Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-02
The Latest Mail Folly.


Not content with it's three years
record Of retrogression in the country's
mail service-a record that includes
reduced and depleted accommodations
Of the public in cities and towns. as
well as in star routes and rural lines.
causing countrywide and universal
complaint and protest-the present
Post Office Department management
persists in adding to its inefficiency
and unpopularity.
If no other issue existed between the
two great parties than that Of Republic
can mail SERVICE and Democratic
LACK of service, it would be sufficient,
we believe, to sweep the Republicans
back into power after such demon
stration as given by the Post Office
Department since the Texas politician,
Albert Sidney Burleson, assumed con-
troll.
Throughout the land the backward
movement has taken place. While the
policy of the government for many
years, even in the administrations of
Grover Cleveland, had been always
progressive and looking to more prompt
and efficient methods of serving the
public; for three years just past the
tendency has been in the opposite di-
rection-slower service, reduced deliv-
cries. fewer accommodations in the way
of collections and connections with
trains, steamboats,, stages and carriers.
The number of rural routes has been
greatly reduced in number, where al
ready established and satisfactory and
the discontinued lines in most cases
added to others, thus increasing the
hardship and delay. In the Northwest
and Central West, we are told regular
mail deliveries have been simply i'm
possible in the past winter because Of
the length of routes under new ar
engagements, and the sending of carriers
over old and long unused roads which
are not kept passable.
Everywhere the rising tide of dissat-
isfaction is the same but, it appears.
these artists at Washington. of in
efficiency and disregard Of the rights
and desires of the common public, pro-
pose to carry the backward movement
still further and make the farmers of
Maine further feel their insignif1cance
in the eyes and minds of the great pol
iticians at the National Capitol.
The latest plan is to delay the de-
parture OF r. F. D. carriers at certain
central offices, such as Augusta, Gardi-
ner. Hallowell and Winthrop, couple
of hours in the morning. to suit the
plan of some undetermined person who
chooses to remain unseen. The pre-
tended advantage that has been used
to bring about the order for these
changes is not given the public In the
minds of certain selfish interests who
have a political axe to grind, ut is none
Of the pubic's business" But we have
a strong suspicion, backed by feeling
communications, that the public will
make this matter its business and
pay its respects to certain gentlemen
.'suspected" of having connected with
this blow at the rural population.
On another page. this issue. we are
publishing the letter Of Postmaster
Plaisted Of Augusta, former Governor
of Maine, to the Division of Rural
Mails, protesting the proposed changes.
He has given overwhelming reasons
why the present mail service should not
be lowered, or even monkeyed with
by the Department or designing polite
ians. There are other reasons just as
strong and the people living on these
rural lines and who are building up
mail trade between farms and city
customers have some things to offer.
But let Burleson and the group of
politicians who have his ear, go on and
do their worst. Every demonstration
of this sort but fixes the more firmly
the public conviction that we have had
about enough Of Democratic political
juggling, administrative plumbers. and
general public uselessness.
Ono More Year Of Wilson.