The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-06
The Greed of the Atlantic Cable
Company-A POOR Excuse.


The managers of the Atlantic Cable have
thought fit to offer an apology or excuse for
the unwarrantable exaction of double rates
for messages. 1t is that, as only one cable is
working, the business at the old rates is more
than it can accommodate, and as the line
messages, to the great annoyance and injury Of
the public, the rates are raised to an exorbi-
tant amount in order to drive away business
and prevent such calamity. We should like
this patriotic and philosophical monopoly to
tell US what it signifies to the people to
whom the cable is o necessity whether
they are excluded from its use by
unreasonable charges or by BLOCKADE ?"
The excuse is o fraud upon its face. The
cable managers cannot tell whether there will
be any diminution in the number Of messages
or not on account of their extortionate charges.
If they really desired to prevent blockade Of
the line and to spare their patrons the vexa-
ton of delay, they could easily do SO by refus-
ing to receive any more messages after accept
ing as many as the capacity Of the cable will
public. The pretence is absurd that the
patrons of the cable are benefited by extort-
ing double rates from them in order to prevent
them from using the Atlantic wires at all.
The sole reason for the unjust and avari-
cious policy Of the company is one of greed.
They have but one cable working and are
compelled to incur the expense Of repairing
the other two. They resolve to make the peo-
pie pay for the company's misfortunes They
take advantage Of the Vienna Exposition and
double the rates, in order that they may Sc
cure as large profits out Of one cable as they
hitherto have made out of three. They want
their heavy dividends. They are unwilling
to give up, even for time, their enormous
profits. They have no opposition to fear;
they are under no legal restrictions They
therefore victimize the public, and because
they know that Just at this time their patrons
desire to use the cable more freely than ordi-
narily they resolve to make them pay double
rates for their messages. This Is the true
explanation of the matter.
AS we have said, the English and American
governments ought not to allow the two ma
tons to remain at the mercy Of such o mo-
nopoly. They can remedy the evil by build
ing an international postal cable and securing
by treaty the rights of both nations in its use.
This would be in every way great public
advantage and accommodation, and the
government cables would, no doubt secure
an income to both postal departments The
cables can be laid now at much less expense
than when either the Anglo-American or the
French cables were laid, and hence the peo-
pie would have the benefit of the low cost OF
construction in reduced rates. II is to be
hoped that the subject will be earnestly con-
sidered by both governments, and it would be
well if our Minister at Paris, Mr.. Washburne,
who is familiar with the advantages of the
postal telegraphic system, would give the prop
osition his attention and use his influence to
bring it toHhe favorable notice Of European
THE PORE AND THE PAPACY.-A cable
despatch from Rome states that Pope Plus