The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-06-14

ed, but increased by % per cent in
1898. The appropriation of 1898 wa.
| increased by 200 per cent for 1899
and an equal rate of Increase has
| continued for each OF the eleven
years the SERVE has been in opera
| ton. During these eleven years they
| have increased in the aggregate from
! $4,000, in 1897, to S34, 900, in
| 1907. 1t is stated in the last annual
| report OF the Fourth Assistant Post
master-General that on June 80, 1907,
| there were 37,72S rural delivery
| routes in operation, the average, or
standard, route being "a miles. The
| carriers on the 37.72S rural routes
travelled daily over 901 .06S MIL -
! the roads of t1e country, which is
nearly half of the total mileage of
the public roads of the United States.
Every road over which these mails
go is a United States post-roaj, and,
under the Constitution, Congress has
authority, and in equity and justice
should contribute to their improve
ment and maintenance. While the
extension of this service has been
marvellous. ii has yet encountered no
serious obstacle. 1t has been con-
fined to communities blessed VITA
good roads. Such communities, how
ever, have been very largely sup
the service must needs be mostly to
communities not having good roads.
The Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General. in his annual report for
June 80, 1907, to which I have al
ready referred, has this to say with
reference to the bearing of good
roads on rural delivery:
The maintenance of good roads not only
insures an early and more expeditions de-
portion of the route last to be served.
and from whom most complaints come.
but lessons the liability of irregular or
suspended service on any part thereof.
1t was estimated that the arrier
who travels a 24-mile route daily,
over bad roads, could, with much
more ease, travel from 10 to Is miles
additional over good roads. But SUP
pose we take a more restricted esti-
mate and say that the average car
rier could travel 6 miles more if we
had good roads. This would increase
the average or standard route to 30
miles, and would eliminate every fifth
carrier now employed, and va
also abolish all the crossroads post
Offices, both of which would be a di-
rect saving to the Government BY
to so miles, and eliminating every
fifth carrier, we would reduce the
force of carriers by 1916. which at
their salary of $500 per year, would
be direct annual saving OF S6764.-
400, to say nothing OF the abolition
of the numerous star routes and local
post-ofnces, thereby saving to the
Government many more millions. 1t
is necessary for the continued growth |
done toward improving our roads. |
We can not permit it to be check ]
mated in its growth. No service |
rendered by the Government is dear |
er to the hearts of the whole Ameri- |
can people than the free delivery |
mail service in our cities and - the !
rural districts. Our people want this |
service continued and extended. We |
want to see rural delivery reach its |
highest degree of efficiency, so as to |
add to the charms of our country life. |
ed that it will reach out into the re-
hottest corners of our country
The Government sends its mails
over 925.24S miles of dirt roads every |
day in the week The rural delivery
service would extend over 2.000,e0 |
miles if the roads were improved.
As pointed out in the recent report
Of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General, its efficiency and perfection
depends upon the system of roads
over which the carrier is required to
go. No class of men in the Govern
ment service performs more ardu
Dus duties and are more poorly paid.
They are required to drive their
team and wagon over miSerab,y poor,
and often times almost i'm
pas BILE roads, through all kinds of
nclement weather: they are requir
I'd TO furnish their own team and
equipment and 20 make an average
Of "a miles daily, for which they are
paid only $50 a year.
Mr.. President, the Government has
been generous in donations TO rail-
roads in and through many States.
rnere has been patented TO the rail-
roads 44464.719 acres of public
ands. Grants to railroads of a
much larger number of acres have
been forfeited. The Government has
IN this very way aided in the con
struction of 1890 miles OF railroads.
ng to S64 623.51 have been guaran-
.eed both principal and interest
The Government has from time TO
lime donated for wagon roads 2.014.-
lS4 acres of public lands; for canals,
|. 500.724 acres. and for river i'm
1,9S0,593 acres: in all
So, 055.121 acres The Government
has, in cooperation with the States
IN the lower Mississippi river, ap-
oropriated $4,000. 900 10 aid in the
construction of levees and to prevent
lverf1ows and the destruction of life
and property. No well-informed per
son would say that the building or
eveeS on the Mississippi river Is TO
improve navigation.
] do not want any senator TO sup
pose for one moment that / do not
heartily approve all these appropria-
ions. They have my full sanction.
believe they were wise and prompt
ID by the most enlightened AMI con
structive craftsmanship.
No country has good roads. ex-
,ept where the general government
has shared in the cost and respon-
'ibilfty of creating and maintaining
hem. All the countries of Europe
which have improved roads have
national system whereby the nation
Il government shares in the cost AMI
assists IN the supervision of build