The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-10
whn. are No dong to DO About i.'

WHAT Are We hOtnk 10 W AuV"s
The trouble between the telegraph COM
p4nies and their late employees-perhaps
it shSuld be said the trouble between the
Western Union Telegraph Company and
it's late employees-hss brought up for dis
cussion the general question OF telegraphIc
communication. And it may be remarked
that this method Of communication has 80
entered into the national life, has become
80 important a part Of our commercial ac'
tivity, lhst the Supreme Court oil the uni
ted States has placed it on the high ground
OF interstate commerce. No State may
therefore throw any obstacle in the way.
But q powerful combination OF capitalists
does obstruct this important feature OF in
ter.state commerce; in time Of peace, by
excessive chargest TO draw dividends on ic-
titious value; in time OF war-this is a war
timely It's inability to serve the public
satisfactorily while it is conducting a cam
paign against its former employees.
The relations between the public and
this worst form OF monopoly are, under the
most favorable conditions, strained and in
tolerable. Thus far no rival to the West
ern Union, giving any promise oil afford
ing relief, has been able to live. The
Western Union Company maintains a
graveyard in which it buries those enterpri-
zes which get in its way. The ceremony
goes by the name OF consolidation, but it
is nevertheless interment without the hope
of resurrection. Witness the Pacific and
Atlantic, the Southern and Atlantic, the
Atlantic and Pacific, the American Union,
last Of all the Mutual Union with 10000
miles OF wire. The history Of one is the
history Of all.
Perhaps the Postal Telegraph Company,
Just born, may prove to be the great rival
we are looking for; by the time it becomes
OF much service it will probably go the
way It's predecessors went. 1t may be that
the Baltimore 4 Ohio system will be
pushed until it can offer full competition
with the Western Union. This we should
not expect TO see absorbed by the Western
Union unless the Baltimore & Ohio railroad
company were absorbed at the same time
"a little more than Mr.. Gould and his
friends will attempt 10 bite oil.
But while We are waiting for the deliver
er what are wegoing to do about il? Il hap
pens that the Government can well come
to the relief, with profit to itself and with
great advantage to the people. II is not
necessary, certainly it is not desirable, to
purchase the Western Union system, based
upon stock a%bnormally distended with
"water." 1t is quite likely that Mr.. Gould
would be willing to unload water and all
on the Government, but that is not the
best ching for the country.
Let Mr.. Gould hold on to his system.
Let anybody who desires build telegraph
lines. Let Congress authorize the Post
Office Department to construct a system Of
telegraph to be used in connection with
the railroad mail service. There Is a sur
plus in the Treasury and under existing
laws the prospective diminution OF
the eyenues is not great. 1t has
been estimated that the whole Western
Union system a be duplicated for So.
100000 as an outside figure. Nj. Gould's
company is able to pay six per cent. on
four times that sum and lay up a surplus.
The. Government could make a large re-
duction in tolls and still earn a profit,
which might in time enable it to give US
n cent postage. anA
There would be no monopoly about this,
and there can be no other objection to 1t.