The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-10
TUB POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
WAY she ssovernEnenf shouii Control the
TcirErarh


Telegraph
From the Philadelphia Press. Feb III
New York journal, whose editorial essays az
times blend agriculture and politics Win charming
to go INTO the business OF sendngs kilograms, why
not into the business OF raising potatoes 7.
t,ps an a upanswetable and conclusive 0s aran,
ment but 70 others IL Is argument
at All II the government can raise potatoes for
twenty-five cents bushel or less, by all means we
say, let II do so, end let the poor OF an the country
be led. No farmer can at present produce potatoes
under seventydve cents buShel and II the govern
inent by any means raise them at one-tnird OF
that cost 1t oughtso 90 do. THAT Is plain. Now this
lsprecsely what the postal telegraph reform proposes
TO accomplish IL is proposition 10 furnish 20 all the
people elegaphing az one-tnird the present prices
or less. AZ u now stands one huge company con-
tros oil the lines OF the land, and we have the
mon result Of monopoly--eyorbitant rates. Every
man can raise hrs own potatoes II he wants 10, but
every man cannot be his own teexrapher; and now
10 defend themselves the people IN their collective
capacity. through tielr agent, the government IN
dertake TO run Their own lines II is simple case
OF remedying wrong IN legal and constitutional
manner.
From the Syracuse Journal. Feh 81
one OF the arguments brought against the transfer
OF the telegraph 70 the postal department IA that 10
will be made subservient 70 the party 10 power, ANA
that Il win be used at the same time 30 promote
little force, but perhaps has slight weight with
those who are not wholly posted on the pros and cons
question. We must beg 70 diner with any and all
who thus argue We inclined to the belief that tho
postal telegraph 10 what The country needs, and
that i Will be no more subseryient 70 the party
III power then than are the machinery and person.
nj OF the army and navy at present. and. more
than this. nothing Ike 10 the extent the Post
once now Is. Let the telegraph be given TO the
department 20 which 1t IL proposed TO give IT,
and skilled electricians and operators win get
better pay than now. ana, we are inclined TO
believe with some force Of truth, we think,
would be allowed to enjoy their political rights
without molestation from either party. should any
of them neglect their duties As telegraph operators
AND NEEDLE with politics 70 make II their business.
then their services would be Immediately dispensed
with ms Is the remedy which lies IN the power OF
the department whenever it, rules are infrlnued or
NJ policy perverted. There s no DANCE then thar
the telegraph would be prostituted 10 party ends
and become the instrument In the hands OF the bal.
ance Of power 10 promote its selfish euds The teIe-
graph would be national, not partisan, general, not
exclusive.
More Than this, the postal telegraph would make
the use OF this medium, 80 essential to the nation
much more general, sand where only hundreds Of
our population new enjoy IL, thousands would reap
Its advantages. There are thousands OF towns too
which are not reached ct present b7 the telegraph
they only under the Post Once management would
be supplied with means Of communication equally
argument strongly IN favor Of the transfer.
from the Norfolk Journal. Feb. ST.
We earnestly hope that the government VIII take
the telegraph In hand aud construct lines for the
benefit of the people. They can be worked In con-
junction with the Post ONCE, and the expenses
would be thus less than those Of any private com
compared With what they would have 70 pay were
the telegraph under the direction q the gov
eminent. such arc the enormous charges nov
demanded for transmitting even ten words tina
none but the rich can afford 70 send messages.
the telegraph were ia the hands OF the government
would be required to pay only its own expenses,
and consequently the charges would be at once re
duced TO minimum. AZ the charges become reduce'
the number Of messages will Increase, and so IN
minimum ~ one year will 10 again reduced next
ana 20 on, I'll all business transactions between dIs
tant points VIII be carried by the telegraph, a. i
now tue case IN many European countries, In whlc
the people are not forced TO suppor private corpora
lions.