The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-29
A FEDERAL TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.

A FEDERAL TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.
From the NJ y. Sun.
All the telegraph lines in Great Britain
were transferred on the LIST of January to
the Government. They are heneeforth to be
worked on q system analogous to that of the
Post Office. For q message of twenty words,
transmitted from any one station in the
country to any other, the charge will be one
shilling--equal to about twenty-four cents in
specie here. The purchase of the telegraphs
by the Government was not resolved upon
without long and careful consideration rs to
the results which would probably follow it.
The controlling argument in its favor appears
to have been the fact that the rate charged
for messages under the management of in
corporated companies was much higher than
that at which it was believed they could be
proftably transmitted under Government
control.
A similar measure, having for its object the
purchase of the telegraph lines in the United
States by the Federal Government, is now
being urged upon Congress- 1t is q perni-
cious scheme, which might do in a monarchy
but will not answer in a republic; but sup
ported as it is by influential Republicans, it is
not impossible the bill may become law.
The policy of the National Government shows
each year growing tendency toward centra-
lization. The establishment Of postal tele-
which this policy SO strongly favors; and on
this account, if on no other, it merits the OPP
position of all who believe that ooncentra-
ton of the governing power in the Federal
rulers will prove perilous to the liberty of the
people, and injurious to the public welfare.
The perpetuation of our free institutions de-
pends very greatly upon the freedom of indi-
vidual enterprise and the perfection of local
self-government; and as the proposed Federal
IL L.
smother private enterprise as well as to
strengthen and increase the power of the in
dividuals who may happen to exercise the ma
tional authority, we are heartily opposed to ID.
1t must be admitted that the management
of our telegraphs, if it should become in any
sense a monopoly, would be productive of
more or less evil; and the advocates of the
postal telegraph argue that it is better to
place such monopoly in the hands of the
Government than to leave it under the con-
troll of private parties But it seems to us
that the evil which the proposition involves
| on account of being a measure of centraliza-
ton, combined with the corruption which
would be inseparably connected with the
management of the telegraphs by Govern
| ment officials, affords reasons which far out
weigh any urged in support of the bill now
| before the House of Representatives.
Can any one doubt that after the contem-
plated change the telegraph officials would
serve the interest of the party and its mana
| gers upon whose favor their places would
| depend, rather than that Of the public, when
ever these, through the action of the authori-
ties, might chance to be different? How
could a more complete and thorough system
of espionage be devised? Every despatch
that passed over the wires could be read at
Washington, should the President or any
member of the Cabinet so desire the same
opportunity would be open TO wirepullers OF
the governing party in every town; and such o
power could not exist for any length of time
| without finding some one to use it and to
abuse it. Certainly no Republican would
trust despatch to the telegraph when in the
hands of Democrats, nor any Democrat when
in the hands of the Republicans.
Of course the people would not bear this
and there is no advantage in doing now wha
inevitably would have to be undone before
many years have passed. We want no new
staff of officials added to the pay-rolls of the
nation, with perhaps new department o.
bureau at Washington. The people alread,
enjoy sufficient number of public absurd
ties not to require the additional absurdity O.
seeing all the acting telegraph operators il
the land removed once in every four years OF
the incoming of new administration.
we cannot have cheap telegraphing unless
accompanied by all these evils, it is better t.
go without it.