The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-01-07

free traders, dissatisfied Democrats, disgruntled Republicans and mug wumps, the next fight will be a undermined affair; and he bets best who bets least on the result.
 Mir. Hatch has some ideas of his own on the subject of 8 government telegraph system. There is unmis- takably strong and growing feeling in favor of the government controlling the telegraph, as it does the mails. Both are intended to facilitate com- munication between different parts of the country both are for the diffu- sion of intelligence among the people |; and both should be so controlled and regulated as best to accomplish these ends. The government can do any thing that Is not prohibited by the constitution. There is nothing to prevent the government from manu- featuring oleomargarine, though it itself prohibits any one from selling it unless branded with it's true name and character. There is no constitu- tional provision forbidding govern mental transmission of telegrams as we'll as letters and lottery circulars. But can the government go into busi- ness rivalry with it's own citizens? Private individuals have been tor fifty years building up our vast telegraph system, and it is doubtful whether votes enough can be obtained in either house of congress to establish an op- position system by which the private property of enterprising citizens must be damaged or destroyed. England, when she adopted postal telegra phy, bought out the private lines at about sixty per cent. premium. Nearly all telegraph lines on the continent are, like the railways, owned by the governments. This is the case in Rus sia, Austria, Germany, and to some extent in France. One great objection to the measure is the immense addi- tional government patronage it would create. Neither party would want the other to control thirty thousand or forty thousand appointments in the telegraph service. The question presents good many difficulties, but it is bound to come up for serious consideration very soon, and our Washington statesmen may as well begin to wrestle with encyclopedias and patent office reports upon it at once.
 The annual election of the New York Press club, of which Uncle Ru- fus is member, has just taken place. 1t was rattling contest, with all the wire pulling and log rolling of sen- atorial election in a state legislature. Referring to it, Uncle Rufus declared that in less than twenty five years it will be a greater honor to be elected president of the New York Press club than mayor of New York city. Five or ten years ago the club was mere Bohemian organization, without money, credit or character It has been rapidly rushed towards the front in influence and power, and every year sees a marked advance. It now has over five hundred members, in- cluding many of the most eminent journalists in America or the world. 1t has a good club house, is out of debt, has snug sum in the treas ury, does an infinite amount of char itable work and stands prominently among the first social and literary so- cieties of the country. The day is not far distant when it will have a grand building, superbly furnished, as head quarters for the brains and brilliancy of the metropolis-a place in which it can extend to any visiting child of genius a welcome and a hospitality worthy of a kingly guest of royal nibses. Much of its advancement MT. Hatch attributes to the earnest and in- telligent work of the Hon. Amos Cummings, long managing editor of the Sun, and several years president of the club, who was recently elected to congress.
 MT. Hatch and Roscoe Conkling are great friends. One morning some time ago Uncle Rufus dropped in on the stalwart ex-senator at breakfast, and in the course of the conversation said {: "Conkling, I want to live yet to see you president of the United States" MT. Conkling looked at him very gravely and replied: Hatch, never knew before that you were such cow ard" "What do you mean?" asked Uncle Rufus. "You must be terribly afraid of death to want to live for ever," was the calm reply.
 P DoNAN.