The weekly Arizona miner., 1877-07-27
THE nnNERNMENr rELEGEAPn.

Much that is said in the following article, copied from the Alta California, is true, es- pecially as to the efforts of Lieutenant Reade, his capacity. afrability, etc. But the writer evidently knows very little ot the
 annoyanccs of a dependence on the cotton wood poles to sustain a wire five hundred miles long in cloudy weather, and perhaps has never been at the mercy of enlisted men in the receipt of his telegraphic news. Lieutenant Rcade Is neither omuiprcScnt, omnicient nor all-Sceing. He has more difficulties 10 grapplc with than the city editor of the Alta imagines, and should he come ts Arizona and take the management of the news columns of a daily paper herc' he would conclude that all was not So smooth as this article indicates. He Is right however in the position, that the Gov crnmcnt line Is a great convenience to the people, and that no part of it should be dis posed of to private company:
 Two or three years ago Lieutenant Rcadc, |. $. A., was sent out by the Government in charge of the proposed tclegraphlc line which il had been decided to build between San Diego and Arizona, and to be extended still farther. That work has been done, and done in creditable manner l; has been constructed not only to the Colorado river, but through the Territory and New Mexico to Santa Fc, where the connection iS made with other lines This telegraph line has proven blessing to very many people IL affords means Of intercourse between localities previously deprived ot such accommodations, and the line Is ope- rated chiefly in the interest of the people. The charges are exceptionally low. vet it furnishes an income sufficient to pay it's expenses, and very little, if anything, be- yond that.
 Lieutenant Reade has the line under fine discipline and excellent working order, His office is in San Diego, where his fine capaci- " and great attibiIijy cannot hut make him deScrycdly popular. The line k an honor to him and to the Government, and very great blessing to the people. IL is reliable and cheap. There k a proposition from some source to change the office and locate il elsewhere; at Yuma or some other point. This would seem to be an unnisc measure. the office is now located at the point most suitable, and il is in prime condition Tor the transaction of business. IL might pug gle even it's propo>erS to assign plausible reason for changing. There k said to be also, contest between rival companies for the acquisition of this line. But a> Gov enment built il, and it pays its way. and k operated cheaply, and Is a blessing to the people 1t should not be disposed Of.
 One finds it difficult to conceive reasons why it should be allowed to pass out of the possession and ownership of the Govern ment. In case of war. Indian troubles, or other National cNcitCment>, Il iS to the very great advantage of the Government that its means of receiving news and issuing orders to distant and widely separated points, are in its own possession and under its own control. The Government cannot be better served than at present in this respect. G.v- ing all due praise for the service by other companies and lines it cannot be expected that change of the proprietorship would prove of any advantage to the Government and people.