New-York tribune., 1873-01-18

In proposing much lower rates than are charged,
are not only perfectly Of the basis which they
propose to operate IT. but also that the MANAGEMENT OF
the existing companies sighted and pennrious
with It the smallest ratio Of profit with the
minimum Of satisfaction 10 the public Now, that
stimulate business aud that under very low tariff, the
increase IN the number Of messages offered for trans
MISSION something enormous cannot oe disputed eus
careful examination OF the teleRraphic statistics OF d
@ eren, countries, which within recent period only nave
also tnat In large system OF lines after certain
voue OF business has been attained an increase III the
number of messages is always followed by an increase
OI expenditures, which, though not fuy proporu0ned 10
the increase OF business still approxlnates IT closely
mat t furthermore, must be so, Will appear evident
whsn " s remembered that the business OF teegraphing
cloey akin the business Of writing letters ana that
" MutH letters oere pad for on nc io0rd increase
oJ og'Tsspondence ,cOuid not materially reduce neH
graph. each message must be first booked and
accounted S, @ for then, IN Transmitting, u must De
peit Out letter by letter, and so TO all inents and pu
poses be written aud then rewritten third time by
the operator who receives IT, During the time OF s trans
mission monopoEes the use Of one wire and the labor
OF me Operators who work it, and aterward OF the clerk
VINO records the dispatch ana the messenger VINO deV
ers IL On the other hand in ordinary business IL need
require no more time 10 sell large bill OF goods than
ul one to record the sale aud collect the payment
In the one than In the other; and In like manner
sengers tun Of mail bags, generally, without
work if found necessary II there were therefore no
statistical information whatever available concerning
tue peculiar work OF the telegraph II would DC only
commonsense inference that the benefit resulting from
eat quantity OF operations must be less IN telegraphy
But exact statistics this subject are, as already
stated, not wantng and an examination OF those Ot
great increase the business OF the telegraph there
perleneed. which the advocates of the ,Governmenp
result to be especially sought for in the United States
has only been attained through the adoption OF rates so
utterly destructive OF profit that only Governments
which can readily resort 10 taxation to make up denit
can AFFORD under such circumstance TO own ana man
| age telegraph Thus, for example, "A comparison OF
the teleTaphlc statistics OF North Germany B!yarla
Belgium, Holland and Denmark for the years 1865 aud
suits;
NORTH GERAAsY-Increase in the number OF mes
sage go per cent increase OF receipts 10 per cent ln-
BAvAMA.-Increase Of messages 63 per cent; increase
OF receipts II per cent increase ot expenditures Iis
per cent
BELGIUM-Increase OF messages 252 per cent increase
OF receipts 70 per cent increase OF expenditures tl per
cent.
HoLLASD-Inerease Of messages 1l2 per cent increase
OF receipts II per cent Increase ot expenditures o per
cent.
DESMlRK-Increase of messages per cent; increase
OF receipts 10 cent increase Oi expenditures 80 per
| cent.
In like manner an examination OF the statistics of the
business Of the Western Union Company also shows ta
| although l3719l miles OF wire were operated and
l4iOO messages sent In 1872, a. compared WIN eosl
miles and 5879O0 messages in 1867 the net receipts OF
the Company from all sources for 1872 we're only Sl6oj
| 10 excess OF those OF 1867. 49,
The public therefore can readily understand how it Is
that majority OF all the telegraph systems OF the
states OF Europe, notwithstanding great economy anu
efficiency In management, continue 10 show an annual
deficit Neither ought it 10 be matter OF surprise that
the eminent OF telegraph authorities In Europe
have the result of their most recent investigations en-
tirey reversed the opinions winch they Originally re-
glrded unassailable Thus in his recent work, sta,
istcs OF the telegraph first presented 10 the Satsuea
society Of London IN JHae lS S Saei % sSe
time that reduced drg cds me key to success ~ ptrge
ICED IN practice wds Disappointing tn NE efrene ne
lerring, also 70 what are called IN Europe nteTnaton
al kilograms" which correspond with the kilograms
transmitted in this country between the states ne says
Horerer much erery one engaged n ne eohT9t o zee
graphic enterprise may desire 20 reduce the tdrg aud an
the correspondence they should not forget nat ms
fncredSe although certain, Unt decrease he Teoet'"
and again, that a reduction Of tdrG Lsads 10 dmin-
utOn Of ne net product eren under he most JaeoTaoe
And again NJ lamar, Minister OF Public Works in Bel
um In recent report reviewing the experience OF the
telegraph in that country under 20 years OF Govern
ment control, announces the conclusions arr'eu at as
THAT in Belgium, Notwithstanding the existence Of
the most favorable circumstances all reduction V drW
has resulted IN dtmnuilOH Of net product sir James
Anderson and NJ lamar also that the results OF
fnrther fact that kilograms relating to commercial aud
business matters (which constitute the bulk OF the tele-
their movement the variations of political or financial
conditions and only inlueneed III secondary de
! gree by the alterations OF the tariff"
Now If these conclusions be correct and sir James
Anderson of England and NJ Jamar OF be$l % uSe br ~
fore follows that the estaoshnen through tue uIec
Sreafy reduced system OF telegraphic tariffs is some:
fhnc which 10 have an adjunct III some form OF
additional Federal ta1atiOn-a taxation, moreover wnch
IL moi 10 be limited 10 and paid by the comparatively
small OF people who use the telegraph put Is 10
be distributed population OF men not one thI
teth part have any direct interest IN the subject
Finally. while there are very many precedehts lOr
government extending ITS sphere OF business ad -nnu
euce so far as include the ownership OF railroads tee
graphs and express agencies ana many aiso IUr % tne
ordanng how shall live, what they shan wear,
what church attend. and where they sha tade tneIe
are few 20 be found where gOvennmeni 1as i
entered into partnership with private indy iduals Tor
the CARRYING OF business, III Whlch an the Oss anu
responsibility is to accrue to the party Oh I9e st par
ard ali the peeunary profit 10 the party OF te seconu
naTt and in which divided responsibility III the man
agement is almost certain 10 result ia Unsatisfactory
If W. accept. also the statement of its special adyO
Gates the Hubbard proposition Is, aitvl al, h oe t u
made by the Select Committee Of the House N 1870 IN
favor OF the Postal Telegraph aiter demonstrating D
great array OF fact and argument the lmpOlGy ana
antl-Republican character OF the Government schemo
for absorbing and working Iny ~ ipo ST6e
speak Of the Hubbard proposition as l0iV"s ~
system is a step toward the governments II VIII miro
duce the telegraph into the PostOmces anu H. alter
trial the public good requires II, the lines can Oe puf
chased by the Government at an appraised value A.,
Furthermore 1t Is represented allAe ~ tne aufo
Gates OF the Government plan for absorbing tue tele
graph and by the friends OF tle Pdrtni sP ~ 70 To-
telegraph that Federal Government canlot nave tne
facilities which IL needs under the existing SYSTEM anu
that its demands for service nave Deeh lIedeu
rognty attention is asked the following extract ora
letter addressed by the President OF the western Union
Telegraph Company 10 the Chairman 0l tne oo I'm
mittee on Appropationsthe particular subject matter
being difference OF opinion between the signal service
Bureau and the Western Union Compay ~ @ th
| u the compensation 10 be a"aruea W 'no ioin ~ ~
performance Oi Ser'''0'' "NEw-YoRK, April u. 1872.
"Ibeg TO offer the following suggestion: That author
ty given to President of tine uHted s.aes' ~ .no
event OF the failure OF the slgnal oce ~ hIs Tor
collation. terms and conditions deemed reasonapie iol
the transmission of weather reports and tne oer
services connected Herewith, TO appoint an arDstor
behalf of the United states, 10 meet one W
the company the two thus appointed 10 nave
authority TO choose umpire IN case 9 i
The decision of the 10 Oe blnng lor tue sc
year lsT273 and that portion oi the cuent year
beyond the piration of the present Arrangement
would ne neased 10 have this letter made part OF
| WILLIAM ORION, President
| - Ho, J,xrs u GARFIELD, Chairman, de-. Washing
ton, ID. q. .-,.,o, ,,o aavoca,as n,
the public would not likely TO looK WIN iavor on ene
creation and distribution OF the one mo zen per cent
stock for fbe purpose organizing ana connectlnR
wires" nor upon the system OF Iouoie paia prosTy
messages have caused dec. ls, ls72 two new bs 70
H. the and one in the HOnse-ln