The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-01-16
Postal Telegraph.

The President of the Western Union
Telegraph Company, in "A letter TO New
\ Ork paper. says: The Herald i prob
ably correct in assuming that further re-
duction of rates will not be made by the
companies now doing the telegraph bust
ness, for some time 10 come" The West
ern Union Company have adopted some
uniformity in their charges within few
years past. and made few other rcduc-
tiOns in their rates, To the great benefit OF
the public and the company; but
the public are under no obligations 10 the
company for making these reductions /; for
President orion. in his annual report. in
forms his stockholders that they Were
forced upon them from the competition OF
opposition companies. They have receni-
ly purchased the principal opposition
lines. and have reduced their rates so low
that the remaining companies are unable
TO make any money. Now that this great
monopoly is free from all fear of COMPETE
ton, they announce that they will make no
further concessions in rates.
That the company are able TO make fur
ther reductions i shown by the facts given
i'm the annual reports. From these il APP
pears that the rates have been reduced
nearly one-third in six years. yet the cost
of doing the business is so much less, in
consequence OF the great increase. that the
net profits are greater AT the lower than at
the higher rates. Mr.. Orion has SO often
reiterated the proposition that the expenses
increase i'm nearly as rapid "A ratio a. the
business. and therefore reduction in rates
cannot be made, that he has persuaded
himself of it, truth. and j. unable 10 APP
preciate the force of the facts which we
have given.
Mr.. orion truly says that the telegraph
is only i'm its infancy. The growth of its
business Is much more rapid than that OF
the express or post-oflice. and at the same
ratio of increase the number of kilograms
that will be annually sent ten years hence
is larger than the number OF letters sent
when the postage was reduced 10 iive
cents. The immediate increase i'm the cor
respondcnce that followed upon the use OF
the five and three cent postage stamp was
enormous. rapidly increasing from 10000
600 to 800. 100000. There will be the same
increase in the Geographic correspondence
if the 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
i now no reason TO induce ii TO make
them. and because the loss of net revenues
from the great reductions in rates neces-
sary to populariZe 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 telegraph system.
for that will save nearly one-quarter of the
present expenses. and would therefore au-
thorize a reduction in rates of nearly forty
per cent. and vet leave sufficient profit
on the greatly increased business.
The Postmaster-tiencral will ask Con-
gress 10 purchase all existing lines OF tele-
graph. and build the new ones required
for the business. The expense of pur-
chasing these lines has been estimated by
committees of Congress at from 100000
600 to S70.0OO.OOO. Ii is not likely Con-
gress will feel disposed. in the present con-
dtiCn Of our finances. To authorize such
an expenditure. especially as the object
sought can be accomplished without any
expense 10 the Government.
The Post-ofiice Department will furnish
the offices and the Postal Telegraph Com
pany will transmit the messages at rates
fixed by Congress.
If the people desire TO have a cheap tel
egraph. and To have the news furnished to
the press at low rates. they must support
the postal telegraph system, and urge
Congress to pass the bill authorizing the
POstmaster-Generalt to contract a. he now
contracts for the carriage of the mails. II.
on the other hand, they desire to perpetu-
ate an Overgrown monopoly. which i
every day growing more powerful. then
let them continue the present system. by
which single private corporation con-
trolls the telegraphic correspondence of
nation. and has the power to give or with
hold news to the press. and to mold pub
lie opinion in is own interest. such
power is too great for any private COM
pany to hold. and should be in the hands
of the people. to be used only for their
benefit.