Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-01-22
're!egraplIy.

Tc!egraphy.
The annual report of tho Western
Union Telegraph Company for tho year
ending June Both, 1873, which was
published during the early part of the
late panic, attracted less attention than
1t would have otherwise received, less
than the Importance demanded. Al
though this company is u private cor
pOratlOn, managed and controlled by o
few large stockholders solely ~ u mo-
ncy-making affair, yet there arc few
matters entrusted to the General Gov
ernment Of greater general interest.
There is necessarily entrusted to it the
most important correspondence, both
mercantile md financial. A large
banking business is transacted by its
bureau for the transfer of money.
Prices in all the principal mnrts of
the country for NIL articles of merchan.
disc are regulated by the daily reports
from its commercial bureau. In con-
nection with tho Associated Press, it
collects, c0llates, and furnishes to tho
daily papers all over the country their
telegraphic dispatches, the most i'm.
portant news they publish, the first and
often the only part Of the paper read.
1t has become the educator of the peo-
pie, and its influence is daily extending,
until it has become essential to the sue
cess of many departments of business.
It has over $50, 600 miles of wire stretch
ing along every railway aud reaching
every important place. Its annual re-
ceipts are nearly SO, 600, OOO, a larger
amount than the Postofice DEPARTMENT
received ten years ago. A %orporation
welding such immense power is not q
private company, but one in which
every citizen has q direct and personal
interest.
The average rate of messages has
been reduced in six years from 81. 10
to 81 cents and the business has been
doubled. This great reduction in rates
has been followed by a slight increase
IN the net income of the company. The
average rate is still much higher than
in any other country, and so high as
to prevent the use of the telegraph by
any except the rich and those COM
PEELED to use it. The report says that
heretofore the competition from rival
lines has been the most potent cause in
operation for compelling the company to
reduce its rates; but that it is now re.
lieved from all fear from this service.
as it has recently purchased nearly ali
the opposition lines, and at the pres
emit rates sit is impossible for any
competing company to realize profits,
and all are believed to be operating at
q loss, and the time Is not distant.
therefore, when the company will be
without a substantial competitor"
From this frank and public statement
il appears that a change will now be
made in its policy, and that the pub.
lie cannot expect further reduction in
rates.
Abroad the telegraph is connected
with the Postofdce, aud the people use
it freely as they do the mails. We do
not believe, however, that our govern
ment should interfere in private mat.
ters, nor that the power of the Execu-
tive should be enlarged but the duty
of transmitting correspondence was de-
volved upon Congress by the founders
of our Republic, aud. as it has wisely
undertaken this business, and per
formed it to the satisfaction of the
people, there is every reason why it
should now adopt this, the latest i'm.
provement for its rapid transmission.
It is often said that corporations can
perform any business cheaper than the
Government. Admitting the general
truth of this proposition, it yet does
not apply to the telegraph, for the agen
cies now employed by the Posteface De.
partment for receiving aud delivering
letters would be used for the telegraph
10 letters. The present clerks could
perform all the Office business, thus
greatly reducing the expenses, if the
Postmaster General wa authorized to
contract for the transmission of tele-
grams, rs he now contracts for the
transmission of the mails, at rates fixed
by Congress.
A bill for the purpose of connecting
the telegraph with the Postotice De-
partment, authorizing the Postmaster:
General to contract for the transmits
sion of kilograms, was reported by COM.
mittees of tho Senate and House of
Representatives at the last Congress.
This proposition, We presume. will
come up for action the ensuing winter,
and we trust will become a law. The
rates fixed ythe bill are nearly so per
cent. below present charges, while the
length Of the telegram is so per cent.
greater. Night kilograms will be trans
mitted at q still greater reduction.
The charge of q Geographic letter of
Is words sent by night 1,5OO miles or
less will be only IS cents. Such low
rates will make the telegraph q public
blessing, bring it within the reach of
all, aud enable the press to establish
new and independent news associations.
We shall refer again to this subject
The Zndependent.