Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-10-09
Cheap TelegraDhing.

LAW 1oeoo 10O QUICK O10p8Ce0 IN.
crease all kinds of business that relates
to the carrying Of passengers, freight,
or letters. II the rates are too hieh.
neither corn nor grain can be sent from
the extreme West to the seaboard, and
only limited quantity from places less
remote. Not one passenger would DO
to Kansas or California where ten now
go, 1t the stagecoach were substituted
for the railroad, the fare remaining the
same.
The actual cost of TRANSPORTATION de.
creases AZ the quantity of .merohandise
and number Of passengers increase. If
there are two railroads of the same
length. the one carrying double the
quantity Of freight of the other, its ex-
Penses will not be fifty per cent greater,
tor many of them bear no relation to
the amount of business-as the general
Office expenses, grading, fencing, ties,
and eulverts.
In the mail service especially, by tho
greater dispatch afforded by railroads
and the reduced postage, the mailed
letters have increased within few years
from forty millions to five hundred mil
lions, while the deficit of revenue is no
greater in proportion to the number of
letters transmitted at three cents than
at the former average postage of Is
cents. This principle applies-still more
strongly to the telegraph; the rates are
50 high that few can afford to use it,
although the gain in time over the mails
is so great. Abroad, Ut low rates, it is
generally used. In England its use has
more than doubled within three years
since the telegraph has been connected
with the postofiee, while here the num-
ber OF kilograms has increased less than
one third. The average rate for tele.
grams in England is Is cents in all
Europe, "a cents; IN America, 73 cents.
The Postmaster General recommends
the union of the telegraph With tie
postoffice by the purchase and opera
ton OF the lines Of telegraph. While
~ admit the greater ohespness and
more free use Of the telegraph abroad,
some oppose this plan on the ground
that under q republican form Of gov
ernment the telegraph cannot be man.
aged as we'll as under monarchy. If
this be true, and the people are unable
to manage their own affairs, then give us
q king and aristocracy at once, We do
not participates III these Fears; and the
sooner this question is understood and
decided the better.
Others oppose this plan on account
of the great outlay involved in x6e pur-
chase and extension of the line; and a
plan has been proposed, by eemmittees
of the Senate and House of Represent
atives iu Congress, to whom the subject
was referred, by which telegrams viii
be received a. letters=.now ase~a all
postoffices, and at all telegraph Offices.
and transmitted between the Offices bv
parties furnishing and operating the
lines at rates fixed by Congress, not
exceeding one cent a word for tele:-
grams transmitted 500 miles or less by
day, and 1, 900 miles or less by uioht !:
reduction of about 50 Der cent. Of the
present rates-25 cents for NIGHT tel.
egram from st.; Louis TO- New York, or
New. orlsans: THIS plan relieves, the
postoffice from the necessity of pur.
chasing and operating lines, while it
utilizes all its existing facilities, and
places the telegraph at once within the
reach of all classes. This system is in
exact analogy with the present postal
service all correspondence will
he received and delivered through the
postofice, the mailed letter transmitted
by contract with railroad and stage
coach contractors, tho telegraph let
ter by contract with the telegraph
company. The benefits of this plan
are evident; i involves: no cQnstitu.
tional qdestiois, ahda can bd easily,
quickly and without cost to the Gener.
al Government carried into practical
! operation,