New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-23
FREE RURAL MAIL DELIVERY.


FREE RURAL MAIL DELIVERY.
The remarkable growth of the free rural mail
delivery system during the first thirteen years
Of its operation. as reported I'm our Washington
correspondence, suggests some interesting and
highly important reflections upon both its past
and its future, and also upon its relationship to
other branches Of the postal service and other
! departments Of federal administration. The
first and most obvious comment upon it. invOl-
UNFAIRLY tinged with pride, is that ITS growth
has been enormous Thirteen years ago the
vice was begun, with five routes, and at the
end Of three years there were 391 routes. cost
ing S1J0,O12 Il year Now there are no fewer
than 409l9 routes serving daily more than
20OO0Oo0 persons, or more than one-fOurth the
population Of the United States OF course
many millions more live In cities which have
urban delivery systems, so that probably con-
siderably more than half of the people of the
United States enjoy free mail delivery
daily or oftener al their homes and offices.
Such growth and such attained magnitude may
well be described with Dominic Simpsons IA
vOrite ejaculation, "Prodgious"
1t will also be observed and il was inevI-
table, that there has been enormous increase
in the cost Of the service. We are told that
down 10 the present time the total cost has
been about Sl70OOOO00. Had the original aver
age Of cost been adhered to there would, Of
course, have been an increase in the gross
cost corresponding with the increase in the
number of routes. If the 391 routes of ten years
ago cost $4,000 year, the nearly 41,OOO
routes row would cost more than hundred
times as much, more than $15,OO0OOO year.
AS a matter Of fact they costing n great
deal more than that. for the reason that the
.
ly increased as well the number cf them.
And that was, We suppose inevitable, though
those who prudenty expected 1t were once re-
buked for their cynicsm. 1t was urged at first
in behalf of the system that II would cost little
since men would be found who would carry the
mails In connection with the conduct Of other
business and would thus be willing to perform
the service for little more than nominal sum.
That scheme was tried at first, but II did not
work, and for years there have been almost in
cessant efforts, well organized and shrewdly d.
rected To secure Increase of compensation TO
the mail carriers. We do not say that they do
not deserve the increased pay which they have
won Perhaps they should be still better paid.
But the story Of the service shows the vanity
of those early expectations that it could be
run on the cheap" and vindicates the tudg-
ment OF those who regarded the establishment
Of the first five routes as the admission OF the
tip of the camel's nose into the tent.
Perhaps il is desirable 10 let the whole camel
in; or perhaps it may be said that justice now
requires such course. At the present time
the millions who do not have free delivery are
taxed for the benefit of those who do In equity
it may be argued that all communities which
desire free delivery should have it, at least on
the same terms as those which are now enjoy
ing II; or perhaps that under a general law the
/ oh, H.
everywhere within certain prescribed limits of
| density of population. We are not advocating
such a step, which would be enormously expen-
sive, but are merely mentioning the inevitable
reflection which is suggested by the record The
fact that the service has been already so widely
extended is cogent argument, on grounds of
impartlality, for It's further If not It's universal
extension.
OF course, questions will arise and will de-
serve serious consideration, as indeed they al
ready do, concerning the effect OF this expen-
sive service upon other interests There are
those who think that the vast sums which are
yearly being paid TO rural mail carriers might
with greater general profit to the whole people be
devoted to a reduction of postal rates. TO the es
Establishment of n parcels post, or to other I'm
prOvements Of the postal system; or perhaps
that some other department of public service
might better be their recipient and beneficiary
than the pOstoffice. Perhaps these things
should have been considered years ago. before
the rural free delivery system was adopted, but
they are bound 10 be brought up with every
new proposal for increasing the cost of that
system At any rate, the record of the last
thirteen years should serve as a lasting re-
minder of the inevitable magnitude of any gen
eral public work which our government may
undertake An eminent Englishman once said
mat IL was impossible for the British Empire
10 pe involved In a small war. SO Il would
seem TO be impossible for the United States 10
engage ia any undertaking which will not ulti-