The New York herald., 1868-12-16
Postal I,eleGraplls.

FOstal Teiegr0phss
From the Philadelphia Pressl
The proposed change OF our telegraphic system
from the hands Of corporations to the general gov
ernment Is one which will command the early at
tentlOn OF Congress. IL is measure fraught with
more than usual importance because it will bring
material relief to those now dependent upon this
more especially because it is Immediately In the line
OF that great column OF progress which is now NOV
question was raised in both houses Of Congress last
winter but its novelty proved its grave. Before
arguments had time to multiply In its favor it
as usually meet every wise motion, and
first among them were those covered with
but few who looked upon the proposed change as
the genesis OF national system fun OF ame0ratng
wall in the lobby lobby and suered SUI s their % judgments TO to
be made captive by their fears ignorance. Healthy
consideration OF the subject through the leisure OF
long vacation must have done much to develop its
salient points and enable Its friends to present 1t
anew in an attractive and forcible light.
The bill, framed, we believe by Mr.. Hubbard, of
Boston, the leading provisions OF which he descaned
upon at a recent meeting OF the Commercial Com
mtee Of the Board q Trade at Chicago s perhaps
master General Is to be made the recipL
ent and dispenser Of powers. lie shall
nery for adapting the telegraph lines Of
the country to the wants OF every ctizen, at rates
to describe fully all the mnut@, for the objects and
purposes Of the act may be Inferred from compa-
rson OF the results it is expected to accomplish with
those already reached by the Post Oflce and mail
system OF the United States. 1t is an EFFORT to
nationalize an arm which has become potential since
the inception OF mail facilities, and which Is In every
sense Of the word an auxiliary TO them Our people
familiar with the principle involved in their mail
system. II sprung from the idea that the general
government was the proper depository OF trust that
concerned all the people alike and which, II allowed
10 remain with ,s, tne a states or 70 oe controlled
ly ana Intellectually executed. The responsibilities
Of such trust were too grave to be given into the
hands OF q less dignifed trustee than the central
government And the government felt no decacy
IN the assumption OF the trust, for 1t looked upon
itself az the heart of intelligence aud business pro-
per dissemination and despatch OF which depended
upon generous laws.
For years the government was the sufferer to the
extent OF millions annually for had not yet learned
that the established rates OF postage made the sys
TEN convenience only to those able to enjoy 1t.
When 1t resolved 10 popularize ITS favor by bringing
1t within reach Of the poorest the Pos3 once Depart
ment began to charge itself with neat balances In its
own favor.
All the patronage bestowed thus far upon the telc,
graph is deduction from the mail system. The tele-
graph by Offering greater facilities In the transmits
sion OF Information. has stolen from the Post once
just that element which would have enabled it To be
abundantly elf-susaining. The two agents, then,
bear the same relationship to the public. They per.
form identical functions and productive OF like
results. IT. then, the reasoning which gave 10 the
government control over the Post once be
without faw--and who has thus far dared
to attack itY-it Is but necessary to repeat
IL to convince the most ardent opponent OF
postal telegraph OF his error. The government l.
the best depository, because the most responsible
OF all these powers in nation. II the financial
strength or corporation Is necessary TO cover the
country with a web OF telegraph wires, how much
more Is the governments corporation Of ali the
people-abe 10 accomplish the same2 The bltterest
complaints against telegraph companies are those OF
high charges These viii have To be endured iong
as corporate sehshness Is a rule with no known cX-
ceptlon unless the plan proposed By Congress be
allowed To come to the relief or our citizens. Want
OF uniformity ia rates and unfair schedules OF appor
onment are also crying evils OF the present system
The new law proposes entire uniformity.
The objections to postal telegraphs are few. but
they are viruent. only TWO are worth recounting.
The FIRST Is rather an objection to the principle that
these public benedcences cannot with pront be
tended to every man, woman and child; that is,
made 80 cheap mat all can become partakers. our
national experience with the Post ONCE IL standing
reiutatlon oi tue argument. A uniform price OF
three cents for letters brought Ia a much larger
revenue than when five cents were charged, and
postage would prove more remuneratve than any
higher price. Indeed, this has already passed be.
yond the region OF theory and has met practical
solution IN more than one European country. What
sort OF dividends would our passenger railway COM
panies declare with any other than their l0wprCed
uniformity 7 Every transnlssye agent, whether or
matter or Thought, IL to-day engaged in discussing
the principle, and Its general adoption win be her
In their winding sheets. There u no good reason
why the pennsylvania Central Railroad Company
Hestonvie or to Pittsburg for TWENTY-FIVE cents or
some other cheap and uniform standard, ana secure
more profit thereby than tnere mel, rsas the Union
from the Baltimore depot single square or TO
Kensngton for seven cents, aud thereby realize a
strict Keeping with the spirit OF the age and every
hour OF its postponement is trophy In the cap OF
Iliberasrn.
Nor s the other objection TO postal teegraphs any
more serious 1t concerns the danger Of throwing
too much patronage into the hands OF the govern
ment. But has II ever occurred TO these pseud0-phi
los0phers these nerv0usly constituted, a.pen-
hearted luSionists that the government Is the only
true source q all patronage as well as power Inat
corporation, be IL ever so powerful, or even
state, except wherein 1t claims Dy reservation, has
any patronage at It's bestowai IL due 10 tne genei9s.
lty OF the central government, remotely or directly
exercised
And this fact is certainly established beyond con-
uovefs tbat as trusts franchises depart from the
centre and near the circumference they become ire
sponsipie aud consequently corrupt 1he remedy ~
W eau tnem In and abolish them or exercise them
,nfough direct agents. This if we mistake not, Will
be done ID the matter OF naturalization, and H. Ia the
creation ol postal telegraph system, The patronage
now 70 ipe hands OF huge corporations be brought to
ls rea nome, where its bestowal will always he un-
der Jealous surveillance by the people II must surely
inure % 70 tner benefit. The management OF corpora.
uions IN tlls country has but little to commend
IT, The public seldom know what wrongs they