The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-02-20
MORE PAY FOR
RURAL CARRIERS
CONGRESSMAN HANNA MAKES
BRILLIANT SPEECH IN CON-
GREss IN FAVOR OF INcREAs-
ING THE PAY OF THESE vALu-
ABLE ADJUNcTS.

Cong. L. b. Hanna of Fargo wants
the rural letter carriers of the country
to get a just compensation. On Jan.
"a he mace the following speech in
congress in favor Of increased pay for
the carriers:
Mr.. Speaker: We have before US
for consideration a bill which carries
a very large appropriation of money
in the aggregate, but the money is to
be used for purpose which enters
into the everyday life of every citizen
in our country.
The mail service of the United
States is vast and complex machine,
and yet it has been so systematized
that it runs, as rule, smoothly and is
one of the great factors in the develop
ment of the business and social life of
our people. We can not get along
without our mail, and we insist upon
having it regularly and on time To
those who live in the cities and towns
and get their mail once or more times
a day, unless they have at some time
in their lives lived in the country. they
have but little idea of what it means
to receive their mail but once or per-
haps two or three times week.
A few years ago the government
took up the proposition of the rural
distribution of mail It was not at first
thought that this would be practical
thing to do, but a short trial proved
and demonstrated that it was practi-
CAL that it was of great benefit, and
that the people thoroughly appreciated
it, and the rural service has grown by
leaps and bounds until today there
are some 10000 rural routes in opera
ton throughout the United States.
Many more routes have been applied
for and from time to time new routes
are being established.
We have before us for considera ton
the question of paying the men who
carry the mail upon these rural routes
a fair compensation for the labor
which they perform. In the last ses-
sion of this congress I introduced a
bill which provided that the sum of
$500 per annum should be paid to
every rural mail carrier in the United
States in addition to the salary which
he is now receiving, this additional
money to be used as an expense ac-
count for feed for his horse or horses,
for the upkeep of his carriage or
wagon, and all other incidentals which
at the present time he has to pay out
of the small salary he is receiving.
In the state in which l live, North
Dakota, we have several hundred
routes in operation. Our winters are
long and cold; the carriers must be
dressed warmly, and it costs them a
large amount of money to prepare and
provide themselves in an adequate
manner to withstand the cold and to
keep their horses in proper condition.
have sometimes wondered that the
men have the courage to go out with
the mail in the cold, rough, stormy
weather which the northwestern states
are subject to at any time during the
winter. yet they do it day in and day
out, and to the farmer living upon the
prairies, many of them long distances
from town, the getting of their daily
papers and letters is a great blessing
to them, and brings them closer in
contact with the great world of which
they are a very essential part, and
makes life upon the farm just so much
better and tends to help and keep the
farmer upon his farm
Now, Mr. Chairman, it has been
urged that there is no difficulty in get
ting plenty of men to carry the mail
on these rural routes at the salary,
which the men are now receiving.
personally consider this no argument
at ALL / believe we should pay the
men who do this service, who carry
the mail rain or shine, in bad weather
as we'll as good, fair compensation.
There are many ways by which the
government can, If necessary. econo-
mize and save the little additional
amount that is asked for to help these
men, The chairman of the committee
on the postoffice and post roads has
stated that he is willing to accept an
amendment which will increase the
salary OF every rural carrier of mail
800 per, annum. This is a step in
the right direction, but 1t does not go
as far as / would like have it, but /
do not believe that by the house taking
this action at this time that next year
it will be possible to raise the rural
carriers of the country up to a sal
airy which will give to every one of
them $1,000 per annum, which would
seem to me to be only a reasonable
compensation for the splendid service
which they are rendering to the peo-
pie of this country.