Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-01-14
Tho Western Union Monopoly and
the Telegraph strikers.

Notwithstanding reports to the contrary,
II appears that the strike among the tee-
graph operators Is not at all at an end. Late
information from tho West, including Pitts
burg, Chicago, Ind 81. Louis, and from the
south and Southwest, including Memphis,
Louisville, New Orleans, Texas, and other
points, is 10 the effect that the strike still
continues, with no prospect Of surrender or
compromise. In Philadelphia II Is affirmed
that "the strike ls not so near at an end as
previously stated in some quarters" A
philadelphia paper OF yesterday says the
strike "not only continues, but grows
stronger every day." In New York the
strikers remain nrm, with no indications Of
surrendering, their vacancies being imper.
ieetly supplied by women and "pirates''-
incompetent operators, who have been die.
missed for lncompetency or for improper
practices. The situation here may DO com.
pretended at glance by reading the follow.
Ing dispatch from the superintendent Of the
Western Union Company in this city:
"To ALL oTyIcHs IN TuR DRY; Refuse buII.
ness Tor all points sGu, = e kTh%CRd Sat-,
This IL conclusive evidence that the trou-
BILE south Of Richmond still exists, and no
doubt the same may be said In regard TO
other points, matter which the company,
OF course, does not care 10 have ventilated.
Il Is Important here TO state that the labor
unions In this city unanimously sustain the
strikers, and have already voted them sup
plies Of the sinews Of strikes as we'll rs Of
war 10 enable them To hold out. Il is ex-
pected that the same action will be taken by
the labor unions throughout the country,
and In the end 1t may DO found that the teio.
graph operators progressive movement OF
to-day Will assume a degree Of importance
which Will make Itself both felt and re-
Speotad,
Now, what is the cause of all this commo-
tlon and all this disruption 10 one OF the
most important elements Of our business and
social relationSi 1t may DO explained in a
Few words. IL Is the result Of the graspng
rapacity and unbrldled tyranny OF one OF the
most gigantic monopolles that ever over
Swallowed enterprise In the civilized world
the Western Union Telegraph Company.
Let Us for moment LOOK at the extent Of
this ponderous mAchlne-a machine moved
and manipulated by the hands Of few
greedy capitalists and mIllionaires. From
the ofticial records We md that OF the 4,0l4
public telegraph ofacos In the United States
the Western Union numbers $500, and all
the rest, including the Franklin, Atlantic
aud Pacific, Pacific and Atlantic, and Bank
erB' and Brokers' lines, the balance, or only
fVe hundred and forty-hye Offices. The
number Of miles Of line in active use ls as
follows Western Union Company, $4,000;
all the others, including connections, Il, 800,
giving the Western Union the enormous pre-.
ponderance Of "a 500 miles telegraph wire
10 operation In the United States and, not
content with this Tltan-like monopoly, 1t IL
now shuhiing around the Hobbies of Congress,
IN TIA ea9(nlttee rooms, In the cosey private
quarters OF members for q new deal with its
already stocked cards for another little game
OF exclusive telegraph privileges, even to the
absorption OF all the Atlantic cables reach
ing our shores. In short, having checkerod
the territory OF the United States with Its
Telegraph poles and wires, II now seeks to
girdle the earth with Its galVanlc withes.
We ask, In all earnestness, is Ii not time
Congress interpOsed Its authority 10 check
the growth OF this mammoth monopoly
We have seen that It does not hesitate to
throw Into confusion the entire business of
the country by an obstinate adhesion 10 an
arbitrary determination to reduce the sala-
Ties OF few poorly paid operators. II II
does not stop 10 do these arbitrary things 10
its present wealth Of money and Influence,
what may We not expect whom Its powers
shall be still further augmented, when II
locks not only tho land, but oceans within
IL embraced Our readers have remarked
that great care has been taken by the com
pAny TO keep the Washington Offices well
supplied with operators pending the present
dlinoulties. This dodge Is transparent. II
" ANfANoh luClllugIb VI congress WILD tue
ldea that It's affairs are not Ia disorder; that
Il 10 not tyrannical TO Its employees; that Its
usefulness 10 the community Is not impaired,
and that everything connected with its in.
ternal machinery Is moving like elockwork.
We admonlsh members OF Congress to
keep their eyes open, and not allow them.
seiyea 70 DO hoodwinked by this or any other
snoteriuge Of the comPany's lobbyists In
Warrington or elsewhere. We urge them
70 90 straight forward In the work OF estab-
naming cheap and comprehensive postal
LLsslegraPn system under the direction Of the
Government, thereby relieving the people Of |
aIorbitAnt telegraph tolls and a worthy |
class ofthe community from the opprssslons |
of tyrhnieal aud interruptions monopoly.
Meanwhile, as everything now seems to in-
iieAte, the strikers movement will continue
% progress, and eventually, we repeat
make Itself both felt aud respectfully Y.
Herald, 1914.