The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-01-21
HOW BURLEsON ASSISTS OUR
collNTRY'S DEVELOPMENT.

Idaho county, ana the eHtHe Hoi'n
west has had its sad experiences win
tire post office department as an as
sistant in the development of its newer
and more remote sections through the
far-seeing wisdom of Postmaster Cen
eral Burleson, who seems to be obsess-
cd with the one idea that a surplus in
his department is the prime object OF
the government in creating the postal
service. and that the kind of service
afforded and the number Of persons ac-
commodated is Of secondary Importance
This has led to the bankruptine of
a number Of our citizens who held star
route contracts before the inauguration |
Of the parcel post and to the Gripping
financially of many others, because the
department insisted upon holding them
to their old contract without increase
Of salary commensurate with the addi- |
tional work and expense caused by the
new conditions which the department |
had brought about and forced upon
them This penny wise and pound fool
dsh policy has also isolated and absoln-
tely cut off from the centers OF civil
cation and from communication with
the outside world, through even the
most primitive and inexpensive postal
service, hundreds upon hundreds OF
pioneer citizens who are seeking under
the most trying natural conditions to
develop and build up homes for them
selves and families The attempts to
get a weekly mail route into Adams
Camp and points tributary thereto, was
turned down for the reason that 1t
would not be selfsupporting. The fol-
lowing from the Portland Oregonian
sets forth the Burleson policy in a
very forcible manner and clearly Illus
trates his view point and just what he
is contending for at the expense of the
undeveloped sections:
An example OF what Postmaster
General Burleson is doing to make his
department show surplus was given
to the House by Representative john
ron, of Washington, in the debate on
postoffice appropriations.
An Indian named Toby had the star
route mail contract between Daholah
and Elk Park, in the mountains of
jefferson County, Washington a dis
lance of forty-five and one-half miles
over what Mr.. johnson called "as good
a road as the people-already over
taxed--can provide, but withal as poor
o road as man ever permitted to be
called by the special designation "good
post increased the weight OF the mail
by the addition OF fifty-pound parcels
to such an extent that the lowest bid
made last year was $4,000 The De-
partment declined TO accept any bid
because "the sum Is entirely out of
proportion to the Importance OF the
postal facilities to be afforded" and
because the law requires the Depart
ment to shave due regard to produc-
tiveness in the establishment and
maintenance Of routes"
The productiveness of this route
was mainly in incoming mail-largely
fifty pound parcels and catalogues
from mail order houses. but apparent
ly no credit is given for the business
thus created The pioneers in these
backwoods are cut off from civiliza-
ton by distance, by lack of good roads
and by being surrounded by the olym-
pic National monument of 600, 900
acres Now they are cut off from
postal service because they do not
produce enough business.
When we read Mr.. Johnson's recital
OF what the carrier would give for
$4,000, the sum win not seem excess
sive He said:
Now, then, consider that the I'M
fortunate Indian, Toby by name,
who had the contract to carry the
mail into western jefferson county
the other way--via Forks-began by
carrying the letters and papers up
on his back and going as a runner
for 80 or s5 miles. Then, when the
12-pound parcel post was introduce
ed. he bought an old gray horse.
and when so pounds became the
limit of weight he kept on adding
horses, until when he threw up
his contract he found himself rid
ing his old horse and leading six
others, all for the original price.
He had to ford He'll Roaring creek
rightly named. by the way-and
had to unpack the mail from the
six pack horses and swim them
across the Bogachiel river. then
carry the mail across the foot
bridge and repack the horses-al
for the original mail packet price.
Indian Toby threw up his contract
and his bondsmen tried to carry it on.
Then another man took 1t up, was
mortgage his homestead and finally to
throw up the Job The Forest Service
in that country pays 81 day and feed
for each horse and SIS a month for
each man, but an offer was made tc
carry the mail for considerably less
than these rates and 1t was rejected.
From 500 TO 1900 people are deprived
OF mail service because Mr.. Burlesor
has added enormously to the bulk o
mail by extending the parcel post with
out increasing the pay In proportion
Then he boasts OF surplus by bank
rupting mail-carriers or by deprivins
pioneers Of mail service. But VIVA
does Mr.. Bureson know or care abcu
conditions OF life and travel in tn
Olympic Mountains? The only way h
can learn is by hitting the trail" Il
that section.