New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-04
Telegraphic Luxuries.

The telegraph in this country is luxury
that only rict men and corporations can
d afford TO use. For ordinary business pur
poses the rates are too high. The dispatch
eats up the profit. The grea. drag on the
newspaper enterprise Of the country is the
expense of Geographic communications: and
this milestone is kept fastened on the neck
Of the young giant by the Press Associa.
ton. which endures the eXtortions o: the
telegraph monopoly only because il can in.
dulge in the luxury OF . smaller monopoly
on it's own account.
But while we are sweating and groan;pc
under the burdens of this bad system j. is
refreshing to know tina: its operations are
confined to this country. On the con tinent
OF Europe telegraphing is very cheap. A
day or two ago we gave Mayor Meuill's ties.
.imony as to the telegraphlc system Of Ger.
many. where the lines are owned and one.
rated by the government. Mr.. Snlaley
bears the same testimony in regard 70 the
telegraph system OF England. The ord;.
nary rate for a press telegram between two
places in the kingdom used 20 be a shilling
for twenty words, address free. After the
government took the telegraph lines under
its control it reduced the rates to a hundred
words for shilling. The whole of Profess
sor Tyndalrs address. occupying eight and
halt full columns in the London Tines.
was sent to that paper by telegraph, '.at an
immense cost" we axe told. Blu. this feat.
which that paper celebrates as lone OF
the wonders OF journalism" cost about
$50 in gold. The same address sent
through the cable 30 this country would
have cost us about 5000 in gold.
.he Herald has often paid $500 and some.
times twice tia. sum Tor a simple cable
dispatch. Some OF the 1''!b"hs's dispatches
during the FvancO-G German war COS. still
larger sums. Even our local telegraph bills |
often mount up to height tina. throws the |
boas.ed enterprise OF the London Times
into the shade. The Chicago yri5uue oaid |
some 5000 tor its Geographic copy of Moul. |
toms statement. This shows the CRUSHING
weight uader which orr American Journal.
ism struggles to maintain itself The ,ela-
graph monopoly doubles the price .: dis.
patches. and its exact!Ons are supported by
the Associated Press becau,. !; is also q
monopoly and can practice little ex;ortion
pa its own account. And the press o; the
put up with the infection out of
sheer .!m,dity. and the tear tina. any etior,
% throw 1t Oft would be followed by a with.
travail of Geographic privileges altogether.
Thew dare 10: even advocate the purchase
md operation Of the telegraph lines bv the
as in Germany and England.
est the double monopoly shall. grind them
. powder as wheat between the uppe. and
Iethey stones OF the mill.
These facts and figures. given in one of
he Associated Press papers. tell their own
tory. They show the necessity for break.
ng the telegraph monopoly by putting this
,hoie bushes. in the hands of the govern.
lent, where it belongs. This would ..aace
he cost OF telegraphic communication
Tree .fourths and treble the telegraph bust.
ess of the country. This would reduce
'e telegraph from luxury, which only