River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-12-19
iostat Telegraph.

rOstai Telegraph.
J The President of tire Western Union
Telegraph Company, in letter to a
New York paper, says The Herald
ia probably correct in assuming that
further reduction of rateA' will not be
made by the companies no doing the
telegraph business, for SOME time to
CONT" The Western Union Company
have adopted some uniformity In their
charges within a few years past, and
made a few other reductions in their
rates, to the great benefit of the pm bhc
and the company but the public are
under no obligations to the company for
making these reductions; for President
Orion in his annual report, Informs
his stockholders that they were forced
upon them from the competition t,f OPP
position companies. They have re-
Ger y purchased the principal op posi-
t IN lines, and have reduced their rates
so low that the remaining compa uies
are unable to make any money. Tow
that this great monopoly is free fir ON
all fear of competition, they announ ce
that they will make no further conce v
sions IN rates.
That the company are able to make
further reductions is shown by the facts
given in the annual reports. From
these it appears that the rates have
been reduced nearly one. third in six
years, yet the cost OF doing the bust
ness is SO much less, III consequence of
its great increase, that the net profits
are greater at the lower than at the
ROT 1r nfk
reiterated the proposition that the ex.
penses increase in nearly as rapid
ratio as the business, and therefore re-
duction In rates cannot be made, that
he has persuaded himself of Its truth,
and is unable to appreciate the force of
the facts which we have given.
Mr.. Orion truly says that the tele-
graph is only in its infancy. The growth
of its business is much more rapid tban
that of the express or postoffice, and ut
the same ratio of increase the number
of kilograms that will be annually sent
ten years hence, islarger thaa the num-
Der of letters sent when the postage was
reduced to five cents. The immediate
increase in the correspondence that fol-
lowed upon the use of the five and three
idly increasing from $4,000, 600 to 800
000.00 There will be the same increase
in the Geographic correspondence ifthe
same relative reductions in rates are
made, for the same causes would operate
to produce like effects. The people
cannot hope for such reductions from
the Western Union Telegraph Company.
because there is now no reason to in
duce 1t to make them and because the
loss of net revenues from the great re-
auctions in rates necessary TO popular
ize the telegraph would be greater than
the saving of expenses on each telegram
from the great increase in the business.
Such reductions can be made under the
postal telegram system, for that will
save nearly one-quar ter of the present
expenses, and would therefore author
ize reduction in rate s of nearly forty
per cent, and yet leave a Sufficient
profit on the greatly increased business.
The Postmaster-Gelaeral will ask
Congress to purchase a IL existing lines
of telegraph, and build. the new ones
required for the bus mess. The ex-
pense of purchasing thes e lines has
been estimated by commit tees of Con-
gress at from $40, 900, 600 TO $40 O0O.-
600 1t is not likely Cong ress will feel
disposed, in the present condition of
our finances, to authorize such an ex-
penditure, especially AK the object
sought can be accomplis he'd without
any expense to the govern ment.
The Postoffice Department will fur
nish the offices and the Postal Tele-
graph Company will tran smi the mes
sages at rates fixed by Congress.
If the people desire TO have "A cheap
telegraph, and to have the news FUR
nished to the press at low rates, they
must support the postal telegraph sys-
TEN, and urge Congress to pass the bill
authorizing the PostmasteT-Gerleral to
contract as he now contracts for the
carriage Of the mails. II, on the other
hand, they desire TO perpetuate an over
grown monopoly, which is every day
growing more powerful, then let them
continue the present system, 10y which
single private corporation controls the
Geographic correspondence of nation,
and has the power TO give or withhold
news TO the press, and TO mould public
opinion IN its own interest. Such a
power is too great for any private com
pany TO hold, and should be in the
hands of the people, 10 be used only
for their benefit.