The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-10-06
STho Mighty Agency Of the Telegraph,


developments and influence of the
magnetic telegraph have been, we
have seen only the infanoy-the
first sigus Of the power--of this
nighty agent Of modern soience and
civilization. We understand there is
new and remarkable invention, an
automatic system Of self-telegraphiug
power, which will multiply eight or
ten timos the fAcilitics Of telegraphie
communication oyer the present sys-
TEN. From the information We have
received and from what we have seen
there is reason to believe this is one
of tho most astonishing inventions Of
the age and destined to produce a
great revolution ia the commerce,
financial aRAirs, Intercourse and social
condition of the world. We learn,
also, that the government will be ask
ed to test this invention and to take
control of and use it for the public
good. Congress, we hope, will not
hesitate to investigate the matter and
to make the necessary appropriation,
first, to try the new system between
Washington and New York, aud then,
if successful, to obtain the patent aud
give tho whole country the benefit Of
IL under government control. Con-
gress never did better thing than
when it appropriated thirty thousand
dollars for putting up and testing the
first magnetic telegraph line between
Washington and BAltimore. What
wonderful results have followed! Yet
the opposition waa So great that it
took five years-,hat is, from 1888,
when the Committee on CONNER
first reported the bill, till 1913, when
it was finally passed and signed by the
Presidcnt-to get this insignificant
sum for trying the greatest invention
then of the age. Let US hope our
present Congress will prove itself
more enlightened. 1t should pass at
once on reasscmbling Mr.. Washburne's
bill appropriating sixty thousand dol
lars fur al experimental postal tele-
graph line between New York and
" Washington, with an addition of any
other sum, if necessary, to test on such
line the new automatic system.
1t is known that the object Of Mr..
WasLburne and those who act with
him IN proposing an experimental
postal telegraph line is, if that should
it prove successful, to place the whole
telegraph system Of tho country un-
der government control. This is the
secret of the determined and powerful
hostility Of tho existing telegraph
monopoly to his measure. 1t would
not only be the entering wedge that
must break up this monopoly, but
would show, probably, that in case of
proposition to purchase existing
lines the government could construct
better oncs for eight or ten millions
of dollars less than the present COM
panics would demand for their pro-
perty. 1t is curious fact that when
this invention Of the magnetic tole-
graph was first brought before Con-
grcss IN the way mentioned the ide a
was to connect it's operations with the
postal system. The inventor as he
said in a speech at the banquet given
to him q short time since in this city,
was the first to propose that. The
Secretary of the Treasury at that
time, Judge Woodbury., urged this
upon Congress and the report Of tho
House Committee Oh Commerce was
very emphatic. It strongly recon-
mended the government to take pos
session of the invention. Some of
the statesmen of that day seemed to
have prophetic knowledge Of what
tho telegraph would become. But
how much more applicable are their
arguments to the present time and
state of things than to the period
when this invention was first used |!
Every argument that can be made in
favor of the postal service being in the
hands of government applies to the
telegraph. And who will say, except
few crazy theorists, that tho postal
system should be under private corpo,
rations or Individuals All govern
ments take charge of letter communi.
cations between their own people and
with foreign countries. Why not of
telegraphlc communlcatiOns2 This
latter mode Of communication has be :
come as important and almost as uni
versal as tho formcr, and with the
improvements we have adyerted to or
that must shortly be made it will
supersede to a great extent tho bust
of tho Post Office.
But there is another and very i'm
portant view to be taken Of the use
and power of tho telegraph and the
necessity Of it's being under govern
'ment. 1t must become the great
regulator Of commerce, of financial
operations and of exchange. Few
will take the trouble to write letters
and wait the slow process of tho mails
when tho facilities Of telegraphing are
increased eight or ten fold. The time
is at hand when almost all commune
cation will be by telegraph. Finan-
cial operations will be reyolutionized.