The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-06
Wanamaker Argues for Govern.
ment Ownership.
PART OF THE POSTAL SERVICE.
Only Paid Attorneys of Corporations
Oppose the Proposition.
ino fian 10 constitutional. and Proposes
Simply TO Dovetaii Two Great Ma
chines-To Give the Common People
Csc Of Needed Agency OF Businesa

WAsHrSeToy CrTY, Oct. 5.-Postmastcr.
"eherai Wanamaker tonight made pubiic
ie.'er recently addressed to the chairman
o. the House committee on postoffices. en-
pouyihg an elaborate argument favorinr
ms limited plan for postal telegraph. Ap-
pended TO the letter is a mass of matter
pertaining to the subject, making alto
gether 223 pages closely printed. The
postmaster general in his letter. saws in
part: says -
After standing for the year mast in tbs
midst OF controversy over postaI telec-
raphy. that for over forty wears has pon.
on with sharper tone and widening rangs
| am more than ever convinced Of tba vs;..
dom and practicability of restoring the
telegraph to the postal service. and rner;nr
it what it was originally intended tn be :
part of the postal system. I saw hi. .ft.-
closely studying the argument against The
bill. made so vigorously by the oreat tals-
grapn company which is now its only v;sl.
pie opponent. do not believe it is possi-
pie 10 argue this question down. There is
q oeep ana iar-resching conviction among
'ne people that the telegraph service is by
iisht part OF the postal service. The
measure IS TO the country a vast enlarge
hieilt tot the postal system and brings home
10 me people the cheap use OF one of the
most powerful agencies of modern conn
merce and civilization
AS to the constitutionality of postal te.ep-
raphy the postmaster general says. in
part:
1T has been argued by learned lawyers
Tor score of years that a government tele-
graph IS unconstitutional. The motives Of
these gentlemen have been plain in all
cases. They have been paid ATTORNEYS of
corporations whose special interests have
demanded that monopolies should in no
way be interfered with. Other opponents
were those who imagined the constitution
would be exposed to every sort of outrage
were they to fall sick for day. Courts Of
tne highest appeal have settled this oues-
ton Congress settled il in advance Of
judicial action by making the United
States owner and the postoffice department.
manager of the first line of wire con-
structed for commercial and public use.
Old government telegraph schemes were
constitutional. What shall be said then Of
the limited postal telegraph plan which
have been criticised for bringing forward ,
There is no doubt it is constitutional. The
attorney general for the department has
assured me that the conclusion that tha
scheme is constitutional cannot be re-.
sistedn
In concluding the postmaster general
says he has always invited the most rigid
scrutiny and criticism of the measure.
1T is not" he says, "a proposition to
take money from the treasury or employ
additional civil servants; it is not prone
sition to put any power whatever in the
hands OF the government which is not at
present greater and more dangerous where
it is. 1t is proposition simply to dovetail
together two great machines so that one
shall do business equitably, and by that
means make more money (which shall
willingly be accorded to it by the peoplel.
the other to utilize its present skilled and
faithful energy to help supply the people
with still better means of communication.
furnished still more rapidly. 1t is not 8
proposition to buy the railroads or coal
mines. sawmills or baker shops of the coun-
try. If others speak out for the telegraph
stockholders, some one must stand for the
people in the interest of the cheaper telee-
raphy that they want. believe it belongs
to this department to take this stand. and
| propose intelligently and persistently 70
keep this subject before you. in the strong
confidence that it will not be long before
your committee viii take steps to give the
people the relief prayed for"