The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1908-06-03
THE CARRIERS ANNUAL
MEETING.

Representative Gathering of Those
Who Handle the Mails in this Coun.
ty-Several Fine Addresses
Brilliant Reception rendered the
Visitors by Postmaster Leaphart
and Lexington Carriers.
The Lexington County Rural Carri-
ers' association met in annual session
in the court house here on Saturday,
az the guests of Postmaster Leaphart
and the carriers who 60 out from the
Lexington postofice.
The meeting was called to order by
President J. E. B. McCartha, of Lees
vile. Rev. W. 81. Hitler, offered a
fervent and eloquent prayer. The
address of welcome was made by Col.
J. Brooks Wingard, who spoke elo-
quently of the rural service and as
sured the visiting members OF the as
sociation that they were welcome
thrice welcome to our town.
This address was responded to by j..
Frank Kneece, postmaster at Bates
burg. MIR. Kneece spoke feelingly of
his pleasant associations with the peo-
pie of Lexington several years ago
while he was a student of the Pal
metto Collegiate Institute. He told
how the town had grown during the
last fifteen years. During the course
of his address he referred to the rapid
growth of rural free delivery and took
occasion to praise Congressman Lever
for his untiring efforts in behalf of
the carriers. He expressed the ap-
probation of the association for the
warm welcome extended.
Mr.. Kneece was followed by Solic-
itor Geo. Bell Zimmerman, who made
the principal address of the day. he
took the place of Congressman Lever,
who was to have addressed the asso-
citation, but was detained by arduous
duties at the national capitol during
the last week of congress.
Mr.. Zimmerman first spoke Of the
organization of he'carriers and COM
mended their course. He pointed out
the great good that could be accom-
plished through organization and
united effort, and complimented this
county upon the splendid condition Of
it's association. He referred to the
splendid achievement of recent years
in industry, commerce and manufac-
ture, and called attention to the fact
that "the great majority of these i'm
provements have been used in the up
building of the cities and towns. We,
of course, rejoicein the progress made
~l1 hy1k $o
the greatest cause of rejoicing is to
be found in those improvements and
developments which baYe been in
augurated and carried to successful
conclusion in the rural districts. There
is to be found the backbone of the
government. It's success is the guar
antee of the success of the world. If
there be plenty in the country, then
there is plenty in the city also. Ev-
erything, therefore, which tends to
make country life more desirable i'm
proves conditions generally. I long
for the time when the best young men
of the country will stop seeking situa-
tions in towns and cities. That they
are doing this, no one can deny. The
question is, why are they doing it? 1t
is because country life is so humdrum
and commonplace that it furnishes no
attractions for them; and it never
will be attractive to any ambitious
boy or girl until they are enabled to
enjoy, in some measure at least, the
convenience and comforts of city
life."
Here he referred to the great good
that the free rural delivery of mails
had done towards relieving the situa-
tion and denominated it "an educa-
tional and progressive force," and
asserted that the system was a power
for good which improves the status OF
any people who we're 50 fortunate as
to become the recipients of it's bene-
fits. "No people," he said, "can at
tain high station of development, If
they are isolated from the balance of
the world. It is the shoulder touch
of humanity which brings out that
which is best and noblest in man. It
is said that "isolation results in stag
nation, and we accordingly find that
the civilization of all people is in
versely as their isolation"' In sup
port of this contention he cited his
torical and geographical authorities.
Continuing he said: 'The world has
gone mad on the question of centrali-
zation, and the greatest menace to
our form of government is the cen
tralization of wealth and population.
Practically everybody realizes that
this is the fact, but what are we do
ing to obviate the difficulty? In 1880
when we had a population of less than
four millions of people only three and
one-third per cent of that population
resided in the city, while the other
ninety-six and two-thirds per cent
lived in the rural districts. To-day,
with population of more than eighty
millions, we find practically one
third, or thirty-three per cent, of the
entire population of the United States
residing in cities, with only two
thirds, or sixty-six per cent, living in
the rural districts. We see from
these figures that the proportionate
increase of population is greater, by
ten to one, in the cities than it is in
the country. If this condition of af-
fairs continues in it's present ratio,
who are going to be the producers OF