The Delta independent., 1908-07-10
RURAL FREE DELIVERY
Proves the Wisdom of Repub-
liCan Statesmen.
GREAT BOON TO THE FARMER
Growth and Development of the Serv-
ice-A Direct Benefit to All the Peo-
ple-lnstitution Was Condemned by
Democrats

Dissatisfaction Was Condemned by
Democrats.
The wonderful advance of the rural
free delivery system under the Repub-
lican party was the subject of a speech
by Representative Bates of Pennsyl-
vania in the house of representatives
May 26. Mr.. Bates said:
Mr.. Speaker-The rural free delivery
service has fully kept pace with the
growth and development of our whole
country. The farmer is now reaping
some of the rewards he has so justly
earned in the past by the burdens that
he has borne. He is the producer of
wealth. He is coming to be one of the
most independent of all our citizens.
No branch of the public service has
been so well developed and improved
in the past few years as the rural free
delivery. There were only 5000 rural
routes In operation six years ago.
There are now almost 40 OO0 and these
are scattered through every state and
territory Of the country, so that there
is not a rural section in the whole land
that is not practically covered. This
entire service has been extended from
small beginning eleven years ago
during the three Republican admins
trations with which this country has
been blessed since 1897. | believe that
the appropriation of S35,O00,0o0 made
this year for the support of rural free
delivery service brings more direct
benefit Of the people of this country
f,g,rr l f,ar al of
appropriarirn made by the general
governmcut
At present New York has nearly
1000 routes in operation, Pennsylvania
2,1O0, Indiana 200. Ohio 2.500. Hi
nois 2SH Minnesota 1.GUO, Missouri
1900 AMI Nebraska 1000. In fact. al
most all cases pending during the past
year have been disposed of. and wher-
ever an adequate number of people de-
sired the service it has been established
and put in daily use.
The testimony of those who enjoy
this service from all over the country
proves that by reason of the free rural
delivery the actual value of farm
lands has been greatly increased. l
have had farmers inform me that they
for $50 or even 500 per annum. 1t
| has been estimated that the value of
| farm lands has risen by this means as
high as s. per acre in many states. A
moderate estimate would show bene-
I tt to the farm lands of from 81 to So
1 per acre.
A better knowledge of trade condi-
| tious is always of great advantage.
! The farmer is not only the producer.
! but he is also his own salesman, and 1t
! is essential that he should be acquaint-
! ed with the daily prices of the produce
/ he raises in order to know when it will
] be TO his advantage TO market his
/ goods. He is now enabled to receive a
city daily paper giving him quotations
I and prices OF stock and produce and. in
/ fact. the changing values of every
! thing he raises on the farm. BY means
/ Of this better communication with the
| markets he is able to obtain better
! prices for all that the farm produces.
/ He can also receive and dispatch mail
much more quickly than before. In
] fact. he can in many cases obtain an
/ answer TO his letter on the day follow
ing its dispatch. n the old days our
/ rural inhabitant was obliged 10 send
| to the postofiice for his mail, and in
/ the busy season. when his horses were
/ busy in the fields. week would some
] times elapse before he or any of his
! family could reach the postofiee. Now
! there are delivered daily in the course
/ of n year a half million pieces of mail
/ on rural routes throughout the country.
| Increased facility always brings in
/ creased use and enjoyment. The in
creased number of letters written and
newspapers subscribed for and receiv-
ed has so greatly augmented the rev.
enues of the country's postal service
rs to make the rural free delivery serv-
| ice almost self sustaining.
Rural free delivery is encouraging
the building of good roads. The farm
er desires the delivery OF his mail, and
the department wisely insists that each
locality must furnish roads easily
/ traversed II such benefit is to be be
slowed. In many localities, therefore,
our people have taken the matter OF
good roads into consideration and
through their supervisors and commits
sioners have improved grades. turned
waterways, built bridges. and thus not
only aided the delivery of mail. but
have facilitated general communica-
ton among our people.
This service has been practically es-
tablished and built up within the last
eleven years. During the last admin
istratlon of President Cleveland rural
free delivery was condemned and re-
jected by the committee on postofiices
and post roads of the house. Under
this same Democratic administration
In 1894 the postmaster general refused
to make use Of the appropriation Of
$4,000 offered him to begin the serv-
ice. He stated that the project was
unwise and could not be carried ont