Evening journal., 1890-02-12
MS TELEGRAPH SCHEME.
"A Government Rival for the
Western Union.
TEN CENTS ron TWENTY WORDS

@he Postmaster General Presents His
r1an and Argues for hts Dln-The Ser
vs~e Would BE Self Sustaining aud a Pub
lie Beneht, re Says.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1o.-Postmaster Cen
sral Wanamaker appeared before the house
committee on postofiices and post roads and
read an elaborate statement in favor Of a
systens4of postal telegraphy Hesaid be had
prepafsd bin based on the four bills which
had been introduced in the house this session
would be satisfactory.
To Begin with 400 Ofnces
He proposed 60 begin the experiment by
establishing postal telegraph communication
Between the 400 free delivery offices In the
rountry, and to gradually extend the SER
vice TO smaller offices. A uniform rate on
saessages could not be established. AIr
Kanamaker believed that the scheme should
be tried for ten years on leased wires.
his Plan Of Operations.
Postmaster General Wanamaker, in speak
ing Of bis proposed BILL said that it invested
the postmaster general with authority to
contract with responsible parties to connect
the free delivery postofIices Of the country
10y telegraph by leasing wires and instru-
ments to be operated by postoiilce employees
He does not propose in his bin that the gov
eminent should purchase OF build telegraph
lines; nor that large sum be appropriated;
nor that q new body Of employees be created,
but simply the utilization Of the postoiiice
buildings, clerks and carriers now in use
@nd by the convenience and economy Of
service, to greatly accommodate the public
an a business that should not be divorced
from tho postofilce, as it is nothing more or
less than the carrying Of messages
10 Help the Common People.
He suggested to The committee that nu-
shorty be given him TO lease in the differ
emit cities, telegraph wires such as the great
newspapers, great corporations, brokers
and others have from city 60 city, in order
that the common people may communicate
through their business Offices tthe postoiiicesl
from city to city or by dropped messages in
their mail boxes. All that is needed to
build up the service is authority and a wire.
he argued that such a service is the legiti-
mats work Of the postof1ice and that the
people are right in stoutly demanding tele-
graph facilities at postal stations He then
gave brief history OF the origin and duties
Of the pcstofiice department aud spoke Of
how the telegraph, when first brought into
use. was placed under the direction Of the
postmaster general, but owing to the failure
OF congress to maintain the service Ia lS47
IL passed into the hands Of private persons,
The Western Unions Profits.
After tracing the novemant inauguratcd
in 1862 for "a postal telegraph service and
the unanimous reports in its favor from
postmaster generals and from congressional
committees Of both parties, Mr.. Wanna
maker said that the opposition 20 it is be-
heved TO come from two most powerful aud
Interested parties. He then went on TO com.
pare the receipts Of the postoilice depart
ment with the Western Union and said that
the gross revenue of the department in 1871
was $50, 637 600, while the receipts Of the
Western Union last year were SO, 1S3, 900
One hundred millions OF dollars of net
profits be said have been paid over by the
people to this one company in twenty-three
years. The revenues Of the department have
1onbled within fifteen years, while the bust
sess and receipts Of the Western Union have
Aoubled in ten years He read statistics
showing that this country led Great Britain
h the number Of communications sent by
snail, but was far behnd in the number az
~eteBfHhAS
The People Would Like IL.
He maintained that experience has shown
that every decided advance In the way Of
added facilities, convenience and chenpness
has been appreciated by the public and
cited as examples the reduction Of postage
from three TO two cents and the introduction
of the postal card and the increase in bust
mess and in revenue that followed both Of
these changes He thought that this would
prove to be the case if telegraph rates were
reduced He claimed that the service would
to be self sustaining in very short time, il
not from the start
Ten Cents Per Message.
Under the proposed bin the telegraph tolls
in any one state shall not exceed ten cents
for messages Of twenty words or less, count
ing address and signature, nor over twenty
five cents for any distance under 800 miles
nor over fifty cents for any greater distance.
said rates and rules and regulations to 10
prescribed by the postmaster general.
r.