The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-11-05
Rural 4 Ron lies N ak
". For Better Roads

4 y. ..
Washington; Nov, 3.---"One Of the
.1qons$ to the country, and especially
to the farmer, that is credited to tree
rural delivery is the betterment Of
our country roads. said Fourth AS.
rsistant Postmaster General De Graw
yesterday, under whose. jurisdiction
free rural delivery comes. -.
+ NV hy,"s he said, E''it has been said
by physicians. Or celebrity that since
the introduction $of rural delivery.
bringing to the farmers daily mail,
newspapers, and magazines, giving
them food for thought and contem-
fplation, the percentage Of insanity
and suicide among rural residents has
decreased very appreciably. Fur.
thermore, thousands Of miles of good
roads and many values have greatly
increased, in SOME cases it is said as
much as rs per cent 49, -
j. While we may hope some day to
have ideal roads, such as exist in TIA
ly, Germany, France and England,
our roads are now, generally speak
Ing, poor. The fact does not seem
to be appreciated that the building
and maintenance Of good roads ena-
bles farmers to market their prod
ucts with greater facility, and with
much less wear and tear in wagons
and stock. - ~. -.
Improves Roads.
, There has been nothing which
has SO conducted to the Improvement
OF our public highways as the intro
duction Of rural delivery. There
seems to be mistaken idea that the
Postoffice department requires rural
delivery roads to be ideal, to be mac
,adamized or graveled, and rolled.
This is not al. all true, but it is re,
CURED that, roads shall be smooth,
Tree. from ruts, and graded and
d1tched,. so that carriers can serve
their routes with celebrity and safety.
I'm connection with the rural de-
livery. SERVICE" continued Mr.. De
Graw, 1T is now proposed to confer
yet another benefit upon the rest
dents of rural communities. In his
annuai'report for the fiscal year end.
ed June 80, 1907, the Postmaster
General recommends the establish
ment of system Of local parcel post
on rural delivery routes or at dis
tr1utfng postoffices for delivery by
rural carriers to patrons thereof, at
a rate OF cents for the first pound
and cents per pound for each .addi-
tional pound or fractional part there
Of up to II pounds. $780,.
VIII BE a Boon.
This added facility, if Instituted
Will be great boon to the farmers.
who have not the convenience for OBJ
tanning the necessaries Of life such
as residents In cities enjoy, and will
also enable them. to exchange mer-
chaDd1se with each other, thereby in
creasing local business.
There is much of both humor and
pathos shown in the letters which
carriers write the department. Tales
of woe and lamentations induced by
domestic infelicities, love affairs.
quarrels with neighbors, and other
personal business affairs are poured
out to Uncle Sam, in the hope and
belief, perhaps, that he can in his all
powerful way set them right"
Speaking Of the general high char
acter of the rural carrier, Mr.. De
GraW said: ---. 1922 -...--
When consideration is given to
the great number Of carriers in the
service and the omnipresent tempta-
ton afforded in handling money and
valuable mails, the high sense of
honor and >integrity of the carriers
is shown by the fact that during the
last fiscal year but little more than
four-tenths of one per cent. Of the
entire number were dismissed from
the service for all causes"
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