New-York tribune., 1873-01-18

from All parts of the world in single issue than could
be CLEANED from The London Times IN week In a re-
por. from the H. r Committee on Appropriations 70 NC
company Mr.. Planners bill In favor OF the /" Huooaru
telegraph" December, 1871, the increase OF press mes mes
sages In Great Britain since the absorption oil the e
graph by the (;oyernment is brought forward as an
argument in favor of change In the elegraphic service
Sed ne Snea ss te boe aad ngbr Of words
by the Government telegraph year after lts sstsosu
quite 20 900 daily during the session OF Paramens
and nearly 1900 daily during the remainder OF the year
result In comparison with what the press OF % tho
United States have for years required OF the telegraph
almost too insignificant TO be used as an Illustration r
is monopoly in which nearly every reader Of news,
papers an indirect participant and shareholder anu
which finds no parallel In Europe, the people OF .ho h
United states indebted TO the Government Tor he
one negative quality Of letting the press ana 'ne '''
graph alone"
THE HuRnARD PROPOSITION
The case OF the Government having been thus eon'1
ered il remains but TO examine the proposition OF t ~
called Postal Telegraph" advocated by Mr. Hupoa'u'
But I'm doing this a singular difficulty is experienced OF
finding ont exactly what the Hubbard proposition
really s for its authors although protesting ss iai
back as 1869 TO understand most clearly the nature o
their Recommendations to Congress have caused AZ
five separate and different bills or Dlils IN the na's ~
course OF single month December 1871,
and four in the course OF q s,hso thsp
wear In general however, IL may be said OF them tna,
In common with the proposition Of the PostmaserGei
era the interference OF the Government IN sphere vi
business that does not ltENtlhiil
primarily sought for But apart from this circumstance,
which alone ought to furnish sufficient reason ior ui
compromising opposition on tue part oi an those "o a.,
leye in holding the Federal Government surety ,ho
or gna basis, the simple impartial statement OF te
proposal OF Mr.. Hubbard would seem OF ltsei 70 . ~
tute the most unanswerabe argument against lIs III
dOrsement and acceptance that could possibly DC Pe
Mr. Hubbard says in the outset to the Government II
you viii assume all the expenses OF the service, O.i
than what depend on the mere operating anu
ing of the wires-namey, offices and their equlpneht
suitable aud sufficient for operators nstrnInents S %
batteries at all the stations an eeik' pneT
messenger service all fuel, Ights, stamps, Pnn,o
and envelopes allow us TO use the various an s,e and
facilities may require relieve us fIom an Sia,e o."
local taxes; guarantee len per cent per annun Vn a.
stock Of the company, provided the receipts o. cent
and give In addition bonus OF one HttoH te s - ~
stock for what pleasantly termed the expenses %
organizing and connecting wires tnen the new com, ~
pany will, in turn, contract Win tue GONernlenth =,
transmit messages for the public at rates sone"nl.
cheaper" priority dispatches excepted-than are
charged at present That renewed from such ~
and endowed with such privileges Mr. Hubbard ana BE
associates could afford TO make good hls ayerhen ~, ~
respect charges not improbable Out that te
Western Union and other existing telegraph cOpas
If endowed with equal privileges, would pe WilIus 49, ~
guarantee equal and greater reductions III Iatos lJ
also be taken for granted. Mr.. Hubbard, theIe-
fore would TO be debarred In the outset rom cAin
that his proposed organization can oer 70 the Gov
eTnnent any favorable basis for negotiating loi
the establishment OF cheaper rates than would De OAeu
therefore in reality asks the Government 10 take po-
sitlOn which no tree government ought ever 10 anon
itself TO be placed innamey that OF deciding between
two private parties representing equally private inter
ests which 1t will favor aud which IL VIII crush
Nay more he calls upon the Government 10 20 IulhoI,
and place itself in opposition 10 those companies ana
organizations who, when the telegraph business "as a
experiment. undertook the risk, and extend It's IaNor
and bounty to other parties whO that success has
won, willing 10 enter INTO the possession ahu
endowment OF other mems labor IL this De Justice u Is
of quality more hOnOred IN the breach than III the OO
II is timated that the facilities asked OF the Govern
meut. under Mr. Hubbards proposition, are OF a klnu
which will not entail much additional expenditure, anu
that the offices and clerks already required by tue Post
great eXTent, De ulAuc dNdlIhDlc lOl
teegaphc purposes but TINS plea j. almost 700
10 require serious consideration. The Government of
the United States performs service except at lnuch
greater expense than would be incurred under slaE
circumstances by individuals, and all the instincts, pre-
cedents and predspcsons Of those who serve 1t are
IN direction contrary 70 the practice OF economy!
there is therefore as is constantly maintained any real
and true intent put end to the constantly nreas
ing burden OF national expenditures, there must pe an
indebe Determination on the part OF those VINO control
the Government " avoid every new occasion OF peeA
ASain' the bi Of Mr. Hubbard contains a pr DIVISION
which, as already shown in discussing the Gov
proposition, frees the company chartered by IL
from inst that responsibility to the public which II Is IN
dspensabe should exist to insure against indifference,
breach Of trust, and neglect lnasmuch as III making te
company an agent OF the United sIates IL gives the
the same immunity the payment Of damages which
is possessed by the PostOmce IN the case OF the
frees the company from all risk OF defacaton and EN-
bezzement and transfers the same 10 the Governmsnt
through provision that the Post-Ohce Department
to be the agent whom, in the first instance, all pay
for the Transmission Of messages are 10 be made
by means OF stamps
1t is also interesting to note that this proposed charter
OF the sOcaled Postal Telegraph company while pro
fesing 10 he in the interests of the great general public
and in opposition everything like monopoly In reai-
ty but 1t cOverty provides Tor the creation OF
monopoly OF the most offensive and Objectionable char
acter nasmuch IL authorizes the putting aside OF the
ordinary OF the public-Whdteyer may DO the
nressnre OF their neces,tyand the giving of priority OF
transmission such other messages as may be regis
tered and pay double. IL seems clear that the eject OF
this would be 10 place the wires at all tunes at the e1
elusive disposition of those TO whom immediate dispatch
was item Of greater consideration than expense and
IT, not unlikely this should prove TO be the case in re-
Tho aturtfar Of
then the general result OF this provision would DC 10
raise the general average cost OF telegraphe commun
cation and so completely neutraze and defeat the al
legged object Of the Hubbard proposition IL has, there
fore been not unapy suggested that the title Of the
act for e Increasing Of The rates Of correspondence
by Ute telegraph.
postal Telegraph" BILL and one which. whether Its
authors intend 1t OF not gives 10 tue whole scheme
ment OF those concerned is the provision for the issue
stock, TO the extent Of 10000, 10 defray the e1-
penses Of organization and the connection OF heines Of
the company with the various postal stations Now.
there are no provisions in the bill which require the
this stock which regulate its apportionment and as
the legitimate expenses for organization must be but
pressy authorized to deray the expenses OF all lines
and wires purchased constructed the inference s I'M
avoidable that the million Of dollars in question Is TO
be divided among the ncorporators other persons
whose in behalf Of the charter may be consd
cred desirable And as tins special stock is TO be en-
titled 10 receive dividends Of the receipts by the
Government for the transmission of messages at the
authorization by Congress would be equivalent 10 impos
ing tax in perpetuity, of 10000 per annum on the
American people using the telegraph and all for the
exclusive purpose OF giving bonus 10 the ncoporators
named in the BILL as an inducement for them to engage
in business in winch they have investment,
and IN the conduct OF which no experience,
PREPAYMENT BY STAMPS.
II is 10 be observed that the bill OF Mr. Hubbard and
also that advocated by the Government provide as
new and essential feature, for the prepayment of ali
telegraphc messages; and that too as in the case of
letters through the agency of stamps At first thought
these provisions strike likely 10 prove most effect
i've and desrable but little consideration will reveal
the fallacy contained in them. Thus very large pro
portion OF the transmitted by telegraph In
the nature OF questions In respect to which the interest
exclusively with the inquirer. A. for example,
living IN York. asks B, in Chicago, II he knows
whether is in his city IL Is good for "a loan, II