The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-08

There is no more powerful element for good
or for evil at present known to the world than
the electric telegraph. This great agent Of
progress and development enters actively into
all the relations of life. and has already worked
great revolution in news in commerce and
in business Of all kinds, and yet up to the pre-
sent time it has been used only AZ q means of
enriching corporations and individuals, with
out regard to the benefit and advancement of
the people. A few shrewd spectators, with
judgment enough to appreciate the enormous
power the telegraph is destined to wicld, have
succeeded in obtaining control OF the principal
lines throughout the country and have thus
created monopoly which is to-day one OF the
most dangerous in the United States. BY
keeping up the rates for messages they have
confined the use of the wires to comparatively
u few individuals, and thus, besides giving
undue influence and advantage TO capital. have
secured to themselves and their immediate
associates the opportunity OF trading upon the
earliest news to the damage of the rcst Of the
community.
These evils have not been confined to our
own country. They long since made them
selves felt in Europe and induced many of the
governments of the Old World to take the
control Of the telegraph into their own hands.
The proposition met there in its inception the
earnest opposition Of the telegraph companies,
who had already begun to feel the importance
and pecuuiary profit Of the power they held,
although nowhere on the other side of
the Atlantic was thcre 50 complete and over
shadowing monopoly of the business az
AT present exists IN the United States. But
the statesmen Of Europe foresaw that the into
rests Of the great mass Of the people and the
safety OF the governments themselves
demanded that the telegraph should he
national institution, and the great reform was
accomplished. IN England. after a searching
inquiry by the houses Of Parliament. tho most
prominent reasons presented to show why II
would he desirable and beneficial for the gov
eminent to have control Of the telegraphic
communication OF the United Kingdom were as
follows
Fns,-Tha, the charges FOR the transmission 81
messages by private corporations we're too high and
tended To check the growth ~ Geographic CORE.
spondence.
Second-That In the existing system there was
often improper delay IN H. transmission of mes.
sages.
Ttsrd-rhai many important districts IN.
provided with facilities for Geographic connuui.
cation.
IoVH1-fhat IN many places which were pro.
Vided with some facilities for tolographlc commune
cation Inc telegraph Office too remote FROM the
centre OF business and population and open for too
| small portion Of the day.
| fyH-rhat lite or no Improvement could he ey.
ptcteh SO long as the working Of the telegraph
conducted bY commercial establishments striving
chleDy 70 earn dividend and engaged Ia wastefui
competition with each other, rendered nsoent.
greedy anu cNacttng by MONOPOLY.
| Nrh-lnat under the thcn existing system The
development OF Geographic correspondents in the
United klngdon had been retarded.
| SetenU-Ihat the growth OF such correspondence
had been greatly stimulated In Belgium and swift
xerann ny the annexation Of the ieegraphs 70 the
Post Orces OF those countries aud the consequent
! adoption OF low scale OF charges.
EighHt-That IN England like results would follow
the Adoption OF Ike means, ana that from the
nexatioD ~ English teegraphs 70 the English Post
4 once there would accrue great advantage 10 the
| pubic and ultimately great revenue 10 the State
| The absorption OF telcgrephic communication In
| Belgium aud Switzerland 10y the governments OF
| those countries had been emineny successful. All
the statistics proved an Immense increase OF tele
araahn airrssponds1cc consequent not only on tue