New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-27
THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
PRIVATE MANAGEMENT BETTER THAN
pIJBIlC.


A Yrrrrp rpo>, PRESIDENT ORION TO THE POST
MAsTER-GENERAL. REVIEWING TIN RECoMMEN-
DArIoNs OF HIS ANNUAL REPORT
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH CoAPANY,}
NKw-loRK, Dec. 9, 1873.
yA> Ho, JoHy A. J. CRBsswELL, Postmaster General.
SIR. have before me an official copy of
the report OF for the fiscal year
lime So 1873 which contains statements concern
ing the policy and management OF the Western Union
Telegraph Company, including illusions TO myself
which are so erroneous, unjust and personal that II
seems incredible that IL should have been made by
Cabinet Minister in official communication to the
President transmission 10 the Congress OF the United
States.
Tnat IL /. an unusual proceeding for private citizen
70 publicly address ioation to Cabinet Minis
Ter upon the subject of an official report is admitted
On the other hand believe 1t is equally unprecedented
for Cabinet officer, in public report to the President,
TO select for official amin adverson business lawfully
prosecuted or a citizen who has nfrnged no law and
therefore any justification is needed it will be found
in the extraordinary character the paper to which
this is reply. 1t seems TO the OF property
whose value may be impaired by Official misrepresena-
ton 10 tho public who largely interested in the
proper conduct Of the telegraph business and also to
the managers OF corporation who have been held up to
public reprobaton by the head OF one OF the most I'M
portant Executive Departments of the Government,
that his errors should be plainly pointed out and the
facts fully and fairly stated
Before proceeding TO do this seems proper to give
concise statement Of the action Of tho Government TO-
the telegraph from the establishment OF the latter
TO the present time.
The system of electric telegraph which ia now almost
universally used throughout the world was first estab
shed in the united States nearly years ago Its in
yentOr and founder citizen of the United States
aud the first public attempt to demonstrate its utility
upon line constructed by Prof Morse and Ezra
Cornell between the cities OF Washington and Baltimore
To enable this experiment to be made Congress appropr
atcd with much reluctance, the sum of $4,000. Many
of those ,voted this appropriation were inhu-
enced By the opportunities Of the inventor and his
friends than by their convictions that tho experiment
would justify their action. Not few treated the sub
jeCt with rdacule and some proposed and compelled
formal consideration Of the proposition, that part OF
the appropriation should be expended in Mesmerc ex-
perments, and facetous member moved to include
Mlerlsm ALSO Aboutth saISe time offer was made
20 toe Government by Prof Morse to sell his patents,
and all benefits to be derived therefrom, for 100000
But the offer not oceptedlndeed it was scarcely
ontertaned-and the experimental ne after accom-
pshng all that Morse claimed or expected, was aban-
doned by the Government upon tho recommendation of
the Hon. Cave johnson, then Postmaster General, who
said IN his report upon the subject:
THAT the operation OF the telegraph between Wash
ingtOn ana Baltimore had not satisfied him that under
any postage that could be adopted Its revenues
could be made equal TO It's expenditures"
This is brief and simplethistOry OF the first attempt
TO induce Government 10 lend it's aid to establish,
extend, and develop the business which is proposed
either to wres from its for nominal consdera
destroy in value by Governmental icompetiton
During the q from 1874 to 1866 the only action
solicited from taken by Congress relating to the tele
graph to grant permission 70 build and maintain
lnes the public domain in order TO establish
necou with the Pacific coast and intermediate stations
One these bills authorized the Secretary OF the Treas
ury TO encourage the building of such line by contract
lug advance TO pay $4,000 year for 10 after its
completion for the unrestricted OF said line by the
This was, III effect, merely pledge that
business for 10 years should amount to the
sum OF $4,000 annually. No provision was made for the
payment of any above that sum- and no excess
paid for 1t was condition Of this contract
that the charge TO the public for messages between the
Missouri River and the Pacific Ocean should be re-
stricted S. II all the business for the Govern
that line had been paid for at that rate s be-
loved that the companies would have received much
larger sum thar that named in the contract In this
connection proper call attention to the strk
ing contrast betweenthe indifference which our Govern
meut has manifested toward the.teegraph and the lib
era aid and encouragement which it has extended to
the railroads.
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS DONE FOR RAILROADS.
Ia the Report of the Secretary OF the Interior Tor the
nscal year the following railroad companies
represented TO be indebted to the United States for
bonds issued aid in their construction the amounts
set opposite to each:
UniOn Pacific ...... s27 DAG SO