Milford chronicle., 1908-10-30
FARMERS AND RURAL
FREE DELIVERY
This Admirable Feature Of the Postal System
Is a Creation Of the Republican Party
and to Great Degree Explains
Why the County People A.
ways Vote II Back
IN Power.

The Republican principle that the
benefits of the public service should.
as rar as possible, be extended to all
classes and all communities without
discrimination, is conspicuously ex-
emplihed In the rural free delivery
system instituted by the Postoffice
department during the administra-
tion OF President Mckinley. That
system was established In recognition
or the plain fact that the farmer, liv-
ing remote from the nearest post
ot1ee, IS entitled to the free delivery
ol MS mail equally with the business
man residing "a the city. and the
success which has attended its op-
GRAFTON affords conclusive evidence
of its wisdom aid utility.
The development of the rural free
delivery service is one of the most
remarkable achievements of the Post
ohiee Department. Beginning in
1897 as an experiment with deliver
les on eighty-three routes, it has
been extended rapidly year by year,
the service on June 80, 1908, covering
SS,21O routes and providing free de- |
ilVery Tor more than 100000 per-
sons. That is to say, that in the |
short space of eleven years, the free |
mail delivery system has been ex-
tended to something like twenty
per cent. of the total population of
the United States. Could there be
any more striking testimony to the
enciency and practical business
methods of Republican administra-
ton?
The value of this service 10 the
farmers is almost incalculable. 1t
has not only relieved them of the
discomfort of frequent journeys to
distant postofIices, but has placed
them in close reach with market con-
1itiOns, thus enabling them to dis
pose of their products to the best ad-
and done much to promote
he neighbOrhood and relieve farm
ife of the sense Of isolation which
las been one of its greatest hardships.
moreover, in scores of farming COM
nunities the rural free delivery SER |
Ice has given . powerful impetus to A
he good roads movement" with n
ne result that many thousands of G
niles of improved highway have been y
INSTRUCTED. These modern roads. p
hording the farmer easier access Z
0 market, have increased the value q
t his land, thus enabling him to 2
utld better buildings, better fences n
nd purchase better implements. In "
very community to which the rural h
rec delivery service has been extend tc
the farmer has profited by It. He In
more distinctly a business man IN
Ian ever before and life is far more N
ttractive and less laborious for him CT
IF and his family.
The farmers know that the rural NJ
zee delivery service is a creation of Vi
epubliean policy. They are per \.
city aware that It was devised by til
Id in accordance with the RepubIi- ia
N craftsmanship which has provid- sy
cheap postage, encouraged the mi
read OF education and enacted or
cry measure of existing law to ac
aintain the dignity anc advance the
terests of agricultural industry ha
single branch of the public service Ur
peals more strongly to the farmers the
the country in behalf OF continued Gel
publican administration than tbis fer
mirable feature of the postal sys- isl;
n. VIII