Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-30
THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
ahe Postmastcr GencraIs Reasons for
Opposing the Introduction of the
System.

A few days ago the chairman of the
House committee on Interstate commerce
sent a copy OF bill providing for the in
corporation of a telegraph system with the
postal service to Postmaster General Bis
sell, with the request that he furnish the
committee with such suggestions touching
the measure as he might deem proper. In
his reply the Postmaster General among
other things, says: The question of COM
bining with the already existing form of
postal service the application of the quicker
method of the telegraph and the telephone
has. l am aware, been very fully enlarged
upon by many of my predecessors. / have
the impression, however, that the bills and
arguments heretofore presented to Congress
did not contemplate the governmental own
ership of an entire telegraph system a pro-
vided for In the bill now before YOU.
Consideration of Various Claims.
From the postal standpoint, the ground
taken has been that if the Postmaster Cen
eral were given authority to establish a
limited post ana telegraph service, and as
well permission to contract with telegraph
companies for the transmission of postal
telegrams, IL would be made possible
through a telegraph bureau of the Post
once Department, to take charge of the
transmission and delivery of postal tele-
grams at greatly reduced rates.
Another reason which has been given for
the Inauguration of the postal telegraph is
that other countries have successfully, and
with profit, carried on the same for years
and this country should be quick to give to
its people all OF the advantages which are
possessed elsewhere.
While the reasons mentioned above NAV
not be all, yet they are the leading reasons
which have, in the past, led to the recon-
mendationS for the new service; and have
thought it worth while to bring the same to
in nHx ral
remarks l may desire to submit.
Did!cultie. That May Arise.
How far the present organization, without
disadvantage to the legitimate postal serv-
ice, could be utilized for the telegraph serv-
Ice. and what the additional and direct out
lays that would have to be incurred would
amount to because of adding this new fea-
ture to the postal service, are yet very un-
certain. Any estimates must be conjec-
tural, the extent to which the present force
could be used being unknown.
TO undertake such service simply
through the fundamentally of the present
organization would tend to cripple the ex-
listing service, because the present organiza-
ton is without reserve; and, besides, it
would result, III all likelihood, in an i'm
perfect postal telegraph and could not
therefore be made satisfactory to the pub
lie, even at reduced rates. The public right
fully would expect better service and cheap
er rates through governmental control, and
there would have to be sufficient latitude
given the Postmaster General to enable
him to accomplish both these features,
should Congress legislate in favor of the
new service, even should 1t necesstate ex-
penditures in excess of receipts
In conclusion, the Postmaster General In
forms the committee that the statement OF
the English postal department for 1904
shows that the introduction of the postal
telegraph in Great Britain resulted in an
actual loss in ten years of more than sl6,-
100000, and adds that this showing would
go very far toward sustaining the belief Of
the department that the creation of a postal
telegraph in this country would greatly add
to the general deficiency of the Post Office
Department. He consequently informs the
committee that he does not believe the pro-
posed postal telegraph bill (H. r. No. 44TS)
should become a law