The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-23
s,a,, Government Take It?

The selegraph--shal it be possessed by
the Government This question, it Is said,
IS 10 be brought before the Congress at It's
approaching session by Postmaster General
CarswELL, sustained by the President. vi
course we tonot know upon what terms the
Postmaster will propose that this great agent
shall mass under the control of the GoVern'
ment, butt will open vigorous debate when
It is presented. Of course we do not sup
pose the proposition viii be to seize the tele-
rraDh lines, for the Government will not be
driven TO that necessity. The companies
viii readily surrender their property for such
COMPENSATION as the Governments generally
authorized to give for oil its purchases.
The questions that arise relate to the prac-
teal operation Of the telegraph by Govern.
mcnt and the possible consequences OF
placing so powerful an agent entirely under
fbe control OF the Government. Examples
OF The iuefiiciency and want of promptness
OF Government officials, their independence
and arrogance in their intercourse with
the people, are so abundant that they
NAV be offered rs serious Objection to
giving to such men the telegraph offices
in al towns and cities. The people would
lc,c that hold upon the telegraph people
that security for courtesy and faithiulness-
which interest and the desire to increase
business now exerts over them. And yet TO
This it NAV he replied that the Government
runs the mails, and their officers, IN the great
work of the distribution Of Matchmaker over
the entire country, do the work, with rare
exceptions, very generally to the public
satisfaction. The two scivices-telegraphic
and mail--are very much alike, and the argu-
mcnt would be fair. .-.a
But the objection on the score Of the power
the telegraph would give the Government
over the people is the most serious Of all.
i corrupt Administration might use, or
rather abuse, it most outrageously and dis
honestly for the continuation OF its own
power. ali the general messages might be
made TO assume the hue and tone best adapt
ed to the interests of the rulers of the coun-
try for the time. The telegraph might be
converted into daily lie. and messages
value, or suppressed altogether. So that in
matters Of politics and finance the Govern
lncnt and its friends would have M advan-
tase the magnitude of which could not be
exaggerated.
And yet again, in answer to this, it might
be contended that this country demands for
is protection end general welfare Govern
ment Of great power and that should I'm.
qucsticuably Lave the control of SO i'm
portant an agent Us the telegraph; that the
apprehension that the Government would
interfere with private kilograms is as idle as
,h9i il would Interfere with the transmission
of private Matchmaker; that when ma
toual cxigency arises it will seize the wires
Whenever it is deemed necessary to the
public interest, which would put the wires
Us much under its control Us though it owned
them and that the diffusion Of the system
is over too wide surface, md the number
employed il the service too great, to enable
the Government to subordinate the tele-
graph 10 The purposes Of the ambition and
personal schemes Of the President and his
:lvorite politicians. ...-
The argument will be based upon these
grounds. and be earnest on both sides.
Thirty years ago there would have been no
argument on such proposition--it would
lave been secuted But times have changed.
We think now that there is enough Of fear
OF tie power of the Government at Wesh-
iug.ou aud its centralizing tendency to de-
feat the proposition very decidedly, but it viii
meet with favor that will afford n striking
fiius!i a!!ou Of the rapid advances the coun-
try has made towards submission to strong
central governmental government armed
with the power and clothed with pcmp
md circumstance commensurate with the
vast surface Of earth and the immense popu.
n.iOn It's controls.