The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-01-05

the very opposite Of nearly every one of
the above conditions The penalty for
divulglng the most important delicate
secrets Of business or family; of giving
tayorlte person or favored profession
precedence IN transmission; of accepting
a brIbe to delay business message by
which tens of thousands might be lost by
the innocent and gained by the guilty
party IN the stock, cotton or hog market;
OF entering rings to manipulate the mar
kets by suppreseing or delaying or alter
ing foreign or domestic quotations-the
penalty for thrse and similar ofFenses,
which are made fragrant crimes 10 Eu-
rope, Is generally nothing is sometimes a
reprmand (fOr q good operator can t be
easily replaced at low wages). and some
times dismission perhaps Not a very
great punishment, indeed, for the sala>
ries are generally below the grade of re-
spectabl3 business; but however disas>
trous may be the consequences of the
above offenses they cannot possibly be
punished nnder our system more severely
than by dlsni5siOn from an Improbable
Office.
The relative situations Of Europe and
America in this matter are referable to
wise explained The fact is, that in every
monarchy ana republic IN the civilized
world, except the United States, the tel
egraph IS managed aud conducted by
government. Even com petition, which
IN ordinary cases reduces charges, has in
our sastem advanced them For from
time to time competing companies have
been formed, lines have been strung,
tIIslnnsa has
rates, IN order to attract custom; but the
ailpowerlul American Union, and others,
have always dropped their rates on these
ambitious fellows and "swamped' them.
Then follows an oife- to buy. The losers
sell ct sacrifice, but still generally for
a round sum. Then the Western Union
issues million or so OF watered stock to
cover the transaction. This stock must
pay dividends As the extent OF operas
tions is increased but slightly, if at all ,
the profit On that actually done must be
increased. Up 90 the rates, and all get
easy again. 1t IS readily confessed by
the companies themselves, through their
highest officers, that competition has in
Yariably increased the expense of the
business and necessitated high charges.
Hence in this business. 81 zee the usually
y
reversed, and better things are possible
under private monopoly, shall we submit
to 90 on from bad to worse-shalI we re-
sort to the perilous experiment of making
the Western Union monopoly? or shall
we ask Congress for a sound and just law
transferring the CONVEYANCE of private
and public news to the POstOffice Depart
ment, where it rightfully belongs, and
where all other nations have successfully
lodged it?
4 bill now before Congress provides
for the assumption of the telegraph BUSH
ness by tho Post-office Department. Ac-
cOTding TO its provisions q Telegraph
Bureau Is to be formed, under the gene
raj superinteDdence of the Postmaster
General the various post Offices, in the
country, are to become telegraph Offices,
with branch Offices in cities, as at pre-
sent; pOstmasters are to have charge of
the telegraph business IN the same man
ner substantially a they have charge at
present Of the postal service; the tariff of
rates to be twenty-five cents for twenty-five
words to or from any point in the United
States, and one cent for each additional
word and the annual expenditure Of all
profits in extending its facilities among
the people. Lines are to be strung, in
addition to those CIV operating,in accord
auce with the popular demand. Heavy
penalties and punishments are prescribed
for those breaches of trust and violations
Of duty by employees which now 60 un~
punished All members of the press are
guaranteed greater facilities than even
the press ring now enjoys, and on n basis
OF peFfect equality to all, irrespe tive of
party or money power. And all that
could be desired has been embodied IN
the provisions which are to govern aud
direct the commissioners in fixing the
prico TO be paid for the purchase of ex-
listing lines It is estimated by the best
authorities that it will cost the govern
menb from S20,0000O0 tyS30 100000 to
acquire possession of all existing lines,
or to duplicate them in the event of q
failure to agree on terms of settlement.
BY this scheme, which is clearly modele d
on those which have worked so well in
Europe, the patronage and power of tue
government will not be materially increRs-
ed, for the only addition to the present
operating corps of the postal service will
be influential clerks and messengers for
citios There will be no governmental
surveillance greater than the post Office
affords, and it is provided that every mes
sage presented and paid for shall be
properly transmitted without the least
regard to the circumstances. The immense
eK pense borne by private companies for
Office rent will De saved, as well as the
great bulk of their outlay for salaries, and
probably all srent by them in taxes. The
tarili OF rates would bring the telegraph
and its immense aud peculiar advantages
so "close to the people, even the poorest
class, that the business would probably
increase four or five fold in one or two
years This addition to the volume Of
business, together with the above import
ant Items of expense saved by the mach
inery of The postal service, would prnba-
bly, make this bureau fully sustaining
the first year.
Perhaps no question cf such universal
and vital importance has ever been so lit
tie regarded ard discussed By our people.
Why is this thus? Because the Third
Estate has been subsidized
1t has been charged and fully admitted
that the papers comprised in the AssOcI-
ated Press rings have each been placed
under written obligation 70 enter into no
opposition to the interests and wishes OF
the Western Union COmpanv. There may
be exceptions, but such, at least, has been
the rule. That { espotic corporation is
of course. opposed to selling out its busi-
ness at a fair appraIsement Hence silence
has not only been the interest of the
press. but silence is also nominated in
the bond. Perhaps no country has ever
witnessed so effectual and universal
subsidy as the Western Union Telegraph
Company has imposed on American jour
nails This, and this only, explains fully
and completely the singular apathy pre-
vsiIing among our people as to a subject
practically, intrinsically, and personally
interesting to every man and woman, at
every Preside, counter, and desk in the
United S ates.
1t is one of the few interests which we
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