The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-02-13
The Telegraph.

The Telegraph
The public we are sure VIII DC a ~.
% conceive what it is that has Sc, 'ne -
s,x,,,ure after the telegraph with sue
sueeninc measures to control It's mana q,
ment and appropriate its property 20 pau
uses. Nor can we see on The tele
such propositions are made lns , ,hs
,r.nb hs. been guilty of no offence ,. n 40
sre aware Of save extending its llns
,aorsa.;na Its means Of public accom-
~~a.,,oo 4, diminished charges. Ina'
No rood ground Of complaint and ., ssror,
ton =. .pprehend. Then what supp'''
M. .s,aur.ph having shown no o'spos'
.,on 20 onnrcss the community-,a 'n n'
10. !, rnnld not do though 1t had tn'
wn'cn .,sn~wbst reason is there for SUB
.1,,,;ng /, to the control OF the boafa y
public Works. We cannot see.
The telegraph cannot in the very nature
&C ;ts Office and relations to the puoi''
maintain anything like oppression Of 'he
community. For all purposes OF oraihal !
communication we have the mans .,Ans
ported by railroads at a speea emu.
s~a;o;en. for nearly all the correspondence
g soc;e,v. and those communications
80 from their nature must be sent by
,s,esraph are really so very few that II the
.s,oeranb were left exclusively to be sup
,o-ted by them, it could only be sus-
.s;n.a nv the most enormous charges.
And how is the telegraph to extend the
go of its business to the class OF mes
80 which are not necessarily sent by that
- mode of communication Why,
mauifsstly by making the tolls 50 reason
,Me as to ilrae them. This it has done.
probably much the larger part of tele-
aranb business is of precisely the class OF
messages which do not demand the
dispatch which electricity affords, but
which those who send them merely desire
70 send in that manner. In fact, very
MANY merely pleasant and friendly mes
.oes now fnd their way over the wires
hecause the rates do not forbid them, and
the sending them in that manner is agree
h,a N their authors. Now let the tele-
orapb rates be raised unreasonably high,
and at once all messages not absolutely
necessary to be sent by telegraph quit the
wires. to the serious loss of the telegraph
companies. There never was an invention
for public convenience in which the CON-
munity was more completely protected
from extortion by the very nature of its
service. .....
But suppose tolls were higher than they
should be, is that reason why the State
should claim the free use of the telegraph
Does extortion by the telegraph justify the
State in seizing the property Of the tele-
graph company? The idea is monstrous.
And the hypothesis that large dividends
of the company should justify the State
in such a seizure of the lines is equally
monstrous. Ii that were just, it would in
equity impose upon the State the duty OF
sustaining corporations that were so I'M
fortunate as not to have dividends, and to
sink money in their operations
But the alleged big dividends are denied
by the company, whose books clearly dis
prove the ccusation-horrible as it is in
these days for anybody TO make money !
1t therefore ought to be acquitted of this
sin
But the lamesr and most impotent con-
clusion of all is the proposition to submit
the direction of the telegraph to he Board
of Public Works. Was there ever a more
impracticable idea than this? Is it sup
posed that the Board Of Public Works is
composed of men who know everything,
and who can do. everything? Is there
no end to their capacity and en-
durance! Or is it that in the views of an
economical Legislature they are to be
trusted with everything and burdened with
all sorts of ex-officio duties merely be-
cause it costs the State nothing, their spe-
ci6c salary covering all the multiform ser
vices they are expected to perform IL iS
outrage enough for the State to take pos
session of corporations in whose property
it owns not a dollar; but the proposit'oh II
ridiculously absurd in turning over the
telegraph to the Board of Public works
We have devoted two articles to thu
subieet not from any particular interes
We have or feel in the telegraph, but from
. do,,re IN see Virginia avoid such de
n.-,ura from Justice as the proposition
sno.asted. II would be painful to an!
;mnar,;al mind, after little reflection
we are sure. But it is yet more to b
fsarad on account of its evil effects upol
enterprise generally. Weare now hopeful
of the development of the resources of thi
mighty State. For this purpose combine'
CAPITAL and association, under the autho
rity of the State, are indispensable. AM
what sort Of encouragement would be OF
fered to energy, talent, and capital BY a.
act like that proposed in the TELEGRAPH
bill. It would inflict upon Virginia last
Ing injury by destroying confidence in he
wisdom and consistency, and oil trust il
her good faith.
---
Extension Of the City Limits.
It will be seen by the report of the pro
80 III 4