The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-01
{ DAILY, $40 A YEAR I,
! 5 CENTS A COPY.
WEEKLY. $1-25 A YEAR
RATES FOR TELEGRAMS.
THEPOsTMAsTER GENERALS NEW
SCHEDULE.


10 Cents for Ten Words for 400
Hnnes-NiGht Messages Fixed at is
cents for Twenty Words-A Letter
to Wanamaker.
! WASHINGTON, Oct 31.-An order Of
postmaster General Wanamaker dated
yesterday, was promulgated to-day. fixing
'ne rates Tor government telsgraphic serv-
ace during the current fiscal year. The
basis for day service is 10 cente for ten
words, and half cent for each addltioo.I
word for distances under 400 miles. with a
shorig scale ofincrease for distances greater-
snaA 9OV miles, For night messages OF not
exf'eeding twenty words the rate L Is cents
Aor ali distances and half a cent for each
aaoitional word Date, address and sio-
nature are excluded from count both day
and night
SIGNAL SERVICE MESSAGES.
signal service cipher messages are to be
charged at "a cents per word. Detaiied
rules for computing distances are laid down.
WAh reference TO the above order. Presi-
dent Green of the Western Union telegram
Company says: ''The rate fixed bv The
Fostmaster General is undoubtedly below
COST, but am not prepared TO say what the
ascitude OF the company will be until after
the matter has had the Consideration of tha
executive committee next Wednesday. The
reduction averages about 80 per cent. from
tne Old rate, which was not a remunera-
ave one.n
LETTER FROM wANAMAKER
- Inc following letter from the Postmaster
General 70 PRESIDENT Green, of the Westarn
Union Telegraph Company, was also made
public to-day:
~ ~ WAsTHaGToN, Oct. 80, 1889.
1T. NofOtr Green, President Western D,,fo,l
detegrdph Company, Netc York:
sah DLhh oR-heferrinR to the question Of the
Sstaolshment OF rates fer government mes
sSages tor the fiscal year ending June 80 1890
desire Co call your attention 20 the fact thar bv
she letter OF July you requested that s'officiaI
declaration" of the new rate be withheld until
opportunity could be had for a conference,
"non request was promptly complied with.
LAST SUMMERS INTERVIEWS.
After considerable correspondence and several
.ntervlews with you at Saratoga, you proposed
70 come TO Washington for further disctissIon
OF OF me subjects at issue had the honor Of q
Nlsit from you early last month, and when Il
parted with you understood you TO say that
You would call the next day, at which time
expected that we would reach a
of an agreement upon the basis OF rates for
government telegraphing for the present fiscal.
year L regret that your did not find IL con-
yenlent then or since to pursue the subject
further, and beg now to say. that inasnuch asS
more than reasonable time" has been granted
FOR conference, ii is necessary for me to fix
NtVSA5 bho hoW N1teh IOT the year.
MADE CAREFUL INQUIRY.
IL desire to state that have availed myself OF
ali accessible sources OF information to ascer-
tain the rates and rebates in force with various
classes ot customers Of the telegraphic busI-
ness, and have weighed carefully all your able
arguments in relation to rates, and while
cannot admit your claim that the privileges ac-
corded to telegraph companies by the act OF
congress or 1885, are not and never have been
OF any value TO your corporation, / am i'm
pressed with what you say m opposition TO the
application OF Associated Press rates TO 9ovarn-
ment business, and consequently have Tor the
current fiscal year revised the order fixing rates
and issued the same this day to all departments
OF The government. A copy of the order In
herewith enclosed.
BASIS OBJ THE NEW SCHEDULE
As the reduced rates hereby determined for
DAY messages are practically the same as those
upon which one Of the divisions or departments
OF your company, as well as one OF It's principal
competitors, transacted business for the public
generally for considerable time, until alb
sorDeo oy your company, presume no question
can arise as to the fairness of these conclusions
Permit me to also add that while there is no
necessity or intent to place any burden upon
your company, yet 4 am convinced that the
government is entitled to very special con-
sideration In rates and privileges of telegraphic
service; therefore, for the purpose Of deter ,
mining government rates In the future, I now
formally propose what 1 have already
willing TO approve. viz: the appointment
OF commission OF five suitable persons two by
your company, two by this department and the.
nth by the four so chosen) &c inquire and re-
port 70 this department and to your company
upon the actual cost and proper value of tele-
graphic service, their conclusions TO embrace q
Recommendation Of equitable rates for the Qoyy
ernment teeRraphic service for the next sucss
ceeding fiscal year. Very respectfully yours,
JOHN WAEAMAKER,
frna cfarG Gana .