The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-29

IL
can better themselves? To our Nova Scotia
friends we say:-"Come on, if you want to-
There is room enough on Uncle Sans farm
for all of US.
The Atlantic Cable Company Monopoly
The Governments to the Rescue.
telegram from London, under date of this
morning, states that the Anglo-American, the
French and the Newfoundland cable COM
panies agreed on Monday to an amalga-
nation of their interests, OF the many
reason to complain there is none TO
be deprecated more than that which lays
an embargo upon or restricts intelligence
The Atlantic Cable Company assumed to do
this in its proposition to combine all the tele-
graph cable interests for the purpose of advanc-
ing the tariff of charges. The object in pro-
posing this combination is, Of course, to
prevent competition, and thus to leave the
public at its mercy. The motive for this
action, we are informed, is to make the most
out of the increased business likely to arise
from the Vienna Exposition. In other words,
the greedy monopolists say there will be an
unusual amount of business for the
cables, and we ought to take ad-
vantage of that to increase our
profits. It is the argument of the
pawnbroker or usurer, who measures his OPP
portunity to fleece his victims according to
their growing necessities In all other kinds
of business, legitimately and fairly conducted,
prices are usually lowered in proportion to
the amount done. But this grasping monop-
oily proposes to reverse this order Of things
based upon q sound principle Of business and
political economy. Admitting there is limit
to the capacity Of the telegraph cables, they
can by proper manas cement and known appi-
ances convey more MESSAGES than they have
generally conveyed, and, as the cost is no
more, or but trife more, the augmented re-
ceipts would be SO much additional profit
Every one must see, then, that the cable COM
panies Gould afford to lower their charges and
yet not lessen their efofholg dividends
Instead Of doing that, however, it is pro-
posed to advance the rates for telegraphing
This is shylock proceeding and mon
strous injustice to the public. 1t is PROPOSE
ton to withhold intelligence and to clog the
wheels of trade.
The common saying, that corporations have
no souls, is verified in this case. The Atlantic
Gable Company knows very well that compe-
tition cannot spring up to its interests in q
day or month, as it might and does gen.
orally spring up Immediately against monop-
oily in commercial affairs, and, therefore, it
may smile complacently at public indignation
while carrying out its unjustifable exactions.
We can imagine the directors calmly contem-
plating their augmented dividends and treat
ing contemporary the remonstrances Of the
public and the press from consciousness of
having it oil their own way-knowing that no
rivalry can be created, at least not imme-
diately, and that the combination they pro-
pose will be irresistible. Such state of
things is not pleasant to contemplate. In be-
half Of the public and the press we protest
against it. We claim that the people and
the press have rights in this enlight-
ened age that no monopoly should be
permitted to ignore. The interests of
civilization, commerce, progress, and even in
ternational intercourse, are involved in this
question, for the ocean cables are the media
of all these. 1t would be absurd to admit
that company-a few men-from interested
and selfish motives, should have the power to
obstruct or control these. Yet the advance Of
rates as proposed would have that effect In
fact combination of the cable companies for
the purpose of monopoly or for other pur-
poses could restrict the use of the cables to
favored few and exclude the public generally.
There is neither justice nor reliability but in
the most free and liberal use of these impor-
tant agents of communication.
How, then is this monopoly to be restrained
and the public to be protected? How are the
interests of commerce, the press and the
little to be expected from the companies,
or at least from the Atlantic Cable Com
pany. Nor can the chartered privileges
be invoked to protect the public There
is no way, apparently, of controlling the
monopoly and its tariff but by the action Of
government. The different governments
of the world should enter into convention
for regulating these great international lines
Of communication. The United States and
England especially, which are the two most
important commercial nations, and have by
far the greatest intercourse through the
medium Of the Atlantic cables, ought
at once to make convention
for regulating the management and
charges Of these submarine telegraphs We
hope the President will open negotiations for
that purpose without delay. In the meantime
we warn the cable companies not to defy pub
lie opinion or ignore the public interests, but
to be content with the enormous profits they
are now receiving. Ii there be no other way
of protecting the people in this matter, the