Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-23
TELEGRAPH RATES
Would BE Cheaper Under Gov
ernmental Control.
SO Says Postmaster General
Wanamaker.

citations and Newspapers Bitterly OPP
pose II When They and the Poorer Peo
pie Would Be Benefited the Most
Would Reduce Rates One-H Half
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23. -"No; | hav,
not given up my fight for postal tele
graphy," said Postmaster General Wana
maker, in talking about the disrupt.oni
in the press associations. "On the con
trary, intend to push postal telegraphy
with all my power, for am confident il
will be a good thing for everybody, &nd
believe the present press association
changes will help the fight. 1t has beer
a mystery to me why the press associa
tions and the bulk of the great news
papers in them antagonize postal
telegraphy. l presume, of course
they get very satisfactory differential
rates of toll from the Western
Union Telegraph company; but it is pro-
posed to give them differential rates un-
der system of telegraph controlled by the
postoffice department Tor the people. |
contend that with the machinery of the
postoffice department, its office room
mail and special delivery and carriers, a
telegraph service can be given the people
which will be as good, if not bet er than
is now afforded, at one-half the present
tariffs. 1t is not fair to presume that
with half the facilities already acquired
for furnishing a telegraph service this
can be done, when you take into consid-
Grafton the fact that good dividends are
paid on stock watered so as to represent
twice the actual investment of capital.
THE newspapers would support the
measure offered in what will be an
amended postal telegraph bill if they
only had confidence in the ability of the
government to make a success Of it. |
am confident and l am constrained to
believe the trouble lies in lack of abil-
ity of the government to manage as
well as corporation. So far as differ
ential rates are concerned to meet the
demands of capital invested, | think a
sliding scale should be provided, where
by the largest customers ought to re-
ceive the lowest rates, as the very life of
our press associations depends upon diff
ferential rates. | understand, of course,
that the object in newspapers associating
themselves together is to get ad-
vantage in news gathering and trans
mission. If it was not for that we never
would have had great newspapers or
press associations. 1t could be arranged
or provided under a postal telegraph
law that discretionary powers for max
ing differential rates should be vested in
certain officers, and thus the demands of
the press could be met fully. AT pres
ent the masses pay the dividends on
Ea,o1 of 1aout
Now, if the government run the tele-
graph we would have to pay no diri-
dend; there would be no watered stock.
Everybody could get much lower rates,
and the press would be taken care of
fully as well, if not better, than at pres
ent.
II am in hopes that the dissolution OF
press companies and the examinations
which are being made into telegraph
contracts will demonstrate to the news
paper proprietors, as well as the readers,
wha | know now; that there is no usa
of anybody paying present rates when
they can be had so much cheaper with
out injury to any one. An incident in
connection with my business at Phila-
delphia occurred not long ago which
shows pretty well the principle | am
trying to illustrate. A telegraph com
pany wanted to put branch Office into
my store. 1t offered me 20 per cent, of
the gross receipts. told the managers
that they could put their Office in and oe
welcome if they could give the 25 per
cent. reduction to those who patroni7a
the Office in my store, and gave me moth
ing. They refused to do it because thev
said it would be making ditferential
rates. They We're willing to give the
per cent, but not to the people. So it
goes. There is nothing given to the adj
vantage Of the common people, 1t all
goes to those who do not need it.
"lt is my ambition to give the people
a telegraph service at half the present
rates, including newspapers, to make
the free delivery of mail universal in Ill
thickly populated communities, country
as well as city, and to see newspapers
and literary publications go free through
the mails. | want to see this the lead
ing country of the world in all that
makes intelligence, culture and enter
prise, and do you believe me, expect to
see this all in a very short time"