, 1873-01-22
GOVERNMENT AND THE TELEGRAPH.
Correspondence Between Mr..
William Orton md May
, or Medill.

or N1edill.
Tho following correspondence had It's. origin
during the conference botweon Mr.. Drtoa and
tho Board of Directors Of the Western ARso.
cIatod Press, in thta city. last October. The
meeting Was callod to roctify certain oyerchargos
Of the Telegraph Company for special
dispatches. After tue business Ind beon aatia.
sactorily adjusted, Mr.. Orton gave tho
eaitora = dinner at tho fremont, and,
After tho cloth waa removed, aPaeches
wore In order. Whom bfr. Orion
was CALLED on to respond to tho toaat OF "Tlo
Telegraph" he mado m elaborate argument
againss tho Government using tho telegraph as
psrt Of tho postal syatona OF tho country. In.
some subsequent conversation with membera Of
tho Press Association, and with General Htager,
Mr.. Medill oppressed himae1f unconrinced by
Mr.. Ortop'e arguments, which coming to The
latter's cars, he Addressed Mr, Modill tho fol-
lowing les.or,
. An. ORION 70 Hn. uRprLL.
EXECUTIVE OE f1cE
WESTERN us'Sx TF1Een4sa LEO. 1a. co%rAsr,S : ss3s
III HfSE SKI sT sa: iougd i Impossible to koep
| the promise made yon to Gull at your oalico, on
| account Of tho pressure Of business-mattors
Which could not poBspono sa a;Io which 1eeSapea Sappn
information received on tho morning nfter our
intorsiew, to tho effect that you favored the
rsgfss has ths fseg Of deaes @ esranqd you
| from tho frank mud full expression OF your urEopin-
ions lat tho dinnor} last Wednesday evening;
| My opinions on this subject have boon formed
Of all the clements involved as / am capable Of
| giving. But am always abottor pleased to listen
to tho opinions Of otherg than to expreeH my
own, as am quito euro that, With your ability
oluaionB, should have listened to your views
| will, more than ordinary interest.
| Tho prograsa Of tho American people 10 tho
wonder Of the world. National prosperity in but
tho aggregate OF individual SUCCESS. Tho pros
pority Of tho average ctizcn OF the United States
{s not tho result OF any aid which the Gosorn.
mcnt has contributed. Our Government. doea
most md bost for It's citizena when IL leaves
and fidelity With which thoy arc proseoutea;;
American gonius, cnserpriso, md capita, will
provlao for all tho wants os our people ana tue
question Of cost loses its importance in tho pros
| ence Of the consantly-incroaaiug ability to pay. .
It las not been considered heretofore one OF
the functions Of our Government to mako any
ehea IN re ~ noGp
products artiacially dear. II it bo right for our
| Govornment to require ia to pay 60 per cont
moro for tolegrapl-wiro than It would cost with
out Government interferonco in order to nsnre ~
fair to ask us to perform se!egrnphlo service at
tho rates charged whore wire and otler material!
cost a third lcsa and labor leas than half? If
the policy OF protecting tho Rkillca labor en-
pIoycd in every department OF manufactures
from the competition OF the cheaper labor OF
Europe be correct what ground Ia there Tor COM
p1ant If tolographic soryco, which requires
special education nna tho gfeetoBt Skill, coBte
rora in thia country thnn In Europe
The capital invested in 3he telegraph hueiness
in tho United Btates during tho last ton years
hnH paid loaa on tho average than That invested
other in railroads, in mining, or in almost any
kind OF manufacturers. Yet, ita Development has
fairly kept pace with tho growth Of the country,
without having cost the Government, Il dollar !;
annual deficit; provided by taxation, has been
from one to two millions.
I claim this proposition "a Fundamental That,
| whenever our Government unaortakos to supply
any public want, merely for tho sake OF making
the coat |ess than tho price charged BY. indiyid-
| unls aud corporations, It should begin with what
iB moat eenentiai to Tho ]argust number. Is it
just to impose taxoa upon nll the pooplc in order
have occasion to send thom, until after provia-
Ion has been made for supplying food, md
clothing, and fuel at tho lowest poaBiblo rataa ?
Again: Many moro people travel on railways
| every ypar thnn hend messages by telegraph. II,
tIon. Tho government should take tho telegraph,
why not tho railways9 And when it has taken
those, why should It not embark in mining coal
md metals, and In manufacturer? In short,
when the door is once opened, and tho Govern
mont, inHtoad OF being merely protecting power,
becomes an aggressive enterprise, at what point
| will It Btop2
Personally, have very little ut atako* But I
sincerely boliove tlat it will be an unfortunate
day for tho country when our Government enters
| upon compntition with tho entor1,rise Of it's
citizens by emburling III any department Of bnsl-
noea. Patronage ia always powor, and, III tho
nE FIJI
Of power in our Goyornmont isalrcady too great.
Unvo you reflected carefully upon the control
which our Government wonld have ovnr tho
press, in the event Of itH taking the telegraph
money. %ho rress aro amony ita host GUS
tomors. There is, therefore, small danger that
It will purauo q policy which would dissatisfy
these customers. THO Government. on tho
exciting political contest, like TINT through
which wo have been passing during the last four
months, II tho te'egrnplr ho!ongeh to tho Coy
ernmeut, would it not be usod by the party in
possession for ltH extension aud tho election
Of itH frienlH7 Would not that portion of tho
pross which Hupports the party in powor recaivo
valuable fayors, 1T tho expense Of tho portion
opposed?
stdoration. Thoy are hut a ulnal1 portion Of tho
reuaona which induee me to oppose tho tahing
the "cad1 as h e oxnso asa mo e.
discuss tho subject with INC, md snbmit them
only because Of my respect for your opinions,
and my confidence in your Judgment.
On the occasion OF my ue1t visit to your city,
I will onleayor 10 redearn tho prom!Ho made ut
tho last, aud thon, perhaps, we u7ay resume tho
subject. ani, yours, very Truly,
William OnroN.
MI. MEr1LL TO MIR. o1ToI.
M4v3r's OFFICE, CHICAGO, Dec. II, 1879.
The Hon. 'r''tia"' nrto. H<o f"rk:
MY DEAR Sin: Believe me tiiat my1 long delay
In answering your favor of tho 12tl ult., must
not bo aacrbed to nogli gnnco or aisrobpset, but
sololy TO want of tilno. l have been trying Ia
Bparo enough 10 make such rnplya tho impor-
| LIN snhinnE md lifsG rDHnACi fof