Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-07-21

do q public busln' %. 10 the Woros Oh tue
Supreme Court OF the United States, "the tele-
graph has changed the habits Of business
and become one Of the necessities OF com
merce. II is indispensable as a means OF In
Accommodation. Goods are sold and
money paid upon Geographic Orders. Con-
tracts are made by telegraphic correspond
| euce; carpoes secured and the ovement OF
ships directed. TIE telegraphic announce
ment Of the markets abroad requisites prices
at home, and q prudent merchant rarely en-
ters upon an important transaction without
using the telegraph freely to secure informa-
ton" Railroad travel is covered by tele-
graph, and hence the very lives of the peo-
pie are dependent upon its operation. In
short, telegrsphic communication is inter-
woven with the entire industrial, commercial
and social fabri; of the country. 1t is a ne
cessity to The people, and as such, and by its
chartered origin, it incurs important public
obligations which it is bound TO discharge
Facilities for communication must be given;
which human foresight and diligence can
overcome. A strike of its operators is no
excuse 10 itself 10 law for any avoidab!e
cessation Of its exercise. If it refuse the
conditions of the strikers, it must, without
unreasonable delay, find others to take their
PLACES. It is bound to fulfill its obligations
by keeping up it's service, and can be COM
pslled 10 do SO by the courts. Last summer
the freight-hsndlers in New York struck
against the railways, which we're prosecuted for
damage caused by delay, when The Supreme
Court emphsticslly declared shat a railroad
corporation is compellable BY mandamus 10
| exercise its duties as a carrier of freight and
passengers, and that the power 30 to compel
it rests equally firmly on the ground tbAt
that duty is a public trust, which, having
| been conferred by the State and accepted by
the corp ~1ration, may be enforced for the
public benefit" The telegraph service neces-
sArily comes under the same strict provisions
| Of the aw. The above decision goes on 10
ask whether the railroad corporations can
"refuse or neglect to perform their public
duties upon a controversy with their en-
ployes over the cost or expense OF doing
them? We think this question admits OF but
one answer. Tue excuse has in law no valid
ity. Tue duties imposed must be discharged,
at whatever cost. They cannot be laid
down or abandoned or suspended without
the legally expressed consent of the State.
The trusts are active, potential and impera-
tive, aud must be executed until lawfully
surrendered" In short, the law holds that
where the public interests are concerned
those interests are paramount and must be
regarded. The substance of the above ID
strongly laid down by the New York Herald,
and is too authoritative for dispute. Consider
ing the position Of the telegraph and the pub
lie nature and national importance Of its
duties, it cannot but strike the minds OF the
reader that such duties ought not to be con-
fded to the care Of any private corporation,
for the primary object Of such a body is
not the performance OF public duties, but the
realiz alton of profit upon capital expended.
The business performed by the telegraph is
the same as that performed by the postofice,
that OF facilitating communication between
| Individuals and associated bodice. The mode
Of communication differ, the service per-
formed is the same. Postm aster-General
Howe's annual r.port of the fiscal year end
iug June, 1882. pointed out that almost all
countries bat ours have found II necessary to
probability that = similar consolida tior
would BECOME necessary here. Congress aoma
time ago provided a mode for adjusting thu
terms upon which the United States MAJ
purchase all telegraph lines, either for pos,s
or other purposes. That time, the Postmss
ter-General thinks, has fully come, and thu
present demoralizs alton of the service will
probably lead The public to agree with him
That officials report proceeds to show tina
combination with the telegraph would facili
tate the postal business in various waye
such as the extension of postal delivery t.
where kilograms had to be delivered ant
giving tidings OF delayed mails. The COM
bination would also improve Geographic man
agement, and make the service cheaper, s.
the two together would cost less than whel
separate, in rem, fuel, light, and from Their
being one instead of several sets o
management expenses. Corporations seel
dividends, the postal system is solely for tn,
discharge of a public duty. Such a com
bination is the only resource from monopoi,
and oppressive charges. Telegraphic servio
in private hands IL liable TO abuse from th
temptation 10 ssnd false quotations of price
and of events By which prices are affected
and such a power is too formidable TO be re
tanned in private hands; such possibility o
abuse should be prevented by taking il il
time. In government hands the telegraph
would maintain neutrality between conf ici
ing interests. There would be an increase o
government officials, it is true, but only o
such whose services were needed and VIII
would be performing good and acceptable
work. The surplus millions now reachinI
the Treasury could be put 10 no better us'
than in buying up the present lines, and III
low rates at which telegraphic service woul'
be performed when in possession of the pub
lie would repay them within ten years. No,
is the time to agitate the subject 30 that III
next Congress may act.