The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-24
AN ABSURD REPORT.

Either there is Misrepresentation, or the
Senate committee on postofices and post
roads is ingenious beyond belief. Its al
legged conclusions relative to postal telegraph,
as prepared by Senator Hill if the report
made public yesterday can be believed, are
erratic enough to provoke criticism from the
veriest tyros in matters of public polity. A
schoo-boy who would not make haste to dis
claim such a preposterous argument would de-
serve to be demerited. To seriously com
plain of the censorship" exercised by a non
political and non partisan organization, and
then propose to remedy the matter
by placing the whole system under
party control is simply disqualification.
To the Western Union Telegraph Company a
Democrats dollar is just as acceptable as that
of Republican, and the former will command
just as much and just as good service as the
latter The relationship between the tele-
graph company and the Associated Press is
one of business solely, in which newspapers of
every conceivable political complexion COM
bine to secure mutual advantages. That these
are secured is testified to by the fact that no
complaint has come from any of them. To
interfere in this arrangement would simply be
an impudent intermeddling, for which no de-
cent excuse could De offered. But
the supreme absurdity Of the re-
port is reached when it is
confidently asserted, with respect to market
reports that the Western Union ''has only to
give true quotations single hour, Or less than
that, in advance to those whom it means to
favor" In this day and age of ten thousand
''tickers," in every city and town where mar
ket reports are received and made the basis of
business transactions, it is foolish to talk of
the telegraph company manipulating reports
and delaying them, an hour cor even less"
1t is quite safe to say that every quotation in
the New York and Chicago markets is known
in San Francisco and all intermediate points
within ten minutes after it is made in open
board. The absolute absurdity of the alleged
argument is revealed when the committee
confesses that up to the present time there
never has been an instance when the markets
have been so manipulated, but they fear there
may be in the future. Such tender solicitude
is only equaled by that of the emotional young
woman who mourned over the possible death
of the possible child of her possible daughter,
in case she herself might be'married and be-
come a mother.
The desire to make political capital, to
''tackle some evil, is SO great in the breast
of certain politicians that common sense is
lost sight Of and the absurdest arguments are
advanced to bolster up the reform de-
manded. Let it be granted that the Western
Union Telegraph Company needs looking
after, the committee owe it to the intelligent
and far-minded of all parties to render an
honest and dignified report, so that the merits
gers plea will not avail with the public. as a
jury. 1t is barely possible that the committee
has advanced this informal report as a
"feeler," to be withdrawn or modified in event
of hostile criticism 1t ought to be evident
that the people will not rush the government
into the telegraph business without the care
fullest deliberation and the full conviction
that the change would be wise one. I'm
questionably it is beneath the dignity of
national legislators to put forward such an
untenabe argument as the one ascribed to
the Senate committee on postofices and post
roads