Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-01-22
GOOD ROADS WILL mean
GREATLY IMPROVED
FREE RURAL DELIVERY
Robert N. McWade,

Robert N. McWade,
Bureau of the Bismarck Tribune,
1926 New York Avenue.
WASHINGTON Jan. 22.-speaking
Of the nationwide movement for good
roads, Ex-Governor Crothers of Mary.
land, said to your correspondent to-
day: One of the greatest blessings
the country enjoys today, is its rural
free delivery mail service, made
possible only through good roads.
The history of the marvellous de.
velopment Of this country cannot be
fully written without Incorporating in
it the great benefit to the country
peop.e-ald the city folks as we'll
by good roads, kept in proper con-
dition-and the prompt delivery of
their mail through the rural delivery
branch Of the Post Office department.
The rural free mail delivery has
been a great distributor Of the daily
newspaper and has resulted in large
ly increasing their circulation. 1t
has. made the farmer the daily reader,
SO that he is able TO keep well-in
formed upon current events; and this
has led to. building up the small
dailss throughout the country. The
farmers are cautious and conservative
and they study matter carefully be-
fore they act. Since the rural de-
livery has been established they have
been doing more thinking than ever.
They read the articles and not merely
the headlines, while seated around
the cheerful, comfortable fireside
after the days work is over They
study the editorials, and the result
of their thinking is seen in their let
tiers which 60 to their representatives
in Congress in Washington, or to the
Governor, and the state and county
officials.
81 cordially agree with Assistant
Postmaster-General De- Graw in his
statement regarding the amount OF
benefit that farmers and others are
receiving through the excellent high
ways which the rural delivery service
has really been most instrumental in
bringing about. He tells US. We
are now working with the Agricul-
tural Department, Bureau Of Road I'M
and are insisting on
good roads wherever the mail is
carried. We refuse to grant route
until the roads have been put into
shape, and if the roads become i'm
passable, or in such condition that
the delivery cannot be easily contin:
ued over them. We insist that they be
repaired, or say that the service be
discontinued.
II believe in the daily newspaper of
this great land as we'll as the weekly
country papers, and the farm journals
that go hand-inhand to build up the
great farming community. 1t is the
farmers boy that does things, that
moves the wheels Of commerce. and
holds the balance of power in our
legislative halls, and in the various
walks of life that go to make of us a
great people. l am great believer in
the press, the daily, the weekly, the
trade papers and the magazines all
helping to shape our destiny. 1t is
the press of America that makes
men think, that enlightens and
mankind.
THE road that passes your door.
and through your farm is a factor in
the upbuilding of this country and
the broadening Of civilization and ed
ucation. have said that this nation
should construct great national high
ways through the length and breadth
Of the land, that all rural routes
should be made post roads. navigable
not only for the man that furnishes
your breakfast table with the daily
paper, but for your farm wagon that
hauls the products of your farm to
market, and for the horse and buggy
in which your boy and his best girl
drives to party, or on some pleasure
trip. In this work the patrons of
these post roads should assist the
national! government, or in other
words, all the post roads in every
state should be made navigable the