Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-03-29
rural ROUTE RON
GOES k[RR|LY ON
CONTROVERSY THRAsHED OUT
IN HOUSE THREATENS TO
BREAK in SENATE.
souTHERNER HAS BILL
COVERING COMPLAINTS
Proposal Made to Make Rural Route
; Service cover Entire County-Pro-
vidss, For Two Glasses Of Delivery,
With Auto Service Only on Such
Routes a. May Be uaed Entire Yess.
Especial correspondence.l

Washington, March 2s.-The row
between large element Of congress
and Postmaster General Burleson over
the rural route question goes mer-
rily on. z-|s -
The controversy was aired freely in
the house when the postoffice bill was
under consideration. 1t will come up
anew in the senate. Signs Of it are
already apparents. The difficulty Is
over the policy Of the postoffice de-
partment in eliminating some of the
rural routes in a large number of the
states and in reorganizing the routes
so as to lengthen them and cut down
the cost. A common method Of re-
organization has been to combine two
routes into one or to make new and
longer route out of parts OF two or
more old routes. In numerous cases,
automobile routes Of about fifty miles
have been established, such routes be-
ing about twice the length of the
horse- drawn vehicle routes as they
have usually been in the past. Many
OF the rural carriers have been
dropped.
Ever since congress met last Decem-
Der it has been hearing from home In
protest against the reorganized rural
routes. 1t is hearing" from home as
freely today as it did when the session
opened. Strong pressure has been
put on the postoffice department to re-
store the old routes but without sue
cess A limited number of changes
have been made to meet the COM
plants but these changes have not
been numerous. All sorts OF com
plants Of the reorganization reach
members In their mail Some OF the
patrons of the rural free delivery
service say they find themselves a
mile and a half or more from their
mail box.
Economy Plea Advanced.
The postoffice department continues
to insist that the routes have been re-
organized in the interest Of economy
and efficiency.
On the senate side. Senator Hard
wick, Of Georgia, democrat. has offered
an amendment to the postoffice ap-
preparation bill intended to meet the
complaints. 1t provides that rural de-
livery service shall extend so az to
serve as nearly as practicable the
entire rural population Of the United
States." e % 81
Delivery of the mail as con-
templated in this act" says the Hard
wick amendment, Shall mean as near
Iy as practicable delivery by the rural
carriers at the home OF each family;
provided, that when in individual In
stances such delivery at the home is
impracticable delivery may be made
at road Intersections when the dis
tance is not more than one-fourth
mile from the place OF delivery to the
home Of said family"
Two Classes Proposed.
The Hardwick amendment divides
rural mail delivery routes into two
classes to be known as standard
horse drawn vehicle routes which
shall be twenty four miles in length
and standard motor-vehicle routes
which shall be. nfty-miles in length
and shall "only be established upon
certificate Of the duly qualified county
road officials that the condition OF
the roads proposed to be used will
warrant regular and practically unin-
terrupted service turnout the year.
Other provisions are contained cal
culated to insure such changes In the
service as will make it practically
universal as far as the rural part OF
the population. Is concerned. One
provision is that in recognizing the
routes in accordance with this pro-
posed Hardwick law and appointing
carriers for service on new routes
preference shall be given carriers
formerly in the service and were let
out by reason of the reorganization
which has been. in force for some
months. "a, ~
A sharp controversy over this
amendment is expected In the senate.
It is noticeable that under the Hard
wick plan an automobile route could
not be established unless on a road
fit for auto use the year round. One
OF the serious complaints now about
many OF the auto routes the post
master general has established is that
they are usuable only part tof the
year and for several months are not
disable. the result being great ir-
regularity in mail service and, IN
some cases, failure Of mail service.
!.