The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-11
And Discourses EloQuently of Advantages
That May Be Secured by the Investment
Of 100000 of the Peoples Money.
Reasons Why Lands Granted to Rail-
ways Are Not Likely To Be Forfeited.
Nine-Tenths of the Lands Entered Under the
Timber-Culture Act Said To Be in the
Hands Of peculators--General Notes.
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.

A Friend Of the Measure Points Out Some
of the Advantages Promised.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.-"There is not the
least doubt in the world about the government
furnishing the people with postal telegraphy
within very short time," said Western Sena-
tor this morning Postal telegraphy," ,contin-
ued ne, lis not half so much of an advanced
idea as fast mail trains twenty years ago, or
even the government having complete control of
mail matters when the mails were first estab-
lished. There is nothing improper in the gov
ernment assuming to supply the people with
rapid and cheap communication. The idea that
has been advanced that the government has no
right to engage in or interfere with private busi-
ness, is simply absurd I would even favor the
governnlcpt condemning and buying all the lines
in the country. They should not be confscated,
but they out TO be taken and paid for by the
government. 1t would be an advantage to the
people if the government took the lines and paid
for them at the watered stock value"
What do you think of leasing lines9"
"Oh! am in favor" replied the Senator, ''of
any plan that will give the people cheap, more
But l think it best for the government to own
its lines. The outlay is nothing. Suppose it
costs $l00. 900, OO0-I believe those are the out
side fgures--it will pay the people, for the COM
pany owning the monopoly is building lines.
paying large dividends. and watering the stock
right along. What is the government Nothing
but the people. They now pay these big profits
to few for an inferior service. I can't see any
difference if they pay that money to the govern
ment, for better service-that is. I cannot
see any undesirable difference Beside the
uniformly low rates the government would give
its people would be the broader service and the
superior. That is the great feature. The tele-
graph companies will not establish offices where
the business will not make them money, Just
like private parties would not establish post
Offices wbssk -nerU was tusufivi-nt business To
make money il they controlled the mails. Now,
the idea is that there should be a telegraph
Office in every postofice. In the small Offices
the telegraph operator would be the postmaster
and the offices would be maintained, just like
postOfices are. at the small Offices whether
there was business enough to make expenses or
not. The postal telegraph would be closely
linked with the postoffice business"
many new lines"
ITO be assured. You see the railroads and
the government wires would be separated. There
would be no more suDordinatlng to railroad
business that of the public; no more making a
secondary matter at small Offices the wishes Of
the people and those of corporations"
''Who would serve the railroads.
1.-THE government, at regular: :rates, or they
could serve themselves. The railroads own
their wires, mostly. Then, there would un-
doubtedly be lines owned by private corpora
tions. would not exclude private parties from
transmitting messages over their own wires.
There should not be the restrictions placed upon
the business that there is in the transmission of
the mails. 1t is all fol-de rol to say that the
government cannot conduct the telegraph busi-
ness as cheap private parties. In connection
with the postoffce business it can be done much
cheaper Then, if the people get better and
cheaper service there is no more necessity of the
service being self sustaining than there is of the
other branches of the government"