New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-01-23
NO TELEGRAPHING BY THE GOVERN-
MENT

NO TELEGRAPHLNG BY THE G0VERN-
MENT
We have said that the Government ought to
let the telegraph business alone. 1t is outside
of its province altogether. The scheme to an
mex the telegraph to the Post Office proceeds
nominally upon the assumption that there is an
identity between the carrying of letters in a
bag by stage, rail, and horseback, and the
sending of kilograms on wires. The two differ
wholly, having nothing in common save final
communication by writing. They are as unlike
as the express package business and the car
riage of newspapers by mail. The Government
might as properly push the Adams and the
Merchants Union Express Companies out of
their business and carry bundles and parcels
all over the United States, as to undertake
to do telegraphing for the people. There
is no country in the world so supplied
with telegrapbic facilities as are the United
States In Europe, containing the accumulated
wealth of two thousand years of busy ciyiliza-
ton, having n population of 2SS,0O0,000 and
containing 80 cities each possessing over
100000 inhabitants, there is but one telegraph
to every GO2l0 persons. In the United States,
having a population of only 100000, and
containing but ten cities Of 100000 inhabitants,
the remotest history of the country scarcely
reaching back $50 years, there is n telegraph
Office to every 1919 of population. The average
cost of kilograms in Europe is 81 sc cents in
the Dominion of Canada, GO cents; in
the United States, only 81 cents. The
service of the Western Union Telegraph
Company alone has now 1881 offices for the
receipt and delivery of messages, 5O,7GO miles
of line, 97,416 miles of wire, 2Gj submarine ca
bles, and $3.50 skilled employees. During the
past two and a half years, more than Sl,OOO0O0
have been spent by the Company in the con-
struction of new lines In that time, it opened
more than 800 new offices. 1t has for long
period maintained over a hundred offices at a
large annual loss, because they were needed to
protect lines built through comparatively de-
sert regions to reach distant points of inter-
course. 1t maintains for the public accommoda-
ton several hundred offices which barely pay
expenses and tho same observations would APP
ply in a degree TO all companies. 1t is n stand
ing rule, we presume, of all companies to open
offices at all places in the United States reached
by their wires, on guarantee given that the
receipts of the Office shall meet its expenses.
The Western Union Company also makes
standing offer to extend its lines
to any town or village whose inhabitants will
advance the cost of construction, to be repaid
to them by telegraphing Mt the regular schedule
rates. Under this cooperative system, extensive
lines have been built and very many offices
opened. Beyond all question, we Americans
have the best telegraph system in the world,
and one that provides perfectly for its own ex
tension to meet future wants, without taking q
dollar from the Treasury or imposing tax on
the people. There is no need of the inter
ference of the Government in this thoroughly
established and perfectly managed business.
The proposal to do so is meddlesome and mis-
chievOus.
If it were adopted, where would limit be
put to this extension of the functions of gov
eminent into the domain of private enterprise
There is now strong talk in England in favor
of the ownership and management 10y the
Government of all the railways i'll the king
dom. If Congress should vote to assume and
carry on the business of tclegraphy, inevitably
there would come in time q howl that the
Government should provide the people with
cheap fares and freights; and political party
would be formed to effect the purchase Of all
Oul AdIllOduS tliOJJ wv liuJ Dc Iul ny
Tie United States. The dixie erected to cOnfne
its functions to civil and military admins
tration is already broken down in many places.
Where will the overflow of its authority stop
if it goes into telegraphing1 1t will net stop
until the simply representative character of the
Government is lost; iuntil the self-helpfulness
and freedom of the people are gone until
the Federal machine Is smashed by noun
famous bankruptcy; Until the sc6undrelism
which pemeates the non-collection of the
whisky revenue shall characterize Oiice-hOding
all over the United States.
This fatal career once entered on, there will
be no retreat. The beginning would touch the
end. The construction and operation by the
Government of line of telegraph from Wash
ington to New-York would inevitably involve in
time the purchase of the other lines and their
operation by the Postmaster General This
man, in nineteen cases out Of twenty, would
probably DO Il second-Iate lawyer, starved out
Of his profession into politics. aud US unfit "