The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-02-19
The Management Of tho Telegraph-The


The Management Of tho Teiegraph-The
Success Of Competing Lines.
The publication OF the semi-annual report of
the English telegraph companies has revived
the discussion of the proposition Of the British
government to take possession OF the several
lines and to work them under the Post Office
Department as portion of the postal system
The companies complain that the announce
troduce bill authorizing tho Postmaster
General to purchase all the telegraphs in the
United Kingdom by agreement has not been
followed by a preliminary deposit Of the BILL
as is the custom, leaving them as yet unin-
formed of the manner in which the government
intends to proceed. The argument in favor Of
the proposed policy has created favorable
impression upon the public mind. lis main
features are, first. that the telegraphic ope-
rators employed by the Post Office Depart
ment would be government officials, and that
the same stringent rules that apply to the mail
service would be enforced In the case of The
telegraph, thus rendering the invlolability of
messages secure; and, secondly, that the
rates would be placed Us low as the
absolute payment Of the expenses of
working the lines would warrant since
there would no longer be any necessity
Of securing large profits to pay heavy
dividends, or to raise the value of market
able stock. The people would thus insure
secrecy and despatch for their messages, and
derive the benefit of a rate Of tariff low enough
to enable them TO make general use of the
telegraph IN all matters of sufficient Importance
to warrant the additional expense between
that means of communication and the more
tardy mails.
There are great many features about this
English proposition that commend themselves
to our own people. Indeed, under the mis-
management to which the telegraph bust
ness has been subjected in the United
States, and in view Of the attempt to
create an Overshadowing monopoly that,
by swallowing up every competing line,
might practise all sorts of abuses with i'm
punlty, it becomes doubly necessary that
some restriction should be placed upon the
telegraph here, either by taking its whole con-
troll into the hands of the government or by
encouraging the construction OF independent
lines, SO as to insure reliability, secrecy, de-
spatch and reasonable charges by the force of
competition. There are many who believe now
that it would be beneficial TO the public if the
general government should own line
Of its own in connection with the Post Office
at least along the main postal routes, even if
individual enterprise should be left free to
build connecting lines and lines for neWs and
commercial purposes. The government line,
as they argue, would serve to keep down rates
for messages to . fair standard, and avert in
future the evils Of monopoly.
But probably the best method Of reforming
the telegraph business here, and the mode most
acceptable to our people, is the encourage
ment Of competing lines 50 as to break down
an offensive monopoly. The incompetency,
blunders, arrogance and general mismanage-
ment of the Western Union Company under
its present board of directors or their execu-
tive committee have in part worked their own
correction by giving an impetus to the several
opposition lines now in operation or projected,
which cannot fail before long TO secure compc-
ton to every important point in the United
States. Indeed, the Western Union is no
longer a monopoly. The opposing routes
already in existence are doing profitable
business and rapidly gaining public confidence
and favor while others in process Of construc-
ton or aoout to be commenced have fair pros
poets before them, and cannot fail, if pro-
perly managed Of securing complete success.
The following arc the competing lines in
opposition to the Western Union monopoly,
now in operation and doing prosperous and
rapidly increasing business =:
Names Of Companies. Miles Of Route
Franklin Telegraph Company ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. TO
Pacific and Atlantc Company ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $50
Atlantic ana Pacific Company Observation-Disclosures. $50
lnternntiOnH 10
Bankers and Brokers' Company ................ $50
NoHoern company. .................... l00
New York CITY Company ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. is
Total miles OF competing route .............2,94 $40