The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-10-08
POSTAL TBLECRAPHY.
Mr.. Wanamaker Writes Another
Letter on the Subject.
Advantages Of the Plan Proposed for
Government Control Of Tele-
HFn graph Lines.

WASHINGTON, Oct g. - p ostmaster
General Wanamaker last night made
public a letter recently addressed to
Representative bingham, chairman Of
the House Committee on Postofices,
embodying an elaborate argument in
favor Of his plan Of postal telegraphy.
Appended TO the letter, which has been
printed at the Government Printing
Oflce. Is q mass Of matter, including
opinions Of the press for and against
postal telegraphy; opinions Of promi-
nent public men on the constitution
ality OF postal telegraphy; explanations
Of various automatic and multiplex
telegraph systems, resolutions Of or
ganized bodies Of labor and capital In
behalf OF postal telegraphy, and copy
Of tho final draft Of the postal telegraph
bill submitted by the Postmaster Gen.
eral to the House Committee on Post
od1ces at tho last session OF Congress-
Altogether the document embraces 223
pages Of closely printed literature bear
ing on this subjsct s.aIsg
The Postmaster General In his letter
says in part; "Your subcommittee on
postal telegraph informs mo that all the
parties that have signined . desire to
bs heard on the postal telegraph bills
have submitted their testimony and
that 1t is in order for me TO add any
thing upon the subject After standing
for year past In the midst OF the con-
troversy over postal tslegraphy that for
over forty years has gone on with
sharper tone and widening range, am
more than ever convinced OF tho wis
dom and practicability OF restoring the
telegraph TO tho postal service and
make 1t what It was originally intended
10 be, q part OF the postal system. I
say this after closely studying the argu-
ments against the bill made so vigor-
ously by the great telegraph company
which is now Its only visible opponent
do not believe IL possible TO argue this
question down. There is deep and
far-reaching conviction among the poo
pie that the telegraph service Is by
hight q part OF the postal service. To
carry tho postal system from pony
riders TO stage coach and on the rail-
JSad service and stop all further prog
ress because 5000 owners OF telegraph
stock oppose, is no: In accord with the
genius Of our people or the spirit Of the
times
"The will OF the psople in this respect
has manifested itsolt Enthusiastically be-
fore Congress during the last twenty
years Resistance to that popular demand
may not be the wisest thing. nor Is II
fair TO count those who urge the adop-
ton In some form or other OF the postal
telegraph as hostile 10 existing corpora
lions We stand confronting a public
measure OF no mean Importance or mag
nitude. It is to give the country vast
enlargement Of Its postal system and to
bring homo to the people the cheap use
Of one OF the most powerful agencies Of
modern commerce and civilization"
As to the oonstitutlonality OF postal
telegraph, the Postmaster General
ssys: 1T has been argued by learned
lawyers for score q years thst a goy-
ernment telegraph Y pnconstitp ptispsl,
The motives of these sentienen Nave
been one OF two In all oasea They have
been the paid, attorney. OF those corpo-
rations whose special interests have de-
manded that their monopolios shouldin
no way be interfefed WITH They have
known their business and done II we'll
The other opponents were those whdim-
sgined that tho Constitution would be
exposed TO every sort Of outrage II they
were to fall sick for day. The courts
OF highest appeal have sottled this ques-
tion. Congress settled It in advance Of
judicial action, by making the United
States tho owner and the Post
oeice Department. the manager
f the first line OF wire con-
structed for commercial public
uses. The old Guvornmcnt telegraph
schemes Nvg1N. goastltp, ,ipAal. What
shall be SAID tass 20 The limited postal
telegraph plan, which Ihaye been critl-
cized for bringing forward? There Is no
doubt that II ia "5nstitutionsl, The
Constitution pern't' the Generaly Gov
eminent 10 tranSni. intelligence for
the people. The PostJiilce Department.
has been doing this. with the money
and the improvements atits disposal
for one hundred yessk II is preposter-
ous to argue that the telegraph ought
not sty be utilized for the cheapsr,
speedisf and more sccpsate trapsfhisslon
OF messages. thave,hAd prepeted and
submit for yonr reference an, appendix
which touches upon this considoration.
The Attorney Genefal TOR Tho depart;
ment assures me that bhe conclusion
that the iiihitod po4ihl Telegraph plan
Is cc41ihp p94Pf eAf fqHPfspi iistsd. n 4
with n Ieihbokats, ek b Ia d on Of the
iimiie2 biaS and 81 rs fOpSfasion; arSSl
ing tAhtai,d wouldy payHthss tejegrsph
conf fshidsaz zadi bN NhufBaaa aaleisnk 81 sdunll 4
IS lower priced. .sInodDnoiadtng he BSyns
Il deHre p oqnclysiog, 70 explain, A ,po-,,
htely AS n6aylbo,sbe dflfV9 thinyk Jhst
are not understood. Ihaye challepged
the most rigid scrutiny ofQhs Ifhitaa1
postal telegraph bill. ask to have
printed all of the printed criticisms OF
~ which have come 70 my no:ico, as
An arguhent In its favor. The limited
postal telegraph bill is not PROPOSE sion
70 taxe money from tho <easury or TO
employ additional oivil -seryAnts;,it Is
moi proposition 70 put any power what
sror In the hands OF the. Government
which Is not at present greater and
more dangerous where IL La II is .
proposition simply % doyetail together
two great msahines 70 thst one shall do