Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-01-21
TUE ERALD.
fContinued from arsi pao. }

now all messages are prepaid by
stamps, and twenty words are sent
at q uniform rate of one shilling TO
any part Of the United Kingdom.
The messages have nearly trebled in
number, offices have been greatly
multiplied, and a net revenue pro
duced to the government over and
above expenses OF Sl,7o0,O0o in gold,
per annum, and q reduction in rates
70 swpence is promised at an early
day. Y
In concluding his last annual re-
port, Mr.. Scudamore, head Of the
Telegraphic Bureau of the English
Post Office Department, uses this
language:
eff the messages of the current E.
nancial year were to be paid for at
the old tariff, they would cost the
senders at least 100000 more
than they will cost The senders of
messages will have this gain. They
have also an enormous increase of
accommodation, and still there is
surplus which will more than relieve
the tax payer from q charge for CAPT
tal. This was what the department
was set TO do, and has done"
Every precautiou is taken to SO.
cure the inyiolability Of dispatches,
and no Geographic instrument is ex
posed within hearing OF any one not
connected with the post Office. The
facilities afforded TO the public press
Of Great Britain, have been increased
under government four fold, and
papers that desire to do 80, are al
lowed to rent wires at the bare cost
Of their maintenance. The govern.
ment invites the public to complain
when not well served, and offers ev-
cry facility for doing 50. Yet com
plants are less than one in each one
thousand dispatches sent, and the av.
erage time occupied in sending and
delivering dispatches in Great Britain
in less than twenty minutes.
The opponents of the postal tele.
graph, while admitting the perfect
success Of it in other countries, de
clare that il would not succeed here,
because Of the magnitude and sparse
ly settled character of the country
but the system was adopted in Aus
tralia, a vast country, and very sparse.
~ settled, several years before it was
in Great Britain, and with complete
success. AT a Uniform rate of one
shilling, messages are transmitted
from one extreme of the country TO
the other Though a colony of
Great Britain, the government is very
similar 10 our own, aud with civil
service in no degree better than ours,
and what has been successfully done
there can certainly be done here
The great objection that it IL increas
ing the number Of government off
cials, and is tending to Capitalization,
has but little force In Europe, young
ladies' are employed largely as tele
graphers, and make very expert ones.
The introduction Of the system
here would open the door for q large
numberoi women 70 make themselves
useful and to earn an honest livel-
hood; and as they would be greatly
scattered the fear entertained by some
that they would subvert the liberties
Of the country does not appear to be
we'll founded
Without going into an explanation
Of the reasons for and against the
proposed system, simply say that /
have discussed it often heretofore be
fore the people, and no proposition
has ever been received with greater
favor.
II existing telegraph companies
viii not sell to the government for
just what it will cost to build new
lines, then the government should
construct lines for itself. Existing
lines, representing great capitalists,
have had their own way long enough.
II they combine az they do, to extort
the last dollar from the public, let
the people combine to construct lines
Of their own, 10 be operated by them
selves for themselves.
There is mongrel proposition now
before Congress which contemplates
CO partnership operation between
the government and private parties.
Bad a. the present system is, il is
not without remedy; but the Job now
pending in Congress If it once sue
ceeds, will place the country where
cheap and reliable telegraphy will be
impossible. | will not insult our
Senators and Members Of Congress
by in'imating . belief that such a
measure could ever receive their sup.
port, but the last Legislature re-.
quested them to support govern,
mental postal telegraph system, and
! recommend that you repeat that
request
In conclusion, | assure you of nv
cordial co operation in all measures
that are calculated to promote the
hon'r, prosperity and general well
fare Of the State.
CADwALLADER G. WAsuBURN.