Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1916-07-27
TO IMPROVE RURAL DELIVERY
Measures of Reform Introduced-658
600 Additional Families Served.

| Measures OF Reform Introduced-65S,-
900 Additional Families Served.
On the 18th of October, 1900, there
died in the city of Lexington a man
who had made his mark in public life
and left the impress of his personality
upon the records of his time. William
l.. Wilson was the idol of his party in
West Virginia and great and com
manding figure in the arena of national
life. The people of his district de-
lighted to do him honor, as successive
elections to Congress testified, and
President Cleveland rewarded the
splendid fight he made for tariff re-
form by seat in his cabinet, the posi-
ton of Postmaster General.
When the body of this distinguished
man was laid to rest at his home in
] Charles Town, ex-President Cleveland
paid him the distinguished honor of
attending in person the funeral cere-
monies at his grave. At the close of
a most touching and impressive ad-
dress by the pastor, who dwelt upon
his many engaging personal qualities,
his public and private virtue, the tears
coursed down the cheeks of Mr.. Cleve-
land, deep and silent tribute to the
man he loved and whose loss he so
greatly deplored.
The Beginning of Rural Delivery and
It's Progress.
William L. Wilson was the father of
rural delivery whose benefits no one
can fully describe, for it is without
question the most popular administra-
tive feature of the Government. For
years there had been a growing dis
Lea farnprs and tho manila
in the smaller towns at the postal adj
vantages afforded the cities and the
more populous communities. They felt
themselves deprived of the opportuni-
| ties and benefits which other enjoyed,
and the desire for recognition was out
spoken and insistent and could no
longer be denied. On June 9, 1896, the
sum of 100000 was made available,
and on October l, 1896, the first expert
mental rural delivery was put into OPP
Grafton in Jefferson County, West Vir-
ginia. Service was established on
three routes simultaneously, one from
Charles Town, one from Uvilla, and one
from Halltown.
At the close of business June 80,
1915, there were in operation from 49,
S13 post offices throughout the country
43,S77 rural routes. Up to and includ-
ing June 30, 1915, 26,0S0 post offices
were discontinued on account of the
establishment of rural delivery, repre-
senting saving to the postal service
of $1,613,000 per annum and also
saving of $3,482, 900 on account of the
discontinuance of star-route service.
The period of greatest activity in the
rural service was from 1900 to 1905, the
appropriations running from $450,000
in 1900 to $21 10000 in 1915.
Steps Taken to Extend and Improve the
Service.
This administration has recognized
the value of the postal service to the
people to a greater extent within the
past three years than for any similar
period during the last decade. Mail
facilities have been established and
extended ON mail routes in more than
ten thousand localities, giving service
to approximately 100000 patrons
heretofore denied this benefit. Six
hundred and fifty eight thousand fam
lies were added to the list from April,
1913, to April, 1916. The elimination
of useless and wasteful methods have
made it possible to do this and also
pay out $4,000,000 more to employees
Ut du dCIudl lHNitdsCu IOSb VI iSSS lhtth
81, 900 per annum.
For twenty years there had been no
readjustment of avast amount of rural
service. 1t was allowed to remain ex-
actly as experimentally established.
Consequently all sorts of special privt-
lege had crept in and was found ex-
isting, such as double daily service to
favored localities, unnecessary re-
traces to one family and not to all,
duplication of travel by two or more
carriers over single highway, only
one of whom performed service there
on, and many other similar forms of
waste and extravaganza. There was
also neglect shown as to the value of
the work performed by the carriers.
They were paid soley upon the miles of
road covered, regardless of the charac-
ter thereof, the equipment necessary,
the amount of mail carried, or the hours
of service rendered. This was as I'M
Just and discriminatory in the payments
made as it was in the distribution of
mail facilities. Both needed remedy
and the remedy was applied, and who
shall say that injustice was done to any
body?
Measures of Reform Introduced.
The introduction of any measure so
nearly allied to the people and whose
growth has been so surprisingly rapid
must naturally be attended with more or
less imperfeetion, which only practical
inquiry into operation could fully dis
close, If this practical inquiry, care
fully made, developed irregularities
which needed correction and the appli- |
cation of the just and equitable rules