The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1916-01-27
HOW BURLESON ASSISTS OUR COUNTRY'S
DEVELOPMENT


the unwse official efforts of Mr. Bureson and especially those
who living in the remote districts who srainng
every devepe the country and make for themselves
homes When this article published there beating
the air rending of garments scrptural expression
used in describing the antics of excited and highly ncenscd
jew for the very good that good this
community and in Idaho county getting the neck
through the post office department. that it would not pay
Following the article the Oregonan
ductory remarks by the Globe:
Idaho county, and the entire northwest has had its sad
perences with the post Office department assistant in
the development of its and remote sections
through the farseeing wisdom of Postmaster General
son. who to be obessed with the idea that
plus his department the prime object of the
creating the postal service and that the kind of afford
ed and the number of Accommodated Of secondary
Importance This had led to the bankuptng Of number of
citizens who held star route contracts before the naugur
alton OF the parcel post and to the Gripping financially of
many otner because the department insisted upon holding
them their old without salary
surate with the additional work expense caused by the
conditions which the department had brought about
forced upon them This penny wise and pound foolish policy
has also isolated and absolutely cut off from the
civilization and from communication with the outside world
through the most primitive and inexpensive postal
vice. hundreds upon hundreds of pioneer who
seeking under the most trying natural conditions develop
and build up homes for themselves and families The at
temps to get weekly mail route into Adams Camp and
points tributary the reason
1t would not be sefsupportng The following from the
Portland Oregonan forth the Burleson policy
forcibe and clearly illustrates his view point
just what he contendng for at the expense of the
veloped sections:
An example of what Postmaster General Bureson is doing
to make his department show surplus given the
by Representative Johnson of Washington debate
posofice appropriations.
An Indian named Toby had the contract
tween Dahoah and Elk Park in the mountains of Jefferson
county, Washington distance of fortyfive and one-half
miles over what Mr. johnson called good a road as the
peopleaready overtaxedcan provide but wha as poor
road permitted to be called by the special desg
nation good road The the parcel post increased
the weight of the mail by the addition of fifty pound parcels
such extent that the lowest bid made last year
The department declined to accept any bid because sum
entirely out OF proportion to the Importance of the postal
facilities to be afforded and because the requires the de-
parment to have due regard producveness the esab
hshment and maintenance of routes.'
The productveness of this route was mainly in incoming
mall-argey fifty pound parcels and catalogues from
order houses but apparently credit given for the
thus created The pioneers in these bakwoods are emf
off from civilization by distance by lack good roads and
by being surrounded by the Olympic National monument of
100000 Now they cut off from postal be-
cause they do not produce enough business.
When read Mr. Johnsons recital of what the carrier
would give for $4,000 the will excessive He
said
Now then, consider that the unfortunate Indian Toby by
who had the contract to carry the into western
Jefferson county the other wayva Forks-began by
ing the letters and papers upon his back and going as run
ner for 30 80 miles Then when the pound parcel post
introduced he bought old gray horse and when
pounds became the limit weight he kept on adding horses
until when he threw his contract he found himself riding
his old horse and leading six Others all for the original price
lie had to ford He'll Roaring creek-rghty named by the
waand had to unpack the mail from the pack horses
and SWIM them across the Bogach river then the mail
across the foot bridge and repack the the
inal mail packet price.
Indian Toby threw his and his bondsmen tried
to carry it on Then another took up was nearly ruin
ed by and forced mortgage his homestead and finally
to throw the job The Service in that country
81 day and feed for each horse and @ for each
put an offer was made to carry the mail for considerably less
than these rates and it rejected
From 500 to 1900 people deprived of mail service because
Mr. Bureson has added enormously to the bulk mali by ex
endng the parcel post without increasing the pay proper
uon Then he boasts of surplus by bankruptng mail
ers or by depvng pioneers of mail service But what does
Mr. Bureson know about conditions of life and travel