The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-28
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RdItoriai Opinions OF the Leading Journals
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Day for the Evening Telegraph.

THE SCHEME OF POSTAL TELEGRAPHY.
From the NJ Y Times
Mr.. Orton's clear, strong, and logical state
ment to the Senate Committee on Post
Offices, ought to give a quietus to the mis-
chievous project which that committee has
lately entertained for throwing upon the
Government the business of telegraphy.
European powers have always been ac-
customed to do many things through govern
mental machinery which our political sys-
tenn has left to private enterprise. The CEN
tralization of power in those States, and the
custom of their people to look to official
authorities for commercial schemes which
we here leave to the community, renders
all analogies of this sort suspicious at the
outset.
When, in addition, the matter inquired
about pivots on a question of distance, the
folly of comparing what can be done in Bel
gium, Switzerland, or even in Great Britain,
with what must be done in the vast area OF
our Union, is manifest The countries cited
TO the committee in order to persuade our
Government to embark on a kind of business
it has never yet attempted are the most
thickly settled in Europe. The amount of
telegraphio business possible for every mile
of wire set up is exceedingly great; but to
compare this with the waste places over
which our lines are in great part run-thou-
sands of miles to East, West, North, and
South-is preposterous. And then, besides
the difference in population and in quantity
of trade to the square mile, the difference in
actual area between a little country that
would hardly make a good-sized American
State, and which could be covered with
network of telegraphs at small expense, and
our continent washed by two oceans, and
stretching from the Lakes to the Gulf, should
bar such hostile comparisons.
The lavish outlays of the existing compa-
nies have been disingenuously cited against
them. The truth is that for vast area like
our country the only hope of competing in
public works with older powers is to stimu-
Late enterprise with the hope of reward, and
make capital prompt to endure unusual
expenses. To snatch away the possibility of
reward when the work is done is to kill all
enterprise.
Again, in this deceptive and fanciful anal
ogy, the rates in this country are represented
as being higher than in Europe. Mr.. Orton's
statistics absolutely disprove this assertion.
-'The rates are not higher in the United
States, according to distance, than in any
European country, and are lower than in
several" The average rate between New
York and thirty-seven principal cities, is one
and one-tenth mills per mile; that between
London and thirty-two principal cities in
8TodJ 10 bWO anu Ono-GSAIu p0E
mile under governmental telegraphy. Be-
tween the principal cities in Baden, the rate
averages four mills per mile; in Belgium, it
is two and fve-tenths Mills in Holland three
and nine-tenths. In Paris they approach
nearer our rates, the average being one and
two-tenths mills per mile; and the population
of France is almost identical with ours,
namely, forty millions, though much more
concentrated. Besides all this, the night
rates in this country are just about one-half
the average rates for like distances charged
In any European country.
The most cegent and important part of Mr.
Orton's statement, however, is that referring
to the difference of rates depending on the
quantity of business in the region. 1t should
seem hardly necessary to show to any mer-
chant who knews how very large order for
any article can be filed at lower rate than a
S8aall order, why this discrepancy exists But
r. Orton's reply was that the Post Office
baef annually receives 3,000,0 900 over its
Expenses in the Eastern and Middle States,
pbile the Southern division shows deficit of
ID, 100000, and the Western a deficit of
e1,OO0,0OO more; and he appeals to the Gov
Srnment whether private corporation could
be expected to perform telegraphic service at
the same rate there, where even letter SER
vice shows deficit at the same rates as at
the East. The Government, in undertaking
it at lower rate, would have the same
deficit.
In fine, Mr. Orton declares that, if the same
privilege be conceded to his ompany that is
to be conceded by the new bill to Mr.. Hub
bard's company, namely, freedom from Gov
ernment taxes, he will at once reduce all the
present rates by one-seventh, which repre-
sents the tax. Again, give the present com.
panies the free right of way along railways
in all the States, which Mr.. Hubbards bill
proposes for the new company, and one.
seventh more will be taken from the rates
And, when this is done, Congress is welcome
to arrange for the reduction of rates after
paying ten per cent to the stockholders
Unjust and contrary to the spirit of oul
Government as it would be to interfere, the
sincerity of this proposition will serve to STRIP
some of the sophisms from the scheme o.
postal telegraphy.