Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-02-12
POSTAL LIGHTNING.
Wanamsker's Scheme for Util-
izing the Telegraph.
- TALK TO A HOUSE COMMITTEE.


Service self-supporting-The Democrats
Gain n Point ON the Rules Discussion.
to Cannon's Disgust-Proposed Com
mission to Inquire Into Agricultural
Depression - Congress In Brief The
Capital Budget.
WASHINGTON CITY, Jan. 12.-Postmaster
General Wanamaker yesterday gave the
house postoffice committee his views on the
subject OF postal telegraph at great length
He said he had prepared bill based on the
four bills which had been introduced In the
house this session on the same subject, and
he believed that il would be satisfactory.
He proposed TO begin the experiment by es-
tabling postal telegraph communication be-
tween the 400 free delivery offices in the
country, and TO gradually extend the service
10 smaller offices. A uniform rate on
messages could not be established Mr.
Wanamaler believed that the scheme
should be tried for ten years on leased
wires. In answer to Chairman Bingham,
Mr.. Wanamaker said he did not think the
service could be established on the basis Of
the mall service, but 1t could DO worked
toward such point. He had no doubt that
the service by itself would be self sustaining.
The postofflce department. would have the
additional delivery business receiving 2
cents clear on each letter The scheme was
not exactly in opposition to any telegraph
company, because the delivery would be
slower than that OF messages transmitted by
tbs telegraph companies direct.
Practical Working of the Scheme.
that his proposition to use postal employees as
operators for the proposed service would be
successful. In q great many instances en-
ployes assigned TO this work would be green,
but he thought he could find a number of
clerks now In the service who understood
how 70 work telegraph instruments The
knowledge of telegraphy, he said, is more
general than il is supposed to be. In the
matter Of salary he thought that the oper.
ator would not be worth more than the or
binary clerk In regard to his PROPOSE
ton 10 limit the scheme TO 400
Offices, Mr. Wanamaker was pressed by sew
eral members OF the committee to tell his
reasons for this contracted beginning. He
replied that his theory was that everything
should have beginning. The 400 Offices
would be enough to begin with, and the serv-
ice could be increased in the discretion of
government He believed that the result OF
the operation of the scheme would be a
great increase In the number of messages of
n social character.
Existing Rights Not Interfered with.
Mr.. Wanamaker said that he proposed a
union Of postal and telegraph business on a
basis that will not interfere 10 any apprscia-
BILE extent with any existing rights, but that
viii afford incalculable service TO classes not
now enjoying the use of the telegraph to any
large degree. He suggested to the commit
tee that authority be given him TO lease In
the different cities telegraph wires such as
the great newspapers, great corporations,
brokers, and others have from city 70 city,
IN order that the common people may com
municate through their business offices 1.-THE
postoffices) from city to city, or by dropped
messages in their mail boxes The business
ofices-the postoffices-he said, the people
already enjoy
A Money-Making Enterprise.
Referring TO the argument that only about
5 per cant. OF the kilograms sent were fam
lily and social and the rest commercial and
speculative, and that as not more than 9
per cent of the people use the telegraph the
rest should not be taxed TO pay the deficit
sure TO be caused by cheap telegraph rates
Mr.. Wanamaker argued that if the postmas-
ter general was authorized to contract with
a telegraph company now organized or to be
formed for this purpose the postofflce will
largely increase Its business, and that there
will be no deficit
Cause OF Postal Deficits.
The postofilce department" Mr. Wanna
maker maintained, lis not self-sustaining
because IL Is charged with carrying free the
vast volume Of mail matter of the various
executive departments OF the government;
handles the newspapers Of the country for
practically nothing, and allows the oppor-
tunity 10 pass by 20 trasmit cheap tsle-
graphic messages because there are incor-
porated companies who dispute the ground
The Prices Proposed.
Under the proposed bill the telegraph tolls
In any one state shall not exceed 10 cents
for twenty words or less, counting address
and signature, nor over IS cents for any dis
lance under ], 500 miles, nor over so cents
for any greater distance, said rates and rules
and regulations to be prescribed by the post
master general