National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-12-05

messages NJ different customers, both ~ 10
rates and order NJ transmission; and the vast
and irresponsible influence Of telegraphic
mlnngerh over the press Of the country.
However unjust may be the snspiclon that
those controlling the telegraphs make usc Of
the Information passing over their wirea, II
VIII probably continue to impair public con-
ndenee In this means Of correspondence ~
long as II remains In the hands Of persons en-
gagged In commercial pursuits. The business
community, from which In this country by
far the larger part Of the tecgraphic patron.
age IL derived, will certainly he more reluc-
tant TO lntrust Its dispatches to possible rivals
than to officers Of the Government Were
the latter, however, to have the same motives
for scrutlnizing messages. the vast amount Of
business under low Government tariff would
render II much less practicable. The use Of
ciphers, now frequent among business men,
has to some extent neutrallzed the danger Of
the dlyulgement Of secrets; but these cannot
10 used on every occasion In commercial
transactions.
The sending Of free messages not only i'm
poses large burden upon the paying public,
but leads to consequences, which need not
here discuaa, more dangerous, In proportion
to their extent, than those which spring from
the abuse Of the franklng privilege Of the
post office. About 7 pcr cent. Of the entire
telegraphing Of the country Is done without
apparent remuneration.
The discrimination between the messages
Of different customers consists, first, In the
transmission Of Commercial news In ad
vance Of its regular order for distribution
among subscribers, to the delay Of the mes-
sagos of those who do not patronize the
commercial news bureaus, although Of the
same or an equally important class: and, sec
ond, In unequal charges for equal service,
from which injustice portion Of the nowbpa-
per press ls the chief sufferer.
H. -. II A.
are necessarily Of very intimate character.
The publication Of tclegraphlc Items having
become at an early day large and essential
part Of the business of newspapers, arrange
ments were soon made for their collection
and transmission. Press associations were
formed, with agencies at all important news
centres, and by cooperation were enabled to
secure the transmission Of their dispatches at
rates which, though hardly less profitable to
the companies than those for private mes-
sagcs, were still exceedingly low when divided
among the several newspapers In addition
to their associated dispatches, many Of these
papers received specials, for which the tel
egraphlc charges were also somewhat lower
than the ordinary tariff.
For mutual advantage and protection
against competition, an exclusive character
was given to these Arrangements the news
papers agreeing not to patronize or encour-
age opposition lines, and the telegraph COM
panles agreeing on their part to charge higher
rates for specials" to papers not belonging
to the associations, but at the same time re-
talning control over the associated papers by
refusing to enter into permanent or long con-
tracts with them.
The result Of this combination has been the
repression Of newspaper enterprise, the asso-
Citations requiring In some cases a unanimous
vote for the admission Of a new member, and
the rate for specials" to non-RssOciation
- a. III
cases, their establishment.
The immediate interests Of the associated
papers have led many Of them, In conjunC-
ton with the telegraph companies, to oppose
q Government telegraph. | am satisfied, how
ever, that the press generally would derive
such great benefits from the change that even
those papers 10 which the sale Of dispatches
Il a source Of actual revenue will gain rather
than lose by II. The great majority will hail
with Joy a relief from their dependence upon
the telegraph companies, without which relief
they never can be entirely free.
The Department could not, Of course, at
tempt to regulate the membership of press a.
sociatiOns. II could, however, abolish the
distinction In charge between association and
outside papers with regard to special dis
patches. Looking upon the press as the great
agent OF popular education, the Government
would make liberal reduction In Its favor
from the tariff for private messages, and woult
measure the charge by the work done whether
for single paper or an association. The
rates, 1t Ia hoped, would he 80 low "a TO per
nit a free use Of the telegraph by all. The
renting Of special wires by the press would
be encouraged.
The considerations above noted have lonl
appealed to Congress for the establishment o
q postal telegraph. The Importance Of tn,
measure has been urged from all points o
yiew-by State Legislatures, by boards o
trade, by commercial conventions, by the in
| .iopendent proaa, and by private pereona
many Of whom have been prominently identl
fed with the practical workings Of the tele
| graph In this and other countries. The legs
latlOn Of Congress, which had previously beel
confined to the liberal encouragement Of til
telegraph In private hands, was directed
| after the close Of the rebellion, toward Its a.
sumption by the Government as part Of III
pOst-office establishment. Strenuous oppOs
ton was manifested to this proposal. TIL
reasons alleged against Its adoption were prir
cipally-
|. That the telegraph was essentially pr
vate Interest, and should not be controlled b
Government, especially In a republic.
2. That under our political system Co
ernment telegraph would he q dangerous II
strumont In the hands Of the party In pave
increasing lts patronage, and permitting 1t
scrutiniZe and delay the messages Of the o.
position.
g. That Government management, thong
more expensive, would be less efficient al
that the public would not he so well Serv,
thereby.
4. That the cost Of the postal telograT
would he more than the finances Of the con
try would permit, particularly II, as VI
claimed, II could not he made self-suppOrtin
The first three Of these objections were n
deemed sufficient to cOunterbalance the a
yantages which the proposition offered.
| .EaN. A..
ness OF telegraphing was substantially Il
same as letter-carrying, and that no reast
could he advanced In favor Of government
management Of the one which did not app
= with equal force to the other; that the incC
pOTatiOn Of the telegTaphs with the Post ON
would not at FIRST add largely to the numb
OF officials, and that the technical traini
! and experience which these officials mt
have In order to perform their duties at
would preclude their selection for polite
} reasons; that the simple precautlon OF tint
the receipt, transmission, and delivery Of INT
: sages would prevent their delay, and III
: their secrecy could be Us effectually guard
by Government under restraint Of law Al
ever has been by private parties; that /
: same motives for efficient management ex
c on the part Of salaried officials, whether
the employ Of the Government or Of a wide
a extended corporation; that the people cot
n exert much greater influence on a Cove
= ment Department, through Congress u
y through the press, than they can upon q ca
y pany managed In the interests OF Its stO,
holders, Notwithstanding the legal respOT
i. bility Of the latter; that the consolidation
II competing lines and the removal Of the OH
II into the post offices would cause u large
Y duction In the expense Of management
d that the employment Of one staff for b,
n postal and Geographic service at perhaps "
h thirds Of the stations, besides further red
10 ing the expenses, would enable the DepG
ment to pay better salaries than arc now
% celyed by either class Of employees, and sec
n greater efficiency.
l. The fourth objection, supported a. II '
n by statistics claiming 10 show that COVE
c. mental telegraphs In Europe were not q
ID supporting, weighed strongly against imI
le diate action on the proposition for POI
er telegraph In this country.
ID This abuses of the existing system We
ID however, deeply felt Relief therefrOm seer
n to be offered In 1883 by new company, ca
ut the National, which sought to obtain Il
n Congress certain valuable franchises,
O. proposed In return TO transmit GUvcFnm
w dispatches In advance of and cheaper q
o. those of private parties, aud TO submit /
or prOyiso TeseTying the right Of Government
H. step In at any time and take Its lines at
T. appraised value.
& In the consideration Of this prOpOEili
I'D however, the idea Of a future GOyerRm
10 telegraph still DFedOmiDRted. IL was deCil