
than two billions to the country's ag-
gregate Of two hundred and ten Dill
lions of wealth. Discussing this phase
of the subject in detail, ne Claimed
that much of the increased value OF
property so apparent within the past
six or seven years Is traceapie uiie
ly to rural delivery and that the value
of every farm in this county and IN
this district bears more or less reia-
ton to it's proximity to rural oellV-
cry route.
Taking up the educational feature
of the situation Mr.. Finley described
the rural delivery system as conStltut-
ing the greatest national university
the world has ever seen. He reterred
to the old days Of star routes ana $50
lated postoffices, when because or the
difficuity of getting it, so many people
did without fresh reading matter.
Then he described the change that
followed the introduction Of rural de-
livery and pointed to the increased
circulation of all kinds Of newspapers
and periodicals. He thought that
there is no estimating the influence the
system has had in increasing the gen
eral intelligence Of the country.
Referring to the slow, but STEADY IN
crease in the pay Of the carriers from
$500 Il $500, then to $3.50 and the next
raise on July l, to 5000, Mr.. F1nley
said II had all come about through no
other cause than the recognition on
the part of congress that the service
the carriers were rendering should re-
ceive proper compensation. He had
done what he could along the line or
securing fair pay for the carriers;
but he could not fairly claim any
more credit than other members OF
congress who had given the matteT
as earnest consideration as he had
given 1t.
Along the line of pull and influence
Mr. Finley said he had absolutely
nothing to do with the appointment OF
rural carriers. Appointments were
made purely and strictly on basis OF
merit as determined by competitive
examinations, and the congressman
knew nothing of them officially. But
he went on to say. Il want you to un-
derstand that no inspector nor anyone
else has any authority over you ex-
cept in the matters of neglect OF duty