The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-02-10
THE PEOPLE
WILL BE DEPRIVED OF THEIR
DAILY PAPERS
If the Bill Establishing Govern.
ernment Control
OF the Telegraph Lines Passes
COngress--A Vicious
Law Which Will Ruin Half the
Newspapers,
Place the Other Half on Short
RatiOns,
And be Productive OfMuch Harm
in Other Respects.

Telegraph" was the topic assigned to COL
O. Il. Jones, of the Jacksonville, Fla.
Union, and he discussed II in q carefully
prepared paper. He began by saying that
he proposed to deal with the subject in q
practical way, for the reason that he re.
garded It as very practical. The strongest
argument in behalf OF q Government tele-
graph system, and the one that is most
relied on Is, that 1t would be cheaper, and
most OF the advocates Of Government con.
troll seem to think the argument is closed
wHRN THIS RxERTIoN Is MADE.
The Speaker, however, felt constrained
to say that the experience of this and
other countries with Government work
furnished no reason for believing that ex-
Ceptional cheapneRs would be q feature OF
1t. In 1887 over II, ,000, 900 messages we're
handled by the Western Union Telegraph
Company, and these were sent by less
than 1000, 900 people. The whole Of the
telegraphing in the United States is done
by less than two per cent Of the population.
These figures make 1t plain that cheaper
telegraphing by reducing the rates below
cost and making up the deficit by taxa
ton meana to tax 9S per cent Of the peo.
pie, who never use the telegraph, for the
benefit Of the stock.brokers, speculRtors,
gamblers, pool.men, bucket-shop pro-
prietora and sporting men generally who
send 81 per cent OF the messages.
The speaker then considered the SUBJ
ject from the point Of view Of
PRACTICAL NEWSPAPER MAN.
The newspapers Of the United States,
he said, are now enjoying the cheapest
and most efficient telegraph service Of any
newspapers in the world. The British
telegraph press rate is 25 cents per 70
words during the day and 25 cents for 100
words ct night to each place, where bnt
one paper is Berved, and 4 centg for 70
words during the day and 4 cents for 100
words at night for each additional paper
served. Other figures were given by the
speaker showing that, viewed in any
way poseible, the American press
rate Is now cheaper than the same
service in England by from one.titth TO
one-hslf. These figures apply to the ser.
vice of the Press Associations, the cost Of
special telegraph service in the United
States being one.halt cent per word and
in Great Britain one-third OF cent per
word. In the United States, however, the
distance Ia an average OF four times greater
than in England. The bill introduced by
Senator Collum provides that the night
rate for newspaper dispatches, when the
dispatch goes to more than one Office, shall
be 25 cents per 100 words.
WILL BE BAD FOR THE NEWSPAPERS.
This Ia more than twice the rate now
charged by the Western Union for trans.
hitting Associated Press reports and ten
times tho rats charged by the same COM
pany, where the reports are delivered by
leased wires TO four or FIVE papers in the
same city. The truth is that the substi-
tuition oil Government telegraph service
for that OF the Western Union on the
basis OF the Cullom bill would speedily re-
suit in one OF two things. Either the
bankruptcy Of q large proportion
Of the newspapers away from the
great centres or in depriving the
public OF very large proportion Of the
news Of the world, which 1t now enjoys
through the daily newspapers. Nothing
90 far;reaching in its effect upon the press
Of the country, has ever been proposed in
Congress. It would be about the same as
II Congress should enact law legislating
out Of existence half the daily papers Of
the country, and putting the remainder
ON SHORT RATIoNS
as regards telegrsphic news service, but
even this Is not the moat serious objection
from newspaper mans point OF view.
The mere suspicion that newspapers had
been subjected to Government inspection
or censorship would reduce by at least one
half the value OF that news to newspaper
publishers and to the general public. A
memorable illustration OF public resent.
ment at the suspicion that news had been
doctored was furniahed in connection
with the election returns OF the Associated
Press at the Presidential election In 1884,
whether rightly or wrongly-wrongly as
the speaker believed-A belief gained
CredenCe that the Associated Press and
the Western Union Telegraph company
had doctored the returns from New York
State In the interest Of Blaine. The feel.
ing aroused by this was 30 intense in New
York City that It came near leading to the
mobbing OF Jay Gould, and even in Jack.
sonville, where the speaker publishes an
AssociRted Press newspaper, the feeling
ran 90 high Rs for time to endauger the
value OF the franchise. What value would
the public attach TO news emergencies Of
this kind II they knew that the trana-
mission was through the medium OF Gov.
ernment employees, which under
EXISTING POLITICAL METHODS
means the employees Of the party in
power. It ia no argument to say that
there is no complaint sgsinst the Gov.
eminent mail service In this respect. The
contents Of letters cannot be made known
without violation Of law and without se-
rious risk OF detection. On the other
hand, with the telegraph system under its
control Government officials would have
every opportunity to become acquainted
with every detail Of the business OF firms,
corporations, and the secrets OF politiaal
parties and party leaders. In continental
Europe, this espoignSge is 80 notorious
that every man who sends telegram as
Bumes as matter Of course that Il will be
scrutinized by government officials, II its
contentg are important, or In the least
suspicious. Even in England the same
condition OF affairs exists in q modified
Bense. A fair inference from these facts,
that In case Of the most useful and valua.
BILE news that Is obtained by the neWspa-
per publisher or editor, the supply would
be at once cut of. That II would enor-
mously complIcate the difficulties Of
RUNNING POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS
in this country no one can doubt. That
It would put an enormus advantage into
the hands OF the party in power, no one
will question. In conclusion, Col. Jones
said: "rhat It would put into the hRndu
Of the politicians deadly weapon agRinsi
the press, which they would be constant