The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-07-03

| AOAA'SAJS Al paw ooJS
1.-THE rural routes have resulted in
the abolition of many of the smaller
postoffices, the mail being delivered
by carriers from the large towns. The
number of postmasters has decreased
at the rate of nearly thausand a
year: but the mail carriers increased
| at faster rate and the service has
wonderfully improved. The people Of
the country districts have been given
almost the same postal advantages
as those of the city, in getting the
papers, magazines, books and pack
ages delivered at once, and have
thus been brought nearer to the great
world. There has been a marvellous
increase in the mails, far greater than
the growth in population; and the
postoffice is fulfilling all its obliga-
tions to, the people. Moreover, the
rules of the Postoffice Department,
which requires good roads for the
rural districts, have been the great
est impetus to road building, and we
have made marked progress in that
direction, where we were formerly
sadly backward.
"But as we have said, these i'm
provements of rural routes and better
roads have not been equally dis
tributed. Louisiana for instance.
has fingered at the very bottom of the
list. 1t has not one-twentieth of the
routes to which by population it is
entitled; and it Is far behind any of
its neighbors in this respect. This
deficiency is due to several causes.
Perhaps of all the States the greatest
opposition to rural free delivery was
shown in Louisiana. Some of the
leading papers of the State have OPP
posed it; on the ground that it would
abolish the old ante bellum custom of
gathering at the postofices. in much
the same spirit that many regret
that the oid-fashioned stage coach
has given way to the railroad.
The opposition of country or planta-
ton stores, of the petty postofices,
has also stood in the way: and in not
a few cases, where petitions have'l
been gotten up for rural free
delivery routes counter petitions |
against the improvement have been
started by the smaller local post
masters. This opposition. coupled |
with the lack Of good roads, has re-
suited in keeping back rural free de-
livery in Louisiana. The second of
these obstacles, the lack of good
roads, will soon be removed by the
vigorous road policy of the Governor.
1t remains for the people of the rural |
districts to make an energetic cam
paign to secure for themselves the
same advantages their neighbors en-
INV Tho pocfnp'oa
more than willing to help them in this
work. 1t appreciates the fact that
Louisiana is backward in the rural
'outes. and any application for, the
opening OF new one will be approved
With satisfaction, if it conforms to the
conditions required. Let us hope
hat this offer will arouse the farmers
md other country residents of Louis
ana to secure for themselves without
,ost what has been such comfort and
convenience to their neighbors in
,ther States.''
For the past year the residents
q the upper end of the parish
rom Jeanerette to Julien's have
been enjoying the benefits de.
lived from q rural free delivery
cute, and there is at present a
move on foot through the efforts
# Sheriff Peterman and Congress-
nan Broussard to have the gov.
rnment to establish rural free
lelivery route from Franklin
round the Bend and Chatsworthl I
'lantation. A petition signed by {
lmost ell OF the residents living
a the above route has been sent to 8
ne Postmaster General, and there I
no doubt that this route wilt be
in the near futnre h