The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1908-10-17
REPUBLICANS FATHER
RURAL FREE DELIVERY
Its Remarkable Development During
Eleven Years of Republican
Rule.
Enables More than Sixty Per Cent
Of the American People to Come
Into Their Own.

Our rural free delivery, under the ro-
bust constructive policy of the Repub-
iican party. Is scarcely twelve years
old 1t has fully kept pace with the
growth and development OF our whole
country. The farmer is now reapng
some Of the rewards he justly earned
In the past, by the burdens he has
borne. He is the producer Of wealth
lie is coming to be one of the most in
dependent of all our citizens. No
branch Of the public service has been
50 well developed and improved in the
past few years as our rural free deliy-
cry.
only six years ago there were only
5000 rural routes in operation. There
are now about 10000 and these are
scattered through every State and Ter
ritory in the country, so that there is
not a rural section In the whole land
that is not practically covered. This
entire service has been evolved from a
small beginning, n little more than elev-
en years ago. during the three Rtruhh
can administra tions, with which The
country has been blessed since I>D1
The Democrats object, OF course, to
the appropriation Of S}5oDu,oou made
this year for the support of rural free
delivery, but this service brings more
direct benefit to the people of This conn
try whom 1t affects, rhan almost ans
other appropriation mad" Icy the gem
.ral government.
Great Aid to Education.
/ he development Of the postal faei,t
ties has been the development of the
people il wisdom aud greatness. When
these facilities reached but few at
wide intervals. it was a blessing The
tardy system by which letters were
carried by canal and horses from
the East to the western frontier
at great expense was Il blessing
and when steam was harnessed to
the mails and delivered its precious
freight to the large cities and towns
TO which the people went from miles
around to get the weekly paper. the
benefits were still greater Larger yet
did they become when business men in
large cities could receive their mail
several times day at their desks by
city carriers
Rut not until very recent years, and
under Republican policy. was ii dis
covered that the people whose money
pays the majority Of all taxes levied for
EoyernIoent purposes; who constitute
the majority Of the people; from whose
ranks are recruited armies and nayies
In time of war; in whom the hope of
the nation rests for that stability and
wisdom which is unmoved by new and
untried schemes, and In whom is cast a
safe anchor when storms of corruption
and squalls of political delusions beat
against the ship Of state: not until re-
cent years have any OF these people
from the country received the benefits
OF free delivery, and not nearly all Of
them do now Yet judged by policy, oI
right, is any class more entitled to the
benefits OF free delivery with its con-
stant dissemination of useful know.
edge:
II POpuIarires Country Life.
When Municipalities are being crowd.
ed and conGcsted by people drawn from
the country and from foreign lands. it
Ii the part OF wisdom to encourage life
In the country; and with electric roads,
telephones and rural delivery, the bene-
nts or city life have been extended. and
municipal boundaries have been re-
moved. Democrats talk as IL Republi
Guns were making concessions to the
people Of the country by arranging for
the extension Of rural mali service,
when In reality the Republican party
is simply aiding the rural districts to
come into possession OF portion at
their own
Democrats "view with Alarm"
Democrats are viewing with
alarm" the possibilities of a deficit in
connection with the extension OF the
rural free delivery service. That there
will be deficit for the first two years
1t Is practically certain. This belongs
naturally to the business end to the
constructive Republican policy, when
It sees how II can best serve the peo-
pie at present, and recoup the govern
ment treasury later. After three years,
the rural free delivery service will be
more than self-supporting. The re-
ceipts OF the Postoffice Department
have been largely increased already
since rural delivery was established,
and every route of any age shows a
steady increase In pieces of mail han
died and in stamps sold and Cancelled
Yet this cancellation and sale of
stamps does not measure the whole ef-
feet Of rural delivery. Its benefits
reach every other department, and
much Of the general increase In busi-