The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-02-02
WHAT TIE PRESS RAYg.


Siuoe tue news has gone eblosd over the
country that the Western Union, American
Union and Atlantic and Pacific telegraph
companies had consolidated and pooled their
Issues, forming one grand, great and power
full mbination-rdsod, rs the press says
quite generally, a monster monopoly the
entire press Of the country almost, especially
tho metrop lit dailiee, hsve hal vast deal
to say concerning the same. Pretty gener-
ally, and n fact we may ssy universally, the
press has spoken OF this combustion in
strong terms of disapprobation and ooudem-
nation. They, without exception, so far
we have seen, recommend and urge the for
nation OF IN opposition company, or oppo-
sition companies. They characterize this
consolidation az menace TO the best inter-
ests Of the country, as an exceeding great
danger to our commercial prosperity. There
is no doubt but that the union Of these three
great rival companies creates monopoly
that, considered in its immense powei
and ila opportunity for extortion in
the absence Of al competition, is appall
ing. Bit it occurs 70 US that there
ia greater danger to the country likely to
grow out # tbis Consolidation thln mere
monopoly, however slupendouS it is, can inn
pose. Vie fear This combination will lead 10
the so'called postal Telegraph. Already it has
given n new impetus to the action Of the
friends of this scheme, and they ara urging
the measure with yigor and most plausible
arguments, The right OF tue government 20
establish telegraph lines, in other words, TO
make itselt huge telegraph company, gives
Il the right also 10 make iteelf comnon
carrier, as il were, and to build railroad lines
and establish steamboat apd steamship lice,.
1t was part of the old whig doctrine that
the general government should engage in ia
terna Improvements, in fact, should take in
hand itself the internal Improvement
scheme oi tho country. This idea, the
very essence Of Capitalization, was always
successfully combatted by tha democracy,
and il was not until tho republican pagY
came into power that tbis insilous doctrine
was ever, 10 any extent, carried into eff
and then il was only 10 tho limit OF the gov
ernlnen!s going surety for tho Pacific rail
roads, made possible Of being carried into
effect, because Of The pending war and
on the ground of military nSces-
sity. Even tho strong friends Of b
government telegraph do not pretend TO put
the right Of its establishment upon any
ground than rs part Of the postal service.
The constitution expressly says the general
government alone shall have power to estab
lish postofic9a AMI postroad', and uuder
this constitutional provision it is sought also
to erect telegraph lines an do u general
telegraph business. AS the mails carry
postal cards, lotLers, circulars, merchandise,
to the amount of four pounds in package,
newspapers, books, etc, 80 would the postal,
so-called, telegraph line have to transmit any
kind OF message man desired to sond, so ii
would have to do general business and the
word "postal" is only used to got i! within
the constitutional clause. Already the gov.
ernneut 10 doing direct, banking business
thro Ugh the medium Of postollce money
orders. Is there any constitutional authority
for doing this, If not, why, then, is it moi
al assumption of power? And is not every
assumption of power On tho part Of toe
general government dangerous, menace 10
the liberties OF tho people? We know
that the pos.ollce moaoy order system
is great convenience, md that it i.
very popular. Indeed it hiss proven to DO SO
great success that 1t seems We could hardly
do without it now, and the same might prove
true of the postal telegraph, but the question
arises in the mind of the patriot, ia the mind
of the thinking man who has tho safety OF
the country at heart and who loves the
liberties of the people, fought we not to
guard against and combat these encroachs
menis upon the constitution that come in
such plausible diiguises and that are SO win
ming in their wsys?" Little by little the
falling water wears away tue rock, and by
imperceptible degrees the malaria of the
swamps, mingled through it, maybe with
the perfumes of orange groves and jasmine
flowers attacks the human system until fell
disease asserts Its sway, and then comes the
suffering Of the sick room with long weeks Of
physical agony and msyhaps death in III,
end. lfthe mandates OF the constitution ar,
not to DO obeyed in their strlc, letter and
spirit, Why Lave constitutional WIN IL no,
be better fer tho material prosperity of tn,
country aud tha perfect freedom of III,
people for the general government 10 quar-
against moocpolies and proven. them. thar
itself to establish monopolies TO become on,
gigantic monopoly
The ex RENE Of misery an It's opnosi,,
is fully illustrated in tho case of Roelf vor
Barren, a Hollander, who for six months Nc.
L.. H.. +