The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-19
A FOOLISH SCHEME.
From the N. Y. Tribune.

From the N. Y. Tribune
There is one cardinal error at the founda-
ton of all Government telegraph schemes,
and it is this:-Governmen has no concern
with what the private citizen can do without
Government aid. Experience shows that the
machinery of any government, when applied
to the common concerns of life, is cumber-
some and wasteful. A man is apt to spend his
own money, and squander that of other peo-
pie. If Mr.. A. Il. Stewart had built our new
Court House for his private business he
would have spent about one-fifth Of what MIR.
Tweed has squandered as Supervisor. We
have no doubt Mr.. Tweed would have done
the same thing if he had been erecting a
house on his own account. We can under
stand how Government should aid new en-
terprises, railways and telegraphs in unsettled
countries, where capital wisely spent will add
to the nations wealth and prosperity. Thus,
we have always found that railway land
grants increased the value of Government
lands. The construction of the Pacific Rail
way has no doubt added to the nations ca
pacity for taxation five times as much as we
spent for subsidies.
At time when statesmanship begins to
consider the wisdom of abandoning the Post
Office and submitting the mails to private
competition, we are asked to assume the
whole telegraph system, and do as a Govern
ment what is done already by private COM
panies. Mr.. Hubbard of Boston is the
champion of the new policy, and Mr.. Senator
Ramsey is his representative. Mr.. Hub
bard's bill proposes to combine both govern
ment credit and private capital. He proposes
to destroy all telegraphic interests by esta-
blishing under cur Post Office Department q
| system which will paralyze all existing COM
| panles by underselling them in service. II
places all telegraph property at the mercy of
the United States Postal Telegraph Com
| pany. 1t makes no provision and offers no
inducements for improvements in telegraphic
service. 1t seems to provide for large re-
ductlon in tolls, but in truth leaves the new
company without any restraint whatever
in its charges for all business passing oyel
its wires. Thus it is declared that the rates
shall be twenty-five cents for all MESSAGES of
twenty words or less, including date, address,
and signature sent q distance of 500 miles
and at night the same rate when sent 1000
miles. AS very few messages are ever sent
more than 500 miles at night and as all lines
charge half rates for night service anyhow
this provision in fact amounts to an increase
of charge upon night business There is alsC
provision that the payment of extra tolls
will secure what is called ''priority of trans
mission" This would be vicious principle
The rule now is, 'First come, first served.
Mr.. Hubbard would declare, ''The larges
pay, first served" Under such rule, ne
business man could have any assurance tina
his business would be attended to, and ht
could have no advantage in promptitude o.
expeditions service. Such provision woult
destroy all fairness and impartiality.
1t is even a grave objection that there Il
no opportunity for competition between th'