Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-10-06
CARRIERS WANT GOOD ROADS
Rural Mail Messengers Hold Sixth An
nual Convention Here.
MAY SEND CONGRESS A PETITION
Delegates Come from All Quarters
and Several squads VIII Ask
for the Next National
Gathering.

The sixth annual convention of the Ma
tional Rural Letter Carriers association
will be held in onaha, opening
morning and closing Friday morn
ing, morning afternoon and evening ses-
sions to be held each day. The sessions
Of the convention will be held in the con-
vcntion hall Of Hotel Rome and the Rome
will be headquarters of the convention.
The association is composed OF mail car
riers on free delivery routes throughout the
country and delegates from the four cor
ners OF the United States arrived Monday,
the officers expecting a total attendance
during the week OF between 1000 and 1,500.
The delegates will come and go and 1t is
expected that there will not be more than
100 at any one meeting OF the convention,
though the officers members Of the execu-
tive committee and some of the delegates
will remain throughout the entire conven-
tion.
The discussion OF good roads will be
leading subject in the convention. President
Paul l.. Lindsay Of Tucker Ca says one
whole day viii be given over 20 this one
subject. The association may adopt mem
orial to congress on this subject
To Double Per Capita Tax.
Considerable discussion is also expected
on the proposition to double the per capita
tax of members Of the association and the
payment Of the expenses Of delegates, and
President Lindsay says that he looks for
fight on the floor of the convention. The
last convention decided to raise the per
capita tax to 81 and to pay the expenses Of
delegates, but this has since met with con-
siderable opposition and the sixth conven-
ton will be asked to overrule the action of
the last meeting.
The convention will be called to order at
II o'clock Tuesday morning. Addresses Of
welcome will be delivered by Governor
Sheldon on behalf of the state and by
Mayor Dahlman on behalf of the city H.
H. Windsor. editor of the Rural Free De-
liver News, will deliver the response to the
addresses Of welcome. In the afternoon the
program calls for addresses by Senator
Brown Senator Burxett. Congressman Hin
shaw, Congressman Hitchcock. Postmaster
Thomas, Ashton G. Shallenberger and
George Washington Berge. Committees will
also be appointed at the afternoon session.
Business of the Meeting.
Tuesday evening the real work Of the
convention will begin, the program for that
evening and the following three days being
as follows:
TUESDAY EVENING.
7:So-Convention reassembies.
7:35-Report of credentials committee del
egateS seated.
7:45-Report of officers.
9:00-Adjournment.
WEDNESDAY MORNING..
9s0e-Convention called to order.
s;O5-Report of State Secretaries club;
time allowed each state, three minutes.
12:00-Opening question box.
1:00-Adjournment for lunch.
! WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
2:25-Convention reassembles.
| Adams, president Iowa association; E. r.
MaXey, Jerseyville, Ind
! 5:30-Adjournment
| 7:30-Convention reassembles.
/ 7:35-Discussion of good roads.
! 9:O0-Adjournment
THURSDAY MORNING.
| e:OO-Convention called to order.
9:O5-Report of standing committee.
! 9:45-Report of special committee.
! 1l15-Unfinished business.
! 1145-.New business.
| 1215-Adjournment for lunch.
| THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
| 2;30-Convention reassambles
disclosing Of unfinished and new bust
5:OO-Adjournment.
THURSDAY EVENING.
Some form OF entertainment
| FRIDAY MORNING.
| :s0-Convention called to order.
! 9:4O-Election OF officers.
! n:l5-Selection of place for next conven-
tion.
/ l.:30-Convention closed.
"The sole object Of the National Rural
! Letter Carr1ers' association is to exchange
ideas, and by discussion and the listening
to addresses by men who know ana who
have had experience to increase the ef-
fciency of the men who carry Uncle Sam s
mail on the rural free delivery routes said
President Lindsay. I'VE held our first
convention in Chicago in September, 1903
and now have an association composed OF
several thousand carriers. Rural free de-
livery was started by the government as
en- experiment some twelve years ago, but
three years ago 1t decided upon it as a
permanent branch of the mail service, and
we who are in the work first hand are try
ling to improve ourselves and the condi-
tions under which we work"
Largest from Indiana.
The largest delegation to arrive Monday
was that from Indiana with thirteen dele
gates. two Of whom are women. Miss
Leona Funhouses of Yorktown, IND.
p years Of age, has carried the mail ovei
a route twenty-seven and one-half milei
long for four years and Mrs. Alice Condo
Of Alexandria, Ind, has driven the rura
mail wagon over a route twenty-fiv,
miles long for six years Miss Funkhouser
a pretty blond. took up the work when he
father died in August, 1904 and has since
supported her mother and several young
young brothers and sisters.
II don't think it very remarkable, thii
work / am doing" said Miss Funkhouser
who is a delegate for the third time to
national convention. II would much rathe
carry mail than teach school, and teaching
school is about the only work young
woman in the rural districts Of the Hoosle
state can do to support herself and thos
, dependent upon her. l have had no re
markable experiences, the people on m!
route are nice TO me, even though they d.
not get mail every day, and being a mai
"a rriar get q chanca q affand thesa con