Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-13
The Postal Teleeraph-Again.

Inc fOSLal Ie4eLItJl <AS,'+4+r
We suppose we need not make any aPol-
ogy for saying few words more on the
proposition of the Postmaster-Generai TO
contract with some or oil Of the telegraph
lines to transmit mes ages for the POST
Office Department; or, 10 express II other-
wise. the proposition tomakc the telegraph
q part Of the postal system.
We quoted yesterday from tho tax or
testimony of Mr. RosE8ATrs, OF Nebraska.
He is an expert in telegrapby, and has no
doubt that the Government ought to DO
something in order TO make ours n nation
of telegraphers He told what had been
done on line Of telegraph between CHI
caeo and Milwaukee, and must have made
a decided impression upon the committee.
On the 18th OF last month Mr.. GARDNER
G.. HuEBAnD appeared before the same com
mittee-the Committee on Post-Ohice and
Post Roads. lie said be was after any plan
which would give cheap telegraphing TO
The people. whether through the Western
Union or any other company. He said we
in this country use to telegraph less than
most Of the countries Of Europe, though
we need il more. Also. that whilst we use
the telegraph less than other countries asa
whole, yet for some purposes it IS used
more extensively here than elsewhere.
Also. that the "sore spot" in :he Western
Union Company was that it was a system
for spectators and husiness-peOple. Also,
that the United States is the only country
where the telegraph is not a part OF the
postal system.
This last is q striking fact. Surely it
must be regarded as pointing out the
policy which ought to be adopted rs soon
as possible in this country. Congress
need not hesitate to make the telegraph a
part of the postal system because OF fear
that to do 50 would be to run the risk Of
incurring an enormous expense. The
people of the United States are an active,
enterprising people. They will just as
certainly make a Government telegraph
pay as they have again and again made the
Post-O Office Department self-sustaining so
far Us letters were concerned, although
the rates OF postage ON letters have
been reduced again and again. Theo-
retically railroad across the continent
ought mover to have been undertaken; but
in point Of fact the construction of such
railroad--or rather. several Of them-has
paid UNCLE SAM handsome profit, not IN
dividends. hut otherwise. We may claim
several new States as owing their existence
ms States TO the railroads which run from
the Mississippi rivir to the Pacific Ocean.
SO strcet-railroads are found to pay in
towns which to the n0n-hopeful and nom
enterprising citizen seemed to hold out no
Inducements 70 their construction.
Mr.. HUDBAHD says that twenty-five years
ago when the English system was as our
own il now there were more kilograms
sent in the United States than in England
in proportion TO population; but the eys-
tenn was changed in England, and now
they send more kilograms than we do.
The Government of Great Britain is enti-
tied to credit for this change. Place our
Government in control Of the telegraphs
as a part of the postal system and we shall
sn the course OF few years find kilograms
flying thick and fast from town to town all
over this wide-extended land Of ours.
Mr.. HUBBARD said:
"Dr. Green proved conclusively, think.
tina. the telegraph does not meet the wants
OF the people when he said that only one
out OF every sixty of our people ever used
the telegraph. How can this want be sup
pliedf Reduce the rates, and the business
and profits will both be greater. An eXami-
nation of the telegTaphic system will show
that reduction Of so per cent. in rates has
in two years increased the business 100 per
cent, and within three years gave greater
profits at the reduced rate than at the high
rates"
These facts seem to us to be convincing.