Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-06
WANAMAKER TO GREEN.
The Postmaster General Answers the
Western Union President.


letter from Postmaster General Wanna
maker to President Green, of the Western
Union Telegraph company, was made
public today:
Referring to your letters of July II, 16
and 9th which have been given to the
public press through channels other than
this department and in which you protest
against any new rate for government tele-
grams and offer various arguments to
prove that the old rate of ! cent word is
as low as your company can accept with
out loss, beg leave to say:
''First-Your unqualified statement that
the privileges and benefits derived by your
company through the acts of congress are
purely imaginary, and the accompanying
assertion that your company has never
taken stone or stick OF
timber or appropriated a foot of land be-
longing to the government, under such
acts are not sustained by facts. 1t is an
unbeatable fact that the telegraph COM
panies in accepting the act of 1866 and at
forwards supplementary acts, considered
they were gaining special and actual bene-
fits which fully compensated them for the
low rates intended to be granted to the gov
eminent, and the representatives OF the
government likewise supposed that they
were securing some benefits for the valua-
BILE concessions being made to the tele
graph companies. The telegraph company
not only accepted the acts. expecting sub
stantial benefits would ensue but in the
case of the Western Union Telegraph
company notably great and conspicuous
benefits have already accrued. Under these
grants the company has claimed the right
10 use, without CONDENSATION of any kind
as right of way. all highways of the
H.. Nf hot,
roads. 1t has broadened this claim to the
extent that the streets of cities and towns
are also post roads and therefore open and
free to it's occupancy and use. The courts
have sustained it in this claim. Thus I'M
der the benefits of this act instead of not
occupying foot of public lana as you as
sert, you are in fact occupying many
thousands of miles of post roads and are
privileged to occupy all the highways in
the country. You have thus been able to
occupy and use the streets in the large cit
les of Philadelphia and New York, regard
less of the views of the local authorities
and almost regardless of public opinion.
Even the elevated railroads in New York
City have been claimed as post roads and
the claim sustained. Beyond this the
streets of all other cities have been kept
open to your use. / am sure that on retiec-
ton you will hardly claim that such great
benefits as these are purely imaginary"
In other respects your company and
other telegraph companies have secured
substantial benefits from the government
and from the public under acts of con-
gress, but these l have mentioned are
enough, | think. to sustain my
former reference to privileges and benefits
given you by the government, the value of
which in my Judgment is beyond calcula-
ton. Comforting such great privileges and
benefits, the government In my belief eX-
pected and is entitled to receive not SIM
ply your exceptional rates to others but
even a lower special rate.
"Second-As to your question of the
legal power of the postmaster general to
fix rate for government messages / would
only remark that such right appears to
have been understood by the previous
postmasters general as an official duty and
their exercise of the right or performance
OF the duty has been generally and
constantly accepted and respected by
the telegraph companies. In any event
should say that we may agree that the act
of congress at least imposes upon the
postmaster general the duty to name the
rate and maintain it until In a court of in
Quiry the rate has been shown 10 be I'M
just"
In regard to the Associated Press rate
the postmaster general recognizes the
force of Mr. Green's statement that it
UOV UIllCldl dCllctl. De-
cause in that case the rate is wholesale
for the same dispatch sent over the same
wire at the same time. He cites the cases
of the newspapers who employ special
rates and thinks the government rate
should be equally as low.
Mr.. Wanamaker reminded Mr.. Green
that the telegraph companies have paid
large sum to railroad companies for the
privilege on the latter's right of way. and
expressed an opinion that the govern
ment ought TO receive at least as low a
rate as any one else on account of the con-
cesslons granted that by the government.
In regard 10 the company's losing at the
rate named by Mt Wanamaker, that Official
reminded Mr.. Green of the time when
messages were transmitted at the rate of
10 cents message and the company did
not lose money but made enormous
prontS- ne signal service
reports" continues Mr. Wanamaker.
make up a very large portion of the gov
ernment's telegraphlc business. The rate
is cents per word for each circuit over
which the reports are transmitted. That
rate was fixed in 1871. Since then the rate
TO the public has been reduced more than
80 per cent, but the government business
has never had the benefit OF the reliuc-
ton
Tsking these things into account the
postmaster general thinks the rate named
by him is not too low. Before enforcing
IL, however. he agrees to submit the mat
ter TO board of inquiry 10 determine the
justice or injustice OF the proposition.