National Republican., 1883-12-15
A ooysrnment Telegraph.


Mr., Gardiner G. Hubbard is tho acknowl-
edged champion of government telegraph
He has been so recognized for many years,
and has contributed in a largo degree to the
agitation of the subject His plan is the
creation of company by congress which
shall construct and operate lines of telegraph
under government supervision and coutrol
and be permitted to declare dividends to its
stockholders not exceeding 10 per cent. Mr..
Hubbard had bill introduced in congress
several years ago to create such company
no himself being one of the incorporators
The government was not asked to guarantee
dividends of 10 per cont, but simply to per-
init them.
The latest expression of Mr. Hubbard's
views in favor of government telegraph is
in the North american Rcriew for December
His familiarity with the subject is unqucs.
toned, and it may DO assumed that he made
as strong presentation of the case as it
would admit Of. Yet it is by no means a
strong presentation, and in some respects is
conspicuously weak. A single admission is
fatal to his entire argument. After
stating that the entire telegraph busi-
ness of the United States is practi-
cally monopolized by ono company, Mr..
Hubbard says: This business is we'll and
promptly conducted. Though complaints are
often made of the service, and sometimes with
justice, pretty extensive use of tho tele-
graphs of England and the European conti-
nent during the last four years has con-
WINGED mo that kilograms are sent moro
rapidly, and with fewer errors, hero than
abroad. As telegraph for business,
where dispatch is essential and
tho price is of little account the Western
Union system is unrivaled." This admis-
sion practically gives away the whole case,
for the main use and object of q telegraph
5ystem is the rapid transmission and prompt
delivery of messages with the fewest possi-
Bile errors In these regards Mr.. Hubbard
admits that the telegraph system in this
country excels any other.
should be cheapcned so as to bring it within
the reach of all the people. To this it may
be answered there is no reason to believe that
al the people desire to use it nor that the
government could cheaper it to the extent
indicated. Mr. Hubbard answers both of
these points. Ho assumes, further, that the
telegraph is used for social messages in
Europe to n far greater extent than it is in
this country. lie says "eighty per cent. of
the messages in this country are on business
Matters" leaving 90 per cent. of social
messages, and that the proportion of social
messages in other countries is much greater.
This is assumption. There are no statistics
nor returns on this point, but there is every
reason to believe that the truth is precisely
the reverse of Mr.. Hubbard's statement.
Those who are in the best position to know
b{lieve that the telegraph is used for social
aid domestic messages in this country much
more than in Europe, and that the propor-
tibn of that class of messages is decidedly
greater here than abroad.
The strongest point made by Mr.. Hubbard
in favor of government telegraph is that it
should be made IL means of social correspond
erce. He admits that business messages are
sent with greater pronptness and accuracy in
this country than in any other, but insists
that the social needs of the people
dc mand lower rates. Would it be
w@rth while to establish govern
m{nt telegraph for that? Would
it be wise for congress to embark on a new,
uItried and perhaps dangerous, line of legis-
lalion simply to encourage the exchange of
enhearing messages among romantic young
pebple, or to enable John Smith to inform his
mdther-n-law by wire that his wife had
twins? Tho great need of the country is a
we e(l-conductcd business telegraph. Our social
interests are not suffering.