The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-08-25
Post Office Dept. Considering
Plans for Change in Rural
Route Management
CONTRACT PLAN IS FAVORED
Senator Bristow of Kansas Firm Sup
porter of. Plan to Take Carriers Off
Civil Service and Get Them BY Con-
tract

The rural route carriers in all parts
Of the United States fear that the rural
service will be placed under the con
tract system, after the manner OF the
old Star Route system, which for a num-
Der OF years was the mode of furnish
ing rural patrons their mail, If the
service is placed under the contract
system the carriers see where their jobs
will go up in smoke. The contract plan
is being considered by the postoffice de-
partment because. of a. saving in the
delivery Of the mail to rural patrons.
/ The farmers do not want the change
because Of the fact they are getting
good service. now and if turned back to
the old Star route system they know
the service will not be up to standard.
| The Rural Free Delivery News says
Of the change:
"Already Postmaster General Hitch
cock has consolidated the division of
star mail routes and division of rural
| free delivery into what will hereafter
be known as the division of rural mails,
This is the first step toward making
the two services similar The star mail
route division was formerly under the
supervision Of the Second Assistant
Postmaster General. The new division
will be under the jurisdiction of the
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
who has heretofore had charge of the
rural free delivery.
A special committee was appointed a
few weeks ago by the Postmaster Cen
eral, to formulate plans in organizing
the new division. After eliminating
conflicting management of the two di-
visions, the committee will proceed to
prune such services as may be deemed a
| duplicate Of postal facilities.
During the summer and fall months
this special committee Will make a,
thorough study of the workings of
rural free delivery and the star route
service with a view to- furnishing the
Postmaster General with the necessary
data for recommendation to place all
rural free delivery under the contract
system. SIS
There has been more or less talk in
Congress during the past year about
practieing economy in the Postofice
Department. Whenever the subject of
deficit is discussed rural free delivery
is held up as being responsible for the
most part Of it. Argument is advanc-
ed that the rural free delivery is grow
ing far too big and expensive and that
the farmer could get along with a
cheaper service--the star route system
The House Postoffice Committee has
seriously considered this question and
should the President send a recommen-
dation to congress urging the rural
free delivery be put under the contract
system, the committee would most like
~ make report to the House favor
able to the change.
Not only are a number of the COM
mittee now favorable to getting out the
| rural free delivery service on a contract
basis, but many members of both houe IS
of Congress deem it necessary to cut
down the increasing expenses in the
Postoffice Department and they view
this service as the one that will first
come under the knife
Senator Joseph L. Bristow of Kan
sas IS greatly interested in seeing the
expenses of the Postofice Department
cut down materially. He expresses
himself strongly in favor of placing
rural free delivery under the contract
system Or what is known as the star
route service. Furthermore, the Kan
sas senator would also place the city
letter carrier service under the contract
system.
Mr.. Bristow believes there is no
equity in the salary allowance of these
two services. The rural delivery ser
vice should be paid for. he thinks, ac-
coTding to the actual number of miles
travelled by the carrier, time required
for each average daily delivery, con
dition of roads travelled, climate and
expenses IN a given locality to be con-
sidered.s He thinks carrier serving
| route IN a section where roads and eli
mate conditions are generally good,
| should not be paid as much salary as a
carrier who serves route of similar
length where these conditions are gen
orally unfayorable. In other words,
climate, conditions of roads and ex-
penses of living should entirely regu
late the pay of the carrier.
In the delivery of city mail, Senator
BristoW contends that the carrier in a
big city should be paid higher salary
than the carrier Of tie same class seYy.
ing a postofice in smaller city or
town. The cost of living should also in
this case regulate the salary question.
Dir. Bristow served as Fourth Assist
ant Postmaster General under President
Mckinley and Roosevelt. covering a