The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-09-01
Be!iefThat They Are Completing the Details Of
a Plan That viii Be Practically aPOst-
al Telegraph Arrangement.
Comprehensive Plan Upon Which the
Next Census VIII Be Conducted.
Marshal Ransdells Appointments-The New
Interstate-Commerce Commissioner An
nounced-Minor Washington News.
POSTAL TELEGRAPH SCHEME.

New and Comprehensive Deal on Foot Be
tween the Government and Western Union
roecIa, 10 the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Aug S1.-The report that
Postmaster-general Wanamaker and DR..
Norvin Green have been in consultation
concerning scheme whereby the telegraph
company is to accept messages prepared by
stamp at extremely low rates, and that the
1etter-carriers are to deliver these messages
free of charge. created good deal of talk
in Washington to-day. Inquiry at the de-
partment failed to reveal the foundation
for the report, and the Postmaster general
himself declines absolutely to talk upon
the subject. 1t must. therefore, be taken
with number of grains of allowance, as
the Postmaster-general hardly has the
power under the law TO enter into q con-
tract which would involve the employ
ment of government servants by a private
corporation. There is no doubt, however,
that Wanamaker believes that some such
scheme as that outlined below can
be successfully carried out, but it
will need congressional action, and
1t is probable that the conference
was with the idea OF presenting TO Con-
gress, views in harmony with the sugges-
tion that letter-carriers should be engaged
to deliver kilograms. Mr.. John w. Mackey,
according to the report, was also in con-
ference with the Postmaster-general and
Doctor Green yesterday, when they had
their talk about the relations between the
telegraph companies and the govern
ment The main features of the plan are
the transmission of telegraphic messages at
reduced rates by the Western Union COM
pany and the collection and delivery of the
messages in consideration of the privilege
by the Postoffice Department. Mr.. WanR
maker has had in mind for two or three
months some plan of this sort His friends
say that il is simply one of those bold
strokes by which he has built himself up
In his private business, and by which, If
the pending negotiations do not fail, more
will be done TO popularize the Postotfice
Department and do credit to this admins
tration than any one thing since the days
of Blair.
1t can be outlined only roughly, but it
can be outlined about as accurately, ex-
cepting details. as it was outlined at the
conference. The free-delivery system is to
be utilized for the collection and distribu-
ton of telegraphic messages, and the tele-
graph company, In return for the extra
business which it is believed this innOva-
sages @ ~a at reduced ID rate 60 The fin point @ s ap
peared TO be that the cost of delivery of
messages. which is one of the heaviest
which Q telegraph company has TO bear.
will be borne by the government, without
business men or the people generally, who
in the special-delivery stamp are not salts
fed with that method, and don't quite feel
able to pay telegraph tolls, or who would
if the tolls were lighter, will be greatly ac-
commodated and pleased with the admin
istration of the Postofiice Department.
A detailed contract, by which the tele-
graph company would agree to send mes
sages at given low rate on the presenta-
tion of certain stamps by the senders or by
the carriers on particular routes who had
collected the stamped messages, and by
which the Postoffice Department. would
agree to deliver the stamps and deliver the
messages after they had been received. is
what Mr.. WannaInaker and DR.. Green are
now believed to be discussing.