Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-12-18
Postal Tele0ranh.

Postal Telegraph.
The President OF the Western Unien l
telegraph Company, in q letter to q
lew York paper, says: "The Herald
probably correct in assuming that !
arther reduction OF rates will not be
'ede by the companies now doing the I
alegraph business, tor some time to
ONE. The Western Union Company
ave adopted some uniformity in their
harges within a few years past, and
aade few other reductions in their
ates, to the great benefit of the public
nd the company but the public are
lnder no obligations to the company for
making these reductions; for President
,rton, IN MS annual report, informs his
that they were forced up.
N them from the competition of oppo.
'ltlon companies. They have recently
purchased the principal opposition
ines, and have reduced their rates 80
ow that the remaining companies are
unable to make any money. Now that
This great monopoly is free from all
lear OF competition, they announce
that they will make no further conces.
sions in rates.
That the company are able to make
further reductions is shown by the facts
gwen in the annual reports. From
these it appears that the rates have
been reduced nearly one-third in six
years. yet the cost Of doing the bust.
ness Is so much less in consequence of |
It's greater increase, that the net profits |
are greater at the lower than at thu
higher rates. Mr. Orion has 80 often |
reiterated the proposition that the ex-
penses increase in nearly as rapid a |
ratio as the business, and therefore re-
ductlon in rates cannot be made, that
he has pursuaded himself Of ITS truth,
and is unable to appreciate the force OF
the facts which we have given.
M: Orton truly says that the tele.
graph is only in it's infancy. The growth
of its business is much more rapid than
that OF the express or postofice, and at
the same ratio of increase the number
of kilograms that will be annually sent
ten years hence is larger than the num-
Der of letters sent when the postage was
reduced to five cents. The immediate
increase in the correspondence that fol-
lowed upon the use of five and three
cent postage stamp was enormous, rap
idly increasing from 50, 600, 600 to 6O0,.
OO0, 900. There will be the same in
crease in thetelegraphic correspondence
If the same relative reductions in
rates are made, for the same
causes would operate to pro-
duce like effects. The people cannot
hope for such reductions from
the Western Union Telegraph Company,
because there is now no reason to in
duce it to make them, and because the
loss of net revenues from the great re-
auctions in prices necessary to popu-
larize the telegraph would be greater
than the saving of expenses on each
telegram from the great increase in the
business. Such reductions can be made
under the postal telegraph system, for
that will save nearly one.quarter Of the
present expenses, and would therefore
authorize reduction in rates of nearly
forty per cent, and yet leave sufficient
profit on the greatly increased business.
The Postmaster-G General will ask
Congress to purchase all existing lines
Of telegraph, and build the new onet
required for the business. The ex
pense of purchasing these lines hal
been estimated by committees of Con
gress at from $40, COO, 600 to SO, 600,
600. 1t is not likely Congress will fee
disposed, in the present condition o
our finances, to authorize such an ex
penditure, especially as the obiec
sought can be accomplished withou
any expense to the Government.
The Postofice Department will fur
nash the Offices and the Postal Tele
graph Company will transmit the mes
sages at rates fixed by Congress.
Ii the people desire to have q chea,
telegraph, and to have the news fui
nlshed to the press at low rates, the,
must support the postal telegraph sys
tenn, and urge Congress to pass the bill
authorizing the postmaster. General t,
contract as he now contracts for tn
carriage of the mails. If, on the othe
hand, they desire to perpetuate an over
grown monopoly, which is every da.
growing more powerful, then let ther
continue the present system, by which
single private corporation controls til
Geographic correspondence of q nation
and has the power to give or withhol
ne VS. to the press, and to mould publ
opinion in it's own interest. Such
power is too great for any private CON
Pany to hold, and should be in tn
hands of the people, to be used onl
for their benefit.