The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-01-18
WHEELING w. VA SATURDAY MORNING, JANUARY 49, 1878.

yOcate u scheme of Federal inter-
ference. 1t is to be called to mind that In
one OF the earliest bills brought before
Congress, and earnestly advocated, 1t was
seriously proposed that the Government
should construct telegraph lines, and
work them in connection with the Post
Office at q uniform rate Of three cents per
message,a proposition then equally, as the
one now advocated, absurd. To say that
the necessity Of afordiug tho people Of
the United States cheaper telegraph SER
vice is so imperative and apparent as 10
demand that the Government shall annu'
ally add TO the already heavy burden OF
taxation large additional burden, in or.
der that so desirable result may be
effected, but it does not seem to have oc-
Cured to these gentlemen, whose bosoms
swell SO readily with the idea Of govern.
mcnt philanthropy, that the government
has never anything to give to the people
in the way of peCuniary aid or bounty
other than that 1t has been previously
taken from the people, under some form
of taxation, with some eight per cent ad.
ditional TO pay for the cost Of 80 taking;
and again, that If it is 10 be an accepted
principle Of our national policy that the
government is 10 furnish to the people
such things as Are acknowledged to be
necessary, it stands 10 reason that
such service should commence with
those things which are of most
prime necessity rather than with those
which are secondary, and that food, raj.
ment, shelter and education, belong to
the first class, and telegrapnic service TO
the latter. 1t may be- however that to
some the addition OF some six to twelve
million dollars to the present annual ex-
penditure Of three hundred millions, will
appear insignificant in comparison with
the results promised or anticipated, II
there be such.
Mr.. Wells calls attention to the start.
ling fact that at the present time the rG-
ito Of the increase in our national expen.
ditures for what may be called civil
service, is in excess of that Of the govern.
ments OF the old world, and since 1866
has been on On average In excess oi eight
per cent per annum, while during the
same period tho ratio OF the increase OF
population has not been equal to three
per cent per annum, md also as
illustrating the influence OF the present
burden of taxation on the strictly agricul'
tural interests. Tho facts brought out by
the recent investigations in New Hamp'
shire, which show that in one OF its most
furtile, and ut the same time laVOraby
situated districts in respect to markets,
Rockingham county presents On aver.
age tax for State, county and
local purposes, appOrIioncd to each larm
producing an average annual product OF
$3.50 40, IS about $50 90, or including Ma
tional taxes and interest, approximately,
800, causing q continued decrease on the
value OF all real property, and a steady
decline in population; that to-day the iu'
ture title to no inconsiderable part OF the
real estate OF one entire State (5outh
Carolina) bids fair to be titled "Derived
from the sheriff for sales in default or
inability on the part Of land owners 10
pay the taxes assessed upon them"
Surely, in tho fGCs OF such facts US
these, it is u matter worthy
the most serious consideration OF both
Congress and thcpcople, whether there arc
any circumstances short OF preservation
OF national honor or existence, which can
Justify the smallest particle OF increase in
the weights OF any existing national bur
den, but granting that the people are in
pressing and urgent need of greater and
cheaper lelegraphic facilities. Mr.. Wells
next puts the question, whether the ends
sought for are in any degree likely to be
allowed under the great agency, and the
answer to this, he claims, Is fully found in
the past and present record OF the bust-
ness which tho Government has already |
monopolized, and asserts, after detailing |
no lite OF specific evidence that II itwere
any individual or corporation to under
take to do business In the same dllatory,
expensive and vcxatious method the Gov.
ernment of U. s. today discharges
all of its functions having reference TO the
production, distribution and consumption
Of the country, their existence, 80 Tar as
public patronage was concerned, would
be exceedingly limited. And yet 1t is un
der Just such circumstances the public are
asked to seriously consider the expedien'
cy Of transferring the entire telegraph sys.
TEN of the country 10 an agency whose
present business capacity Is utterly inad-
equate to the proper discharge Of It's
present business responsibilities. But
more serious objection than any other to
the scheme OF Federal interference with
the telegraph, is to be lound in the fact
that such policy is in direct antagonism
with the theory on which the Govern.
ment itself has been founded. We are a
nation of forty millions, representing al
most every nationality and human Varie.
ty, and in thirty years We shall