, 1866-06-13
TIE RELATIONS OF THE GREAT TEIFGHAPn
cnAPtN1Ea 10 TIE P1Eia.

COMPANIES TO TIE PRESS.
Much Of the memorial Of the Telegraph
Presidents is devoted to the refutation OF the
arguments ol Senator Brown, Of Missouri,
who started the agitation Of the project Of
Government telegraph lines In the Senate, In
q speech upon the subject delivered some
months ago. LIT. Brown in 1t declared that
the effect Of the introduction of Government
Telegraph system would be "to break up the
mouopolics that NOW control the dissem1na-
tlon OF news to the public press. BY contron-
ing the lines, and to throw open Newspaper
enterprise to the whole country, instead OF
being concentrated in the hands Of q lew jour
nails IN the city cf New FORK. Moreover, 1t
would then be possible, which now 1t Is not,
to supply the country, at its great CONNER
cial centres, with correct abstract Of the
proceedings Of Congress at trlfing cost and
with infinite advantage to the nation-''
Alludlng to this passage In Mr.. Browns
speech, the memorialists indulge In the fol-
lowing interesting remarks upon the relations
Of their companies 10 the press in particular
and newspaper enterprise Ia general:
It has been thought By the companies that,
TO the press ut least, the most liberal policy
had been pursued. The charges to the papers
IN the leading scaboard cities arerage less
than one-fuurth Of the ordinary commercial
rates. As all the matter sent by the agent Of
the associated press Is received as single
despatch at each city, and the cost Is eQun1ly
dirided among all the papers taking 1t, the
average cost does not amount to a twentieth
part Of the commercial tariff. In New York
the tariff to each paper does not exceed half
a cent per word. In this arrangement Alr.
Brown can, perhaps, see the objects Of the
combination which be Terms monopoly. It
Is simply plan by which the cost Of trous-
mittIng the bulk Of Congressional news Is
rednced to the several parties receiving 1t.
On exactly the same terms do the several
New York papers receive theif special des-
patches. compiled by thefr own CORES
ponlents+ These, sent direct to n single pa
per, Of course, cost more than whera all bear
their portion under tho arrangements OF the
association, yet average less thaa one qaarter
Of ordinary rates.
On business to the Western States the terms
are still more easy, and arc made So, largely,
by this rery combination.
Thus, IN the State OF New York, from New
York to Buffalo, IN association Of the press
exists, having In yiew the very same object IS
the one in New York-that Of cleapening tue
cost and making It possible to receive large
quantity Of telcg1aphc matter which, sePa-
ratcly would be impossible. Updcr this ar-
rangement ten houss each day are given up
solely for the use Of the lhfrty-hve presses
forming the organization, furnishing an in
nense amount OF matter at a cost not exceed.
Ing tan average Of one cent per thirty
words. Without this press combination, BY
wliIcl. thfrty-fye members Of it arc supplied
by the Transmission Of a singse despatch
dropped at each commercial centre at the
kame time this teles1a aph matter could not
be supplied. a computation Of the expenses
connected with tins service shows that the
profit to the Telegraph company for this iabor
of ten hours per day, by eight mcn employed
solely for that purpose, and ten Others par
TALLY SO, does not exceed the salary paid to
any one Of these employees. More liberal
terms, more copious SIMPLY, more general con.
tentment in both The terms and execution Of
this mutual arrangement could not enter into
the details Of any agreement. No Govern
ment line could write and supply and satisfy
SO many parties.
and What i true ef the state Of Sew York
is true, substantially, Of States beyond,
found: and with tair reference to increased
distance and labor, all OF these advantages
every paper Wiling to bear It's share oi the
cominon expenses has the privilege Of recsiv-
ing.
press, or combination oi presses, or my fndi-
yidual In the press or ont Of It, except the
officers Of the companies subscribing hereto,
| have npy control ofthe lines they represent.
fever there was a thing which appealed
more than another to the cupldity or means
| OF enrichment of tho telegraph companies, it
mcnts now existing, thus giving the opportu-
| nlty to weaIthr Establishments to monopo-
| lie the news. We're they to do this, while
| the companies would appear to open their
lines to nll alike. they would, practically,
destroy three-fonrths Of nil the papers now
/ press reports BY tariff they could not siDgly
| bear,