The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-07-07


people. This is fundamental, cons
stitutional duty.
Under this power and in discharge
Of this duty the present postal SER
vice has grown up.
The surprising feature is that tho
rural population should have been
contentcd for SO many years with Il
system which was NOT only farsicaI
in many respects, but al the same
time which administered in such q
manner as to discriminate against
it. The old star route system with
the country postolliccs, with weekly
and Scmi-wckly deliveries, served its
purpose for Il time and was perhaps,
Ill that could be expected Of the GOV
ernmcnt, but as rural population i'll
creased, as the wilderness was clear
ed and farm homes dotted the hill
sides and the valleys, such Il system
became obsolete and almost 4 fall
urc, and that the people should have
stood for such q condition rs long as
they did, with the country ripe for
thc inauguration Of the present sys-
tom of rural delivery, is but another
testimonial Of the patience and con-
| ScrvatiSm of our rural population.
ANY other class Of people would have
demanded lis right thirty years be-
fore the agitation for rural delivery
took definite form. tt was not until
TINS system became an absolute ncc-
cssity to the industrial and CONNER
cial well being Of the nation that
steps were taken looking TO some So
luton which would relieve the situa-
tion. Rural delivery finds its birth
in the idea that progress is The crca-
tnrc Of necessity and not from the
idea that the luxury Of today is the
necessity Of tomorrow.
Rural delivery is not luxury in
any sense Of the word. IT is right
to which the people arc entitled,
necessity to them and their happiness
The history of rural delivery in The
United States is interesting. but TO
discuss i, would make This address
to" long for your patience. will
ask to bet permitted however. to
State that the first appropriation Of
Hl.00, for this purpose was made in
1891, and like appropriation was
made for the followin" two years. but
SO chimcrical and tanciful, 50 imprac-
fiscal did The proposed scheme seem
I" the postal authorities that they re-
fused TO use the money sci aside by
| congress for the inauguration Of en-
pcrimcntal rural service. Postmaster
General Wilson, man Of great abil-
| ity and breadth Of information. look
| cd npon the scheme rs absolute fol-
| ~. BE il said To thr credit of cnn-
"rcSS that the appropriations were
| continued from year to year and in
| 1897 $4,000 was sci aside for this
purpose and lur1y-iour routes pul IN
to operation. This is thc real Begin
ming Of rural delivery in this country.
The appropriations increased rapidly
and in proportion to the popularity
Of the service. The practicabilily of
the system became apparant from the
first, and the strong conscientious
men in congress. representing rural
constituencies demanded as Il right
this Just and righteous recognition Of
the claims Of their people upon the
government for full performance OF,
its constitutional duty towards them.
It is moo,cd question as 10 who
| was the FIRST man to suggest this SyS-
TEN for this country. That is nctll-
or here nor there. 1t is not the pro-
duet of any one man s brain, nor the
result Of any one mans effort. it
comes as Il result Of the righteous de-
mand Of the people and vigorous an
swcr to them from their representa-
tivcS.
The lamcnlcd prcs,:cnt Mckinley
| in one Of his messages spoke OF this
system as the "moSt striking new de-
| vcopmcnt in the continued and rapid
growth Of the postal service. 1t IS
neat way TO express II. 1t will be
according President Mckinley with
more inH~ination than tie ordinary
| individual is endowed 10 suspect that
he dreamed Of the Growth Of this
"mosi striking new Development OF
| The postal service The system has
crown far beyond ll.c expectations "f
IL friends n"d has surprised !hom
/ L.