The New York herald., 1869-02-01
Ths Telegraph Notwithstanding Diz.
closures.


We have frequently demonstrated that the
entire value Of the telegraph lines existing in
the United States does not exceed ten millions
of dollars. The larger psrt Of these lines is
owned by the Western Union Company, which
has had no mercy upon the public either In in
fating the original stock of the company or in
charging heavy prices for the transmission Of
messages that dividends might be declared
upon these heavy infstions.
One OF the most stupendous OF the stock
watering operations of the Western Union ever
coasummated outside Of the doubling of its
whole capital, from eleven to twenty mil
lions Of dollars was embraced in the purchase
and consolidation of the Pacific lines. The
original cost Of the overland line to California
was four hundred and thirty thousand dollars,
and this was turned into the capacious nav Of
the Western Union manipulators at three mil
lion three hundred and thirty-three thousand
dollars, or more than six times the actual
value of the line. But what were the
results? The company blew this tele-
graphic bubble into such brilliant coiors that
even the general government was pleased
with its smooth and well rounded proportions.
Congress, therefore, invested in it for several
years. in the form Of subsidy, forty thousand
dollars OF the public treasure. This is fact
not generally known. Besides this extortion
the company has received an annual bonus
from the State of California for the same line.
or course these amounts have been squeezed
out OF the people on the plea Of poverty and
under the pretence that it does not pay to keep
the Pacific line working, but that the Western
Union is generously anxious to extend to the.
people of California telegraphic facilities at
pecuniary loss to the company. This is
charming little financial deception-a little
toucho of romance with which the Western Union
managers have entertained the gullible public
while they loosened government and private
purse strings, rolling up thereby large profits,
so-called in the Western Union company, but
classified differently in the Sing Sing diction-
better than any other portion of the Western
Union wires, and the profits out Of the exor-
bitant rates extorted from those who use that
line are enormous. We have the best inf0r-
nation that the receipts at the Pacific end will
reach five hundred thousand dollars the pres
ent year. AT this end the receipts are more
than that amount, making the gross earnings
of the Pacific line above one million dollars in
twelve months.
Here, then, are some substantial facts worthy
of consideration. There can be no just rea-
son why the general government or the State
Of California should pay dollar out Of it's
public moneys as a subsidy to the Pacific line.
and the sturdy Western Union beggars should
be driven from the door Of their treasures, as
an able bodied pauper is driven from the aims
house gate. II the general and State govern
ments are to be bled annually to help pay
dividends upon enormously inflated telegraphic
stock, it were far better and more economical
at once to take possession Of the business and
attach it to the Post Office Department. Our
watchful representatives, like e. B. washburne,
should look sharply after this matter, and see
that no more forty thousand dollar appropria
tions are suffered to creep into the omnibus
bill, or any other, in the last hours of the ses-
sion, to increase the wealth Of the telegraph
monopolists.
''The greatest good to the greatest number"
is the basis Of our form of government, and
we are little disposed to surrender the princ-
pie to telegraphic ring. These prey upon
tho public warts and subvert to ignoble
ends the general interests of the COM
munty. There is no one interest in
the United States 80 common to man, woman
and child as the telegraph, and every man,
woman and child should be directly stock
holder in the telegraph business, as they arc in
postal communications The usual cry of all
rings is, In case OF an attack upon monopoly,
s'the government cannot interfere with the
rights ofprivatc citizens" Our government is
the people, and how much more pertinent is the
retort that a private ring cannot interfere with
the rights Of the government The Post Office
Department sends money drafts through its
ofices--in fact, does one branch Of regular
banking business for the pnblic good-and yet
we have never known Of combination Of
banking houses making complaint that they
are the sole owners OF the right to send or to
cash draft The people are becoming edu-
Gated 10 the facts we constantly present to
them. They see that we labor for the general
good In our efforts to break down the mono
poly OF telegraphic communication. We want
the cheapest most certain and rapid trans
mission Of thought that can be given, and we
want it shaped upon the basis of our govern
mental system. We want no dictation as to
how much or how little we may communicate
with our friends. There is but one dictatorial
power to which we bow, and that is the power
of the people. The people have declared that
the telegraphic monopoly shall disap pear--and
il shall disappear.