Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-07-26
THE.TELEGRAPH MONOPOLY

III lAkG 0OAotAN0tAOAs AtNAtCNGl IL
strains the acquisition is restraint on
the freedom of communication of in
formation. If intelligence coming in
from all parts Of the world is made
the property of a few individuals, and
dealt out at the hands of a powerful
monopoly, greedy of gain, the restric-
ton works necessary injury to a large
portion of the press of the country,
and is a consequent evil to the whole
public. The increase of expense in the
acquisition of information will inevita-
bly, reduce the amount communicated.
And the evil of an Overgrown monop-
oily does not stop here, but goes fur
thur and grows worse. The chief
agents of the associated press mOnOp-
oily not only dictate the quantity and
price OF the matter they furnish, but
more, they determine what shall and
shall not be published. Thus, when
the agents happen to belong to some
political party, or r bought up by
one or more of the great specializing
rings, they speak in the interest of
such party or ring, Withholding impOr-
tant truths, or circulating perniciOus
falsehoods Gd HBi1D. This state
Of things ought not to be al
lowed. We have seen and
had occasion to deplore the
great and growing evil more than
once. And most earnestly do we call
on Congress and the people to apply
the proper remedy. Every reason
exists for taking. this matter under
government control which eve eX-
listed for taking control of the ordinary
mails. And a sound public policy re-
quires that the telegraph lines should
be under the direction of the govern
ment for the common benefit of the
press and the people of the United
States, and especially for the pre-
vention of abuses, which have grown
frequent and of great magnitude.
In the interest of the great mOnOpO-
ly an effort has recently been made to
stop the landing of che French cable,
which we are glad to see has thus far
been fOiled. The press is beginning
to awake to the Importance of this
matter, and we trust it will continue
to speak, and efficiently, to a result.
We subjoip the following well consid-
cred articlesi
From the New York Spirit of the Times
independent
The success. of the French cable is one
of the most gratifying events of the CEN
turv. 1t is another link between the old
world and the new. 1t binds New York
diFeGtlY to Paris, as well as to London. 1t
gives u a cable on American soil. 1t is
one of those material successes in which
the French Emperor has shown profound
sagacity.
And vet we are surprised to find how
eoIdly the neW cable is received. The
daily press, always prompt and eager TO
welcome any new enterprise, has, as a
general thing, frowned upon this French
venture. The Legislature was invoked
last winter to erect a barrier to its pro-
gress, but Congress did not act. And now
Mr.. Hoar and Mr.. Fish are called upon to
denv il hospitalitv. Some odd nonsense
about national domain and the rights of
Congress has been veutuFeG by the Attor-
uey General. The Secretary of State,
finding no law to control the case
writes to the French Minister that
a law was almost passed last winter,
and recommends the Minister to govern
himself by it. \ Secretary of State who
executes the law is a treasure; but a Sec
rotary who enforces all the laws that have
not been passed is priceless beyond COM
parisOn. Ifthere were any national poll
cy in regard 10 telegraphing we should in
sist that all should respect it-alien and
citizen. No such policy exists, and our
shores so far as law AMI custom 90, are
free to any cable has chooses to come,
and the more that come the better. One
leading newspaper has especially opposed
its advent. 1t is not sure the law,
and its owners are ex-rebels, INC we
ought not 10 nave a new cable until the
present owners Of the Atlantic cable make
money out of the old one We are inn
plored to remember how much money
was lost before the old cable succeeded.
And because the daring men who were
pioneers in that work lost money we
should have no more cables until they
earn money. We might interrupt this
argument by asking, How much money
have these men made by the success oftheir
cable, and especially by the wonderful
advance in its stocks which many of them
purchased for a small sum-" But if the
argument of this critic has any value it
should have a wider application. Be
cause the builders OF the Hudson River
Railroad lost money there should be no
road to Albany by the way Of Harlem.
Because the owners Of stage coaches lost
money there should be no locomotives.
Because the Old-faShiODed makers Oflaud
presses lost money there should be no
steam presses. 1t is really an argument
against all growth, all progress, all scien-
tiic enterprise and discovery. The sug-
gestion that the mep who own this line
are rebels, and, therefore do not deserve
success is not the real opinion of an editor
who has gained renOwn by showing mercy
and charity to rebellion, and who uses
every effort to coax Northern capital into
the rebel States,
We give respectful hearing to this argu-
ment, But it really is no argument at all,
and thinlY masks the true reason Of the
antipathy Of the press to the new cable,
The success Of the French cable is the first
step towards destroying the Associated
Press monopoly. The blessing OF such a
cable will do everything for a free press,
and liberal thought and cheap newspa-
pers; for the Associated Press to-day is
one ofthe worst mOnopolies on this CONT
nent.
1t has grown, by some mysterious alli-
ance, with the Western Union Telegraph
Company. We cannot understand it, Mr..
Orton, the President of that company, is
a shrewd and able mana gentleman for
whom we have great respect. He is not
a man to make any alliance that does not
benefit his company. In a business way
nothing could be BETTER and he certainly
has succeeded in obtaining an influence,
which is a good thing to have in the way
business, but the existence of which is
a humiliation to American journalism.
Thus, when the Democratic Convention of
California passed a resolution criticising
the Western Union Telegraph Company,
the Associated Press suppressed it, and
the only paper which printed it was the
NeD York Herald. Not another journal,
so far as we could see, mentioned it, and
vet it was the most important act of a
great State Convention. We are quite
sure that all our journals would have
printed this or anything of like tenor as a
of news, but it was nOtsent them
to print, The Associated Press agent had
decreed otherwise, and his decree was a
to the great press of New York.
Nor.do we think it wise in Mr.. OrtOn
to encourage this alliance. He may regard
it as a good business e%xpedient to own
Mr.. Simonton. although it is difficult to
imagine how Mr.. Simonton can be an
ornamental or useful investment. The
telegraph can only be successfully man
aged when it Is as free as air. Any mon
oDoly is unstable and dangerous. The
of mankind revolts against being
compelled to do anything, and nothing is
easier to Mr.. orion than to rou a senti-
ment, whether Just or unjust, that will
brino evil To his COMPANY. His course to