New-York tribune., 1873-01-18

tribution OF hallway Companies included In s system
which amount TO two and half million dollars more
Probably the gross expenditure for new telegraphiC
property by all the companies In the country including
railways, has amounted 10 nearly or quite sl2OOOC
within these six During this period the average
charge for messages has been reduced oneha and work
paratory to further reductions which will be made at an
early day.
telegraph companies during the period OF this develop
nen about 1--WE millions OF dollars or an average OF less
the rate contemplated by this billion a capital OF ten
millions which Is less than the sum invested during the
same time In extending and improving the telegraph
system, which previously represented more lines aud
larger revenues than those for which Great Britain
recently paid more than thirty million dollars In gold
That the capital invested Ia telegraphs In the United
States IL not now, and has not OF late Deen re, re,
SeVng adequate T Se xeSWm 70 has
been made, however, In the confident expectation vl
suitable return as the country progresseu IA
and wealth. This Company has considered the Ordinary
risks incident to competing enterprises Wne.s h
wholly overlooked the possibility OF danger from the
Government, Of attempt by Congress eltheT W
take their property or Interfere with their business with
out Just compensation, to create competing COM
pany and then TO confer upon tnat company ,no % sh
OF exclusive OF the vast facilities prOVldeu ior the
| postal service at the public expense. No., A., 40.
Private enterprise has already estanllsned the teie,
graph throughout every State IN the Unlon ana IN al
the Territories but one (Arzona) The value OF the
has rendered, without charge In the interest
OF science and to sufferers by fire. and flood, and pes
lence h far beyond that OF all the pecunary contribu
tions IL has received. Millions OF acres OF the pubic
domain have been granted 10 railway corporations while
the telegraph has received no grants VI land except
| whereon to plant its poles.
While the defcency-nearly s25,O00O00-in the reve-
nues OF the PosOflce Department within the last hye
years has been betrayed by taxation upon the people,
the extensions the telegraph within the period
have been made by means OF private capital furnished
by private citizens This bill attacks the results OF this
enterprise and, II it becomes law, will be fatal to
Second: This bill creates corporation and confers
upon the corporatoIs special privileges ana extraord
nary powers Upon Uhdt principle and for phdt reason
e particular persoss ngDed IN rs 6 are Pop1sed 10, 70
Compress BEFORE Gnd Of immense ee,ay sdfse M or ~ tae
tons 10 grasp me telegraph property o. me eoTPoraolS
created by he States, and noo engaged IN business ace are
dollars Of its stock for expenses Of organizauon, and
as there nothing in the bill TO prevent the distribution
Of this stock he e S we conans mo- %
vision requiring the contribution OF any money as
the basis for the of such stock. This stock Is
entitled TO dividends at the rate OF per cent
per annum that Congress Is IN effect imposing tax
the senders OF messages to give bonus 10 the bene-
ciares under this bill, an inducement to engage IN
business which they have now no Investment, and IN
the conduct which they have had no experience 1t
be the policy Of the Government to give SO large bonus
encourage investments In teegrapnic enterprises, we
submit that justice requires that companies now en-
gagged in the business and whose property Is at hazard
Third The bill provides that certain expenses hereto
fore borne by telegraph companies, such rent lights
fuel messenger and clerical services, and also for
stamps shall hereafter be borne by the POstOmce De-
parnen-the inference being that the necessary labor
can be performed without increasing either the number
of officials the expenses OF the Department and that
graph service performed by the corporation ere
aed by the bill at rates past experience this
| country has found to be uDprohtable The fact
| that tins illusiye feature has escaped the scru-
tiny Of the Committee on Post;ohices and
Justice of acting on the bill without subectng its pr0v
sions 10 the criticisms Of interested and competent
experts. The bill provides for class OF messages
(sectlon q termed registered teegrams," which shall
nave priority Of transmission" and on which double
rates may charged On examining the report Of the
| Committee TO ascertain the Of cOnferring
privilege Of such immense value, we find no reference
| made the subject
| This Company demonstrates against scheme which
gives slOOOO0 to create monopoly under the pre-
plea of efecting greater reduction Of rates than
obtained in Great Britain" coyerty authorizes putting
aside the ordinary messages Of the public whatever the
pressure Of their necessities and giving up the wires to
priority messages double rates-the effect Of which
must inevitably be to establish the priority rates for
messages requiring immediate dispatch. The priority
under this bill are higher than the present average
We demonstrate against the passage Of bill which
proposes 20 hire the Government Post Offices fur
Government employees TO private parties, unless TO the
highest and most responsible bidder Especially do we
nrorest against being excluded from such competition
and being put on the defensive by those whose invest
ments the business win be made n made at all after
they have realized from the gratuities which the bill
F6tTM The bI in effect, exemps the property and
business OF the Company which creates from state and
municipal taxation IL also makes the Company the
completely without redress In case OF neglect to for
ward deliver messages as they now are for the loss
Of registered letters and other vauabes intrsed to the
mails at the same time all the risks OF defaIeatons by
postmasters and clerks OF THEFT or c0unterfetng OF
|
The Western Union Telegraph Company dues not de-
sire that the Government shall purchase their property
1t has confidence the future growth OF the country In
| popuIation commerce. and wealth. In the benefits OF
that growth the telegraph must largely participate 1t
relies upon the future for just return for the great
nenditire IL has already made and is still making, 70
enlarge and improve its service II, however, this Com
Is suggested that the true remedy 10 require the
render OF property under the conditions Of the law
Interference by the Government necessary for the
ectiOn Of public interests this Company asks to be per
| nd tfDnnf
| Congressional Intervention.
cause il would deprecate the value of the Companys
property for the benefit OF private parties IL cannot be
that Congress wonld enact law, tne necessary ana
private property which they have the right to pqr
chase, with view TO diminish the compensation to be
when tins Company accepted the provisions OF the Act
~ sfs n was upon the assumption that compact was
thereby entered into between the Government and the
Company- that were not 10 be interfered with by
Congress unt the expiration of five years and 2 that
thereafter only 10 be liable 70 be dspossessed OF
property a valuation TO be fixed by arbitrators
| in whose appointment we should have an equal voice
Ihis Company submits to the Senate whether the
actment OF such law as that reported by the Com
mittee would not be violation Of the compact into
| which we entered. relying upon the good faith OF
! Congress. Under that compact we are to-day trans
mitng messages for every department OF the Govern
ment giving them priority all other business at
rates Ied the POstmasterGenera, which do not pay
to ask as we now do either that the compact be per-
formed the part OF the Government or that this Com
| pany be released from its obligations
Common justice requires that II Congress is to estab
lish competing enterprise in which the Government
to be the active and only responsible partner shall
leave this Company untrammeed by the restraints OF
a compact whose reciprocal conditions IL wholly disre
| CARDS. -,
The owners Of telegraph property would be justified
In petitioning Congress for relief from many OF the
| burdens 1t Is Obliged bear but this Company asks
nothing except thorough investigation OF the subject
which they shall be permitted 10 answer any charges
affecting their administration, and that they be allowed
also equitable participation in whatever privileges
are offered by Congress with view Of liking cheaper
teegraphy possible.
| The Western Union Telegraph Company relies upon
Congress protect their property from scheme Which,
while t pretends promise desirable reforms, and pro
yides a prpcely bonus osensiby to secure then nakes
no provision either for compensation to the ownesS Tor
private property virtually destroyed nor for securing 10
fhe nnhic benents prOmlsed them. We are unable