Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-11

We are pleased to see that very many of
our exchanges are decidedly opposed to the
proposed scheme for the government to put
the telegraph under tue management of the
Postofice Department. In cur estimation
1t is one Ct the most dangerous of those
centralizing projects that have been suggest
ed in the past few years. The Western
Union Telegraph Company is undoubtedly
great, grasping and exorbitant institution.
But it is unconnected with the politics of
the country. It is private company, and
there is no legal let or hindrance TO free
competition. If in the possession of the
government, besides being monopoly, it
would doubtless soon become, like
the Postofice Department, an anRual
burden upon The treasury, and with its
numerous officers in every State,
would greatly increase the power of
the Federal administration 10 controlling
both the Federal and State elections. We
have enough of that now under our pre-
sent Internal Revenue system. Upon this
subject we have the following from the
New York World;
"Another scheme of a different nature
which will be pressed at this session, is the
purchase by the Government of the Western
Union Telegraph, TO put it under the man
sgement of the Postofice Department.
There are many other objections to this
job besides the opportunities It would give
the Government agents of practicing an
odious espionage over the business inter-
course and private correspondence of citi-
zens. They could in some measure pro-
tect themselves against this espionage by
sending their messages IN cipher; but
they would rather pay double or treble
rates than be subjected to this retard-
ing, bnthersome inconvenience. In
deed 1t would operate as a prohibition of
confidential communications by telegraph
except between persons who had already,
established cipher Of which each possess
ed the key. All the rest of the community
would be deprived of the use Of the tele-
graph for confidential messages, and would
have to send them by the slow course of
the mails protected by sealed envelopes.
But there are other objections. Our mail
service is dilatory and inefficient, and the
telegraph service would be equally vexa-
tious in the same incompetent hands. If
the Government cannot properly administer
one OF these branches, the business being
too extensive for its capacity, with what face
can it aspire to manage both? We should
simply have in the telegraph the post Office
confusion worse confounded-its delays
more dilatery, its imtec.lity more provoking,
and its evils more irremediabe. There is
yet another consideration. The Post-of1ice
is not self-supporting; the country is taxed
some seven millions annually to make the
deficiencies in its income. Is it expedi-
ent to run the risk of paying several other
millions in the same way to keep the tele-
gIaph going? Moreover, when the teie-
graph and Post Office are made paris of the
same system, under the same management,
the Thanking privilege will be extended
alike TO both. This may not be done in
the original bill; but it would pretty surely
be done in the next session of Congress sf-
ter its passage, for there is no distinction in
principle between free letters and free mes
sages when both are conveyed by the Gov
eminent. This scheme will be strongly
pressed, but we hope it is destined to fall"
From the Memphis. Ledger;
"The only original proposition in the
Presidents message is that favoring the
purchase of the telegraph lines of the coun-
try-a dangerous scheme to extend the
powers Of the central government aud ig-
more the rights Of private citizens; a monop-
oily which can be used against the opposi-
ton press and corrupted in favor of the
managers, whenever they choose to engage
in gigantic speculstioDs directly or through
their agents"
The GAINESVILLE Chronicle says:
"The effort at GENERALIZATION is strength
ened by recommendation of the purchase,
by the government, Of the telegraph lines.
which means supervisorship of the press
by the officere of the Administration and the
consequent suppression of all dispatches
that may reflect, justly or unjastly, upon
the policy or character Of the Government
under Radical control. Ii the people en-
dorse this dangerous measure, they will
sign the death warrant of their political lib
critics."
The Trenton Gazette says:
1--WE are opposed to any such plan being
executed by the Federal government.
There is nothing in the constitution author
izing it, unless it be in that clause which
gives Congress the power to establish post
Offices and post roads. We do not think
this clause would empO yer Congress to ss-
tablish system of telegraphs. Simply ap-
pending the name "Postal telegraph"
would not bring it within the clause. The
trainers of the constitution contemplated
no such system as this.
This would be but another step towards
centering all power at Washington. If we
60 on, and still on, in this policy, S5ste
lines will yet be totally obliterated. When
g system is thus inaugurated we will be in
the mid ocean of experiment, aud cut loose
from our moOrings. Men may smile at
such suggestions, but when changes in the
policy Of a government set in, the history
of the world proves that they nearly always
become more radical than at first anticipat-
ed. Onr children may yet read OF the