, 1872-12-03
POSTAL TELEGRAPHY.



FContlu-,ed J3un7 Third Pdge1
have the same motives for scrutinizing mes
sages. the vast amount Of business under q lo7
Government tariff would render it much less
practicable. The use OF ciphers, now frequent
tralized the danger Of the diyulgement Of se-
crets; but these cannot be used On every occa-
sion in commercial transactions.
The sending Of free messages not only inn
poses large burden upon the paying public, but
leads to consequences, which / need not here
discuss, more dangerous, in proportion to their
extent, than those which spring from the abuse
Of the franking privilege of the Post Office.
About per cent. Of the entire telegraphing of
the country is dJne without apparent remunera-
ton.
The dlEcru alnntion between the messages OF
different CT .stomers consists, first. in the trans
mission o. commercial neTs's IN advance of its
regular ,rs1or for distribution among subscrib-
ers, to .he DELAY of the messages of those who
90 Tot patronize tho " commercial news
burf Aus" although of the same or an equally
I'M aortant class: and, second, in unequal
c ,arges for canal seryice from which injustice
T. potion of tho newsparer press is the Chief
sufferer -
The relations Of The telegraph to the press
are necessarily of 3 very intimate character.
The publication Of telesraphic items having DC.
come ut an early day large and essential part
OF the business of newspapers, arrangements
were sooa made for their collection and trans-
mission, Press associations we're formed, with
agencies at al important news centres, and by
cO-Cpera.iop were enabled to secure the trans
mission Of their dispatches at rates which,
though hardly less profitable to the Companies
ttaa those for private messages, were still ex-
ceedingly low when divided among the several
ciated dispatches, many Of these papers received
f.specials." for which the telegTaphic charges
were ' also somewhat m lower Tim tie ordinary
tariff.
IL
competition. an exclusive character was given to
these arranreuents. the newspapers agreeing
not to patronize or encourage opposition lines,
and the telegraph companies agreeing on their
part to charge higher rates for specials to
papers not belonging to the associations, but at
tie same time realizing control over tho 1850
ciated papers by refusing to enter into perua~
neut or long contracts with ther,.
repression Of newspaper enterprise, the associa-
tions requiring in some cases unanimous vote
for the admission of new member, and the rats
for Specials to n non-association papers being
50 high as to prevent in many cases, their es-
oars bsTe led anv Of them NJ in
with the telegraph companies. to oppose Gov
that the press genera1ly would derive such great
hannfits from the changa that, even those papars
tn which the sa7e of dcspatchcs IS source Of &C.
tual revenue. viii gain rather than lose by it.
Tho er,aat 1nritv will hail with relief
from 3hair danende,ce mon the telesrapb COM
nan;es withonE WHICH reiief thev never can be
ent;rei'v frae
The f]ena~ ~t,nent cou1d not. Of course, attempt
to regulate the membership Of press associa-
lions: It could. however. abolish the distinction
~ charra hetween association and outside papers
g;tI reeard n snecial degpatches. Looking
n1o1 tLe mass a. the grea: agent
of popular education. the Government
1ron,d make - liberal reduction in it's
favor from The tariff for private messages, and
Mauld -oaaznTn +ha chavre hy fhe work done.
1vhethe~ for q sincle paper or an association.
TIE rataa 81 il hnned world be- so low as to per
]n;t froa nsa Of fha felerraph by ali, The rent.
mo ~ snec;a1 wires by the p1ess would be en-.
coSSraoaf>
T1e Considerations above noted have long ap.
nealed to Concress for the establishment of 8
44osfai ta1ecranh. The importance of the neas-
,Ta 4 bae hesn 1rred from al points Of yiew-b7
ete+a r. T,ar;s1af17Tes Nv Boards of Trade by Com.
rnerc7s1 Tonyentions. by the independent press,
snd hT nTivata nersons. many Of whom have
TO- ;1rgo,ninentfv identifed with the practica
pssI - tha te1eoranh in this and other coun.
s;aa RTba lacisiat3on of Conrress, which had
-,rer;ons1v been copined to the
f;haro1 r,anaeement of tie telegraph
in private hands, was directed
f4,. ~ c1osa ~ tha raheJon toward its as.
a o,+sn, }v +Ia Government as mart of the Post
naine as+ah3;ehment. Strenuous opposition was
na,s;Festa5 r. fh;s 1ronoeaL The reasons al
iaaoJ eTra;nst its adontion we're principally:
;,terest t4 and should lot be controlled By GoY.
ernrnent. especially in q republic
That Under our political system Govern
nent feleeTaph would be q dangerous instrunaen
IN The hands Of The party in power, increasing
;+s natronage. and permitting It to scrutinizt
and de1aV he messsges Of the Opposition.
5. That Government management, though
more ~ extensive would be- less ef6cient, and thai
tie nnblIc would not be 80 well served thereby.
/. That the cost Of the postal telegraph wonlG
hemo-e than fhe finances of the country wou1i
rermit. particularly If, as was claimed, it coult
hot be mado self-gupporting.
The first three Of these objections were no
deemed sufficient to couuter-balauce the advap
7 tsces which the proposition offered. It va
co5tended. and With effect. that tbs business O
felerranhing was substantially the Bame as let
ter-carrvine, and that no reason could be ad
panced Ia favor Of Governmental management
OF the one which did not apply with equal forc
IA tarrnlv to The nurnber Of officials, and tha
the The technical training and e1perience l whie!
HE'S the5e d1ties at all would preclude their sc
iae4;on fnr noiitica1 reasons: that the sirnpl
PpAAet-+A A@~%@s