Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-01
RECOMMENDS PARCEL POST
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Favors Eleven-Pound Maximum.
WOULD NOT NJURE MERCHANTS
New Arrangement would he Enec-
tive Between D~istributing
once and Rural Patrons
Only.

WASHINGTON, NOV. @.-Touching the
neart Of the agricultural communities in
every state OF the union, the annual report
OF Fourth Assistant Postmaster General 4.
v. De Graw, made public tonight, an
nounces increased usefulness OF the rural
free delivery service and the unprecedented
bringing Of the work of the bureau up to
date, and recommends rural delivery Of
packages of eleven pounds maximum at a
special postage, and the uniforming Of
rural carriers. The package provision sug-
gested requires congressional legislation and
IS designed to be effective between the dis
tributing postoffice and the patrons of any
rural route ~emanating from such postoffice,
Such a service, according to the report,
would benefit alike the rural delivery pa
irons and local merchants, without injur-
ing or competing with any other service.
1t can be given,' adds Mr.. De Graw,
with the facilities now employed and
would materially increase the revenues of
the department. A special reduced rate Of
postage for merchandise carried only by
rural carriers would unquestionably be of
material value to the retSil merchants on
rural routes and at rural delivery distribut-
ing centers, as we'll as enhance the influ-
enCe or the rural service III HldhlHB IRE III
the country more attractive
Rural carriers at present are not per-
mitted to carry for hire any matter or
package that is mailable, but congress in
creased the salaries of the carriers. The
demand for a package service by them,
fostered in the first years OF rural free
delivery, still exists. 1t should be met, ac-
cording to Mr.. De Graw, not in the old
way, which permitted the use of the gov
ernment's agency for private gain, but by
the establishment of q system for the car
riage of merchandise by rural carriers at
such rates as will be a fair compensation
for the service performed, the revenues
to be credited to the postaf receipts. Pa
irons and merchants, he adds, desire to
have small packages delivered by rural car
riers, but will not pay the present fourth
class rate, which is prohibitlve as applied
to this class of service.
The rural carriers in the service, of
which Mr.. De Graw is the head, daily
pass $500, 900 homes, and he recommends
once more the adoption of a uniform,
suitable to the conditions under which
they must work, as undoubtedly adding
to the dignity and efficiency of the rural
service. Their high standard of eff
cheney Is dlIeSIeu ny lue ldCl NldI OIly
1876 carriers out of a total number Of
( 9,143 were dismissed for cause during
the last year.
Rural delivery f. now in operation on
945,OS7 miles Of road, over which car
riers are required to travel daily. OF
these roads 35, 600 miles are macadam,
the remainder being earth, sand or
gravel. Since the service was first es-
tablished 1852, 1852 has been expended
on roads traversed by rural carriers.
Road officials and patrons are notified
whenever repairs are necessary on rural
routes. More work has been done on
such public highways and more expendi-
lures made In their Improvement during
the last year than In any previous year
in the history of rural delivery, and the
official reports received clearly indicate
that interest in road Improvement is be-
ing generally manifested throughout the
country. a...F