The New York herald., 1869-01-27
TnE POSTAL TELEaRirH.
Trom the ph,,aae,nn,o p J, IA, >. !,

trruu thc fHfiaueipnn y 20, Jan. 25.l
| Mr. Orton President of the Vcstern Union Tese-
| graph Company, has maize a report In which he
endeayors to explain to the country several matters
We think he was correct In the snpposif,ns on which
nc proceeded Before he sent out his report we did
net suppose these things were so. We do not sup
pose L now. The attempt TO persuade the people
that because the telegraph IN this country under
private control Is more generally used than it If in
those nations where il Il In charge OF the government
hat private control Is therefore preferable Is ab-
surd. the people here have always done more with
IsMer iacii,ics IMAM any people on the globe That s
onr national Characteristic Accounts OF enterprise
III the face OF obstacles make up the history or
country me pecullarltie5 of American civilization
and progress have forced this upon us. Therefore.
wnen we nave done great things in triumphing over
Ia our way, is part or the credit to be taken from
US ana placed TO the account OF one of the obstacess
y Inc, tae western Union Telegraph Company had
have employed 1t ana sent more messages than a'l
EuroIne Our people are nelligent They viii have
facilities, cost what they may; but when the time
comes when they can ret the same advantages at
more more reasonable rates by system which
do not admit that the great number or
messages we send Is owing 10 any peculiar advan-
tempt s made to prove that the rates IN this coun
try are lower than IN Europe. BY peculiar method
many messages are counted three or four times a
llgh average price Is stated for European tclcgrams
by the same method lower. but st very high, rate
- given as that OF our average. This by no means
the statement OF the men who present the statistics
on the other side, and who do not pretend to deducs
evidence that is offered by the supporters Of the tele
graphic monopoly IS that derived from the workings
United Kingdom is tired OF the private system
ana '.net., intends fh;an TO adopt the plan OF
ment In regard to the great auvantages that # is
claimed the newspapers now derive from having
Their teegrnphc facilities entirely controlled by
corporation, which has no other desire than to make
money Ous OF then opinion is entirely different
from that OF Mr.. Orton. 1t is stated In the report
s5oo,0Oo The New YonK HERALD states that in that
year It paid the company 100000, exclusive Of what
Sesa a 'Sr cable ero reports y : hardly
penses Of all American pewsnanerdom. In Great
Britain the prices of newspaper messages are
rates, which at the same time are expected
yea, years Of European experience. Besides ali
does not think that reduction In charees increases
she number OF message what is to hinder it If con-
messsass Which result according to The reasoning
OF iis president, would certainly f0llowY
AS 70 restricting the conyeniences now offered to
p the panmc we WIN favor no plan which would pro-
dnce such q result. Mr.. Hnbbard's proposition to
towns with population Of over s 900 does not meet
with our support. We Wish the profits Of the large
to the smaller settlements. We wish to improve and
build u2 the country BY this system, not to make
that the department will soon support ITSELF
The ontcry against the postal telegraph because 1t
its Il 3 w be ss at let or
to take from the government the control OF our
arm; army o. our +, navy M our Post Office Department and
most OF lts other prerogatives II party rules in
one It can as well rule in the other. The army can
be used to further political purposes as easily as the
parties who are most violent In their denunciations
OF this reform on the grounds Of possible party con-
tions become exceedingly vapory Our Post once ia
improving every year. There Is now more sys-
On n an there .
ment cannot perform the public service as cSesply
as private pariies its rates are ten times lower than
any private company could afford; and besides all
this Is our own II 1t costs more than 1t produces
We the people OF the United States, have oil the ad
vantage OF the difference. If there Is profit awe
have the advantage Ill the same. We owe nothing
to private individuals for the teIegraphic advantages
we enjoy, either by land lines or ocean cables When
It comes to question OF benefit bestowed the tee-
graphIc companies owe all they have and oil they
gasplng Tor to the support OF the American people,
They have given US nothing for which we did not
pay them handsomely. Did their pospectuses declare
o1 the public? THAT such assertions OF dsiuterested
bcnevolence might possibly II perseyered In
very mildly. But we desire injustice to no one. We
are not In favor OF taking without proper compen-
graph Company aIthoug We conId comhat h
all our power the efforts OF the corporation to make
their sacrifices and price as great as possible While
we cannot afford to subsidize private projects
not fear to establish system which, while immedi.
aiely beneficial 70 the whole country shall ultimately
increase its resources and at the same time our abll-
ty TO do ample justice TO all parties concerned.
IL is useless for that portion OF the press which
Joins In the outcry against this project to declare
that Congress might as well take into its hands the
express business, the raising OF potatoes, any
thing else that Is done by private enterprise.
The reform we support Ia to be worked out
by the people for the good or the people. II tine
public money Is spent at all. plan by which the
public should be the sole gamers should take prefer
cnce to all Others II the government can, at any
time, carry on the business In such man.
ner that the whole country shall be benefited thereby
and no man In the nation Save those who simply
make money out OF the peoples wants) shall be In
ured, then as 1t Is the duty OF the government TO do
that which 1t perform for citizens better than
can the citizen himself II should take charge OF the
express business. The same reasons, exactly apply
to potato RAISING. Argument against such interfer
ence comes badly from those who desire that govern
inent shall take into its hands the interests OF
tain branches OF private industry by direct protec-
ton.
The Postal Telegraph acknowledgements of
Mr.. Hubbard.
washington Jan. 25) correspondence OF the Boston