The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-08-01
AN UNsOUND PROPOSITION.

AN UNsOUND PROPOSITION
The strike of telegraph operator
has provoked a great deal of discus
sion outside of a consideration of tn
rights of the parties to it. It ha'
raised the question again of the pro
priety of placing all telegraph lire
in the hands of the government
Many contend that the strike is thu
most convincing argument that this
great postal service should be thus
disposed of, and cite the fact that the
English government has found il
absolutely indispensable to make to-
legraphy a part of its postal system.
1t is urged that telegraphing in the
hands Of the government would in
sure us against strikes, social unions,
head centres and all the rest of the
guild. Imagine, says enc writer. q
strike in the custom house, OF among
the letter carriers, or in the Treasury
Department! Uncle Sam has q pc
culiar way of dealing with his en-
ployes, and applicants would come
in by the million, who would swear
net to belong to unions. Besides,
telegraphing would probably become
q qualification and be either taught
all post Office employees or required
of them. 1t is also urged that the
present system Of the personal, finan-
cial and commercial communication
Of ffty-five millions Of people being
under the control, supervision and
Of . few corporations, is
dangerous and not IN accord with
our institutions.
While it is true that fifty-fivs nill-
ions of people, whose international
is larger than the whole
of Europe, have had their means
Of instantaneous communication
interrupted because q great
and its employees
have q misunderstanding about
wages, and that thousands of mer-
whose daily credit and
and commercial existence
upon the the telegraph for
credits, explaining errors
md for completing many Of the most
transactions in their bust
loss, yet it is questionable whether
he people generally and business
men particularly would be secured
a repetition Of the embarrass-
nents under which they now labor,
f the Government buy and oper-
to every Lille of telegraph in the
country. 1t requires years of patient
to acquire q sufficient knowl-
'dge of telegraphy to insure accuracy
n receiving and sending messages,
md without accuracy the service
oses its importance. 1t also requires
constant practice on the part Of oper-
tors to assure accuracy in their
york. The government could not
cry well, nor would not held a re-
orvs force Of skilled operators to
AXE the place Of the whole body if it
.w fit to strike. Hence the govern
aent would be placed in the same
'osition in case of strike that the
slegraph companies now occupy.
t could not force the operators to
york nor could it supply their places
vith skilled workmen.
Aside from the possibility of its be-
ng compelled to overcome q strike
here are other objections which may
e urged against thel proposition to
lace all telegraph lines in the hands
t the government. One 10 the i'm
lense amount of patronage it
1ould add to the administration
4 power and the other is the gov
rnment would not nor could not
'ork the system as satisfactorily to
40 mass of the people as it is now op-
rated. The main objection, how
YER, lays in the fact that the politi-
II party in power could safely defy
attempts to overthrow it. It
ould entrench itself in power for All
ldefnite time. Besides having q
rye army of additional employees to
'pport it at the polls it could at its
give shape, color and sub
ance to all political news. In fact
would result in what would be the
to Democratic ideas and
emocratic institutions-the CEN
of power in the hands of
political party.
1t may also be asked: If it be for
he interests Of the people for the
overnment to assn me control of all
legraph lines, why would it not be
the interests of the masses. for the
overnment to own and operate the
systems Of the country, or
10 iron works, or the cotton or WOOL
mills, and oIher Industries
hich directly Or indirectly affect
le well-being and prosperity of tho
Where will the line be
At the telegraph or at tho
undry? We believe the Govern
ent has all it car attend to now
ithout taking upon itself a business
intricate as that of conducting the
legraph system of the country.
IRISH GENEROSITY. l.
An officer of the Irish Emigrant