The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-01-26

great benefit to the public. although
the utility of the charge has been some
what detracted from by the fact of the
address being counted in the words
sent. The number Of messages exclu-
sive sof railway, press, Official and
foreign kilograms, which are not at
fected by the reduced rate, and num-
Der some ten million dispatches in
1857. was 40, 1877 IFS, compared with
| 80, 0S7 1853 in 1856. The revenue in
1867 was 1854 $40, against 126,6 sos
pounds 1855. The number of mes
Sages thus shows an increase of 80 per
| cent. whilst the revenue only increased
by 8 per cent. This was the first COM
plete year under the reduced rate.
QuestiOn-WOuld the public be will
| ing to have the telegraphs go back
into the hands Of private companies.
Answer-The Overwhelming, in fact,
almost unanimous, feeling would be in
opposition to the return to private
management.
MI. Thurber added that the friends
OF q postal telegraph in this country
contend that the transmission of in
telligence is government function.
That electricity is the most important
means Of doing so, that the
telegraphic service has been ex-
tended to large number of
places which would not have enjoy
ed its benefits if the telegraphs had re-
manned in private hands; that the SER
vice has been greatly improved, is more
efficient that in this country and q
great deal cheaper than when the
telegraphs were taken hold of by the
government. The uniform charge of a
| shilling for twenty words to any distance
/ resulted In an enormous increase IN the
use of the telegraph; that large addi-
tiOns to the plant have been made and
paid for out of the current receipts,
and if the telegraphs have not each
year paid the interest on the bonds is
/ sued for their purchase, IL they had
been credited with these better-ments,
and with the free service to the govern
ment departments, they would have
been able to show a credit sufficient to
pay the interest on the bonds, and If
| they were credited with the increased
service given the public beyond what
| the private companies were giving at
the time the telegraphs were taken
over, it would show an enormous bal
ance on the credit side, and that
private companies would never have
tried the experiment Of a reduction in
rates first to a shilling for 20 words and
subsequently to 6 pence for twelve
words.
Erastus Wyman, of New York,
spoke in opposition TO government con-
tract. He said that in the British post
Office report of 1887 the
fable foF G the rsos 9ear and lssO expenses
1867 inclusive, shows a steady in
creasiDg deficit amounting during the
last fiscal yea to over $1,000, 900. To
meet this loss the whole population are
taxed to afford a cheap telegraph SER
vice to the very small percentage of the
population that ever used it. The tele-
| graph is essentially the adjunct of
commerce, and it is estimated
that not more than 2 per cent,
of the entire population use the tele-
graph in any one year and in the
| United States not over per cent. OF
the revenues of the telegraph is de-
| rived from family social messages
| About per cent. is derived from
news service and the remainder, about
81 per cent, is commercial and Specula-
tive, the greater part being the latter.
A large portion of this speculative
| business is for bucket shops" and
| pool rooms, where chances are sold on
races thousands of miles away. Is it
fit and proper that the whole people
should be taxed to tighten the expense
of 2 per cent of the population? Leav-
/ ing out the press service, which is rem
dered here for less compensation
than in Great Britain, the
whole number of messages
of two-thirds of a message to each in
habitant. AS to the quality of the SER
vice all persons of any experience in
European affairs unite in recording
the service on government telegraphs as
generally bad, with no accountability
| or redress for even the most fragrant
negligence. 1t is more especially tardy
and uncertain in delivery when
the message passes over two
or three systems OF gov
tolls for messages passing from one
country to another is always greater
than for like distances in this country.
| OF the II 900 telegraph offices or sta
tions, maintained in the United States
more than three-fOurths are operated
by railroad companies who are obliged
to maintain stations for railroad
service. Otherwise they could not be
maintained except at a loss. Are all
employ. If the British telegraph,
in its compact and circumscribed area
in a thoroughly clean country of dense
| population, and with its low salaries
made deficit of 81, $50, 900. a year,
| a government telegraph in the United
States with four times its length of
| lines, and three and half the length
of lines to maintain, covering an area
of country twenty times as great and
with large salaries, handling only
| about the same number of messages
and adopting the British rate of tariff
| would possibly make a deficit of &c.
| 000, 900 per annum. If the rightful
demand of taxpayers should require
/ the lines to be branched and extended
and telegraph stations opened at every
postOfice, the outlay for the plant would
run up to nearly $500, 600 600 and the
deficit upon its operation be still more
greatly multiplied. There are some
SO, GOO postoffices at which telegraph
stations would be needed. Each sta
ton would require an operator and al
the large commercial centers from 30C
to 800 employees, with ten to thirty al
each of the intermediate sized towns
and cities, so that the aggregate ap-
pointees would exceed loo, 600, or dupli-
cate in number the present appOintees
under the administration of the gen.
would presumably feel bound to work
in the interest of their immediate
employers. 1t would he the longest
stride ever made by one act towards cen.
traliZation Of power, and a significant
step in the direction of socialism and
the theory of parental government.
After further discussion the follow
ing resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That the usefulness o!
the postoffice department should be ex
tended in the direction of telegraphi'
communication, and we urge upon con
gress the earliest favorable considera
ton of this question.
The question of commercial uniol
with Canada, was discussed at somi
length. and the following resolution
was adopted:
Resolved, That the executive council
be directed to memorabilia congress t
provide for the commercial relation
with the Dominion of Canada, upol
the broad and comprehensive principle
> of complete reciprocity.
The discussions of the question O
the abolition or reduction of the inter
nal revenue tax occupied large par
! of the afternoon session. At the clos
of the discussion, the following resolu
, tions were adopted:
Resolved, That recent events hav
l shown in a manner, which canno