The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-02-13
The TELEGRAPH.

4u6 40leSIdPus
We have said very little about the Southern
Telegraph Line lately, because it has been less
badly conducted than heretofore, and we were
willing to wait and see whether there was any
prospect of permanent reformation, however tardy
the progress of the change might be. But we are
in some doubt whether the improvement, such as it
is was not caused by the prospect of immediate and
successful competition by O'Rielly's Line, rather
than by any returning of justice or proprety.
We fear that such was the case, and we are conse-
quentiy sorry that O'Rielly has met with SO many
impediments as not yet to have his instruments and
wires IN good working order. 1t seems that we
have offended the Telegraph Company, violated
some of its rules and it has resolved to inict upon
us pecuniary penalty for the transgression. By
the rule enforced here, and we believe no where
else, no paper is allowed 10 publish the Geographic
reports in advance of its next regular edition,
without paying four times much for the dispatch
as it would otherwise have to pay. When the last
steamer came in, the Times, Delta and our own
paper published slip with the news, which was
important TO our merchants, as soon as it was
received. This gave uery little chance for specula-
ton, as, much TO our surprise, the dispatch came
through about the time that it was due. For this
unheard Of audacity, for this daring interference
with the private arrangements for operating on the
markets, each paper was charged full price for the
same message-that is, just three times as much as
any one else has to pay, and four times as much as
is paid by the papers under ordinary circumstances.
This is a small matter The additional cost was
only about twenty five dollars, and we paid it will
lingly, and shall continue 10 pay similar demands
under similar circumstances-untilw we can do bet
ter. But we, nevertheless, do not like the looks
of the thing. 1t is not elsewhere every
paper ut the North issues its Geographic news,
when important, in extra editions, without extra
charge. Every individual who receives news
by telegraph, may publish it to whomsoever
he chooses. Why then should the papers Of this
city be charged three prices for doing the same
thing. Is this the way in which the public wants
are to be accommodated Could it make any differ
ence TO the Telegraph Company aside from the out
door business of those connected with it, whether
the dispatch was published not Is not the
only design of such proceeding to make it against
the interest of publishers to give the people impor
tant news at the only time when it would be useful
TO them 1t is true if we had waited an hour or
two, in the present instance, the news might have
been published in the Picayune's Evening Edition,
but that hour OF two was in the midst of the busi-
of the day, at the very time when all the harm
resulting from the suppression of the could and
would have been effected-and we would besides
have had the consolation Of paying the regular
price for what would have been Of no earthly use
to us or any one else-we might as we'll receive no
intelligence al all, if we cannot use it before we
could copy the same thing from another city paper.
In every light in which can view this transac-
ton, it is perfectly characteristic of the Southern
Telegraph line, that is, about ptiful piece of
business as can well be imagined. We are not par
tcularly anxious to expend more money than is
necessary to the successful and energetic prosecu-
ton of our business, but if this monopoly insists
upon charging the press of his city three times
much AS it charges others, every time that the
paid for is used, we must submit to the burden
but shall publish The neps-and in requital do all
we can 10 break down the monopoly. But it will
not require much to break it down. The manage
ment is doing that pretty rapidly. A line that
ought, if honestly conducted, to yield twenty per
cent yearly on the capital invested in it, yields
nothing, and the project is entertained of leasing it
out in order 10 the stockholders from loss If
if does not do better soon its worst enemies could
wish it no other fate than will befal it-and that
right suddenly too, if the opposition line does not
fall into the same fatal faults