Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-12-01
HAVE IMPROVED
RURAL SYSTEM
THE FARMERS HAVE BEEN
GREATLY BENEFITED BY THE
RECENT IMPROVEMENTS MADE
BY POSTAL DEPARTMENT,

Washington, Dec. Touching
the heart Of the agricultural CON.
munities in every state in the Union.
the annual report Of Fourth Assist
am Postmaster General p. V. De
Graw, made public last night, an
nounces increased usefulness in the
rural free delivery service and the
unprecedented bringing OF the work
Of the bureau up to date recommends
rural delivery of packages of II
pounds maximum at a special post
tage and unifo:ming of rural car
lie s. The package provision sug-
gested requires congressional ,egis-
lation and is designed to be effective
he ween the distribution postoffice
and the patrons of any route eminat-
ng from such postOffice.
Such a service according to re-
port would benefit alike the rural
delivery patrons and local mercn-
ants without injuring or competing
with any on her service. 1T can be
gicen." adds Mr. DeGraw, with
the facilities now employed anc
would materially increase the re ,e-
nues of the department. A specia.
reduced rate OF postage for merchan-
disc rarried only by rural carriers
would unquestionably Of material
~ u to local IN ."chants On rural
routes and at rural delivery distrib-
ut.cg cente-s as We | as enhance no
in fiuence of the rurll SERVICE in
making life In the ooul'ry mn:e at
t;active"
Rural carriers at present are TO.
permitted to carry FOR hire and mat
ter or package tia. is maill3le, hut
congress increased the sa.arirs cf thu
carriers. The denllrd f,r Il package,
service by them, :os. ,"ea in the first.
years of rural FREQ delivery. stil ax-.
lists 1t should not, according to MI :,
De Graw, not in the old way.
which permitted Ike use Of the buv-.
ernment's agency for private gain,
but by the establishment. Of sys-.
tenn for the carriage Of mercand,ses
will be fair compensation for the
service performed, the revenues to-
be credited to the POSTAL receipts.
Patrons and merchants, he ad,ls, de-
sire to have small pacxasss lie livertd1
by rural carriers, but will not pay
the present fourth Llas. rate which
is prohibltive as applied to this class
of service.
The rural carriers In the service.
Of which Mr.. De Graw Is the head.
daily pass 100000 homes. and he
recommends once more the adoption
of a uniform suitable to the condi-
tions under which they must work
as undoubtedly adding to the digni-
ty and efficiency Of the rural service.
Their high standard of efficiency 10
attested by the fact that only 166
carriers out of a total number Of
39,143 were dismissed for cause dur
ing the past year.
Rural delivery is now in operation
In 945,OS7 miles of road, over which
carriers are required to travel daily.
or these roads $4,000 miles are mac
adam, The remainder being earth,
sand or gravel. Since the service
was first established $70,632, 1852
have been expended on roads travel
ed by rural carriers. Road officials
and patrons are notified whenever
repairs are necessary on rural routes.
More work has been done on such
public highways and more eXpendi-
lures made in their improvement
during the past year than in any
previous year in the history II tn.
rural delivery and the official reports
received clearly indicate that inter-
est in road Improvement is being
generally manifested throughout thu
country,