Delta chief., 1884-01-23
THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
Senator Hill Speaks for His BiII.

On the 14th, Senator Hill made a
speech in favor of the postal telegraph bill Of
fered by him several weeks ago. After review
ing the history Of the postal service and the
proposition of Butler, washburn and Others
favoring government control Of the telegraph
he spoke of his own proposition as follows;
HILLS HILL.
The bill fixes a popular uniform rate OF one
cent per word for all distances, with reductions
| for the press and provides for the transmis-
sion of kilograms by mail betwcci. postal telc-
graph offices and all postoffces where telegraph
| offices are not established under its provisions
i Postal telegraph offices TO be opened at all
places where telegraph offices now exist by
! July /, 1857.
The telepraphic service of the country ought
not to be performed upon the methods OF pri-
vate business operations, the governing princi-
pie OF which is necessarily that OF obtaining the
| greatest profit and charging the highest rate
| which the business will bear. The people are
entitled to telegraphic communications upon
the methods Of an enlightened public service,
not looking at all to pecuniary gains. and not
| even insisting, as a necessary condition, that
the cost shall, AT all times, be directly rcim-
! bursed In money, but having regard to the In
direct benefits Of stimulating trade, 'iinusing
| intelligence, and strengthening social and fam
lily ties The postal service by the telegraph
| ought in short, to be governed by the same
policy which We have 30 long. and with ssch
manifest and admitted advantage, applied to
the postal service In transmitting letters and
newspapers.
| Upon considerations of public policy, and
| because we believe IL 10 be for the common ad-
| vantage of the people, we have long since
with regA.d TO the relative cost oil transmitting
letters over long and short distances. adopted
a uniform rate Of postage for the entire com
The reasons are stronger in the cAse OF the
telegraph than Of the mall for the adoption Of
! . uniform rate.
The telegraph has already 20 largely taken
the place OF the mail. and will In tho future,
under the ocnigunt and fostering sdministra-
ton Of the government, supcrccie the mail to
such a degree that the peoplc OF the remote
and thinly settled districts entitled to h<
placed upon the ssmc footing 10 respect 10 this
mode OF communication - the people Of our
densely populated cities.
NOW Is THE TINE
No time can be more suspicious than the
present to encounter the expenditures OF the
new policy. including the Got OF tho lin-s and
other plant OF government telegraph. Oar
revenues are abundant that In ori-r tn re-
duce them and for the mere sak. Of reducing
them. propositions are made to rrp~~l the
taXes on articles such as whisky and tobacco,
taxes which oppress nobody. and which ar.
admitted on an hands TO be the most hitting
objects of taxation. Under . condition of
things which give risc To suggestions which re-
eeivc no ineons!derab1e support, To throw
away money by;th. repeal Of such taxes for ;hs
sake of throwing it away, Il will not be denied
that now Is the accepted time IN meet the hr.t
coat OF government telegraph s-rvto-. hits
| ever To be undertaken
I am aware that the passage Of such = bill
| would increase by several thouaAod the mum
her OF government officers and ctnployc~, and
that this is an objection which has 6crn rsised
| by opponents Of . government Telegraph sys-
| TEN. hut the same objection would prevent
the extension Of the postal servscc. which is
| growing With enormous rapidity and benefit 10
! claim II Ia. only branch of ths postal sys-
ten. which the constitution authorizes eon-
| gress TO provide, VIC should not be alarmed al
the number Of employees which II r-auirr.- To
quote ouce mort from the late Postmaster
| General Howe:
II know of no law but peons sty limiting ,hs
employment; Of offei.is. That Eovernuen, !.
@ IL a !. an-.e fR 4 reiu:s nss g pSy .se Ss'
| ssnds when they are needed"
Again. he says that
The increase has doubtless be-n cxAgyers-
ted. Al very large percentage Of the osnoes
the postmaster. but would sappiant him. and
that would rcsslt in giving 70 the afimin.strs-
tion OF not few ossees men who have issrped
never learned % % anything"
| Te this extent ~ least the adop1inn OF poS-
tAl telegraph would reduce political patronage
and be movement In the direction of civil
service reform, and am asAsred u would also
To sofne extent reform the psvssaai Of the tels-
graph. By arnaigamating the suo c.tabi.<,-
mcnts better salaries could bo paid without an
4 VI thr preeFut expenditure ne rTst
educated operation would then b- content To
| serve at the smaller oficea inst~ad OF cro~dnE
into the cities, striking for higher wages, and
seeking other occupations vherp their efforts
to better themselves In their own have failed.
| xor POLITICAL hAcuiNR.
The foregoing considerations p-gativ. the
idea that tho telegraph would be ssssi ~ a 1o-
litical machine by the party In power. The
system would require the aervior of the whole
| body OF tclegrnphcrs In the country. It4 oil
Gers and employees would neccsaArily be sp.
pointed for their technical skiii. without re
gard to their political af1iiatious. Tho ward
striker and the more gcptcal campaign organ
hcr would thus both b. excluded from tbs
service. system In the hauds Of men OF all
parties, appointed for their efficiency, could
| not be used largely for the bcncni Of any
party. In my Judgment, foandrd upon come
experience, there Is much morc political inter
ference by the present telegraph employees than
there would br under postal syntetn regulated
by law But II this Ncrc not 40, II seems that
the public would suffer less from the active ef-
forts OF Few more place holders IN elect this
or tnat man To ONCE than II 10 likely To suffer
from the control of its communications by mo
nopolists seeking their own profit and aggrpn-
dixement
II Is doubtless Of great Importance who shall
direct, make aud execute our lava but II IL OF
much greater Importance thai thc system OF
Geographic intercourse should not b. left to
grow under private control into one of thoss
STRONG yet subtle forcca which arc constantly
operating In this country TO transfer the pro-
duction OF the many to the pockets OF the few,
and TO reduce the reward OF labor and make
the rich richer and the poor poorer.
Whatever abuses there may be In the post
once no one would propose to surrender our
postal communication wholly to q corporate
mOuOpDly. al ~. ...,,.... a.. ,nt.-