Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-25

The Rate 60 Re rnfl the Telegraph
Gem VA nics. -

= Postmaster Gcnsra Bissell while opposed
10 monopclies, is stu IN f-vor Of Their re
ceiving fair re:,iuacra. lion for whatever
work the government nay-contrart with
then. He has, accordingly, ~ ed the rates
Ter government telegraph with the various
telegraph companies fer the present fiscal
year In sEch a manner as Ill give the COM
pSnies fair profit on their contract; when
Pestmaste: General -Uanamaker had this
subject NJ fer consideration he refused TO
make the same rates with the companies as
,hfse approved 10y his -e!ccessor; Don NJ
iick,nscn-at ~ per cent IN open market
ss.sd as the companies wruld not agree TO
vary government messages at lower rate
no ccttract -,'as m s.e with >therIi.' IL was
agreed, however. between Mr.. Nanamaker
aud tne Various cCmpsnr thct the latter
s'fouli ckEt.slues to transmit government
aeie graphic ct E.mUnfcatiGHs at q rate to be
oetefni.lcu iate- and tor foar years did
withcit any remuneration. rsey, however.
look the case INTO The Co-rt of Clasms and
AL the coTn!an 60 LIED bin on the basis OF
Il ~ per cent tate IN open marxet This
care - sui pending, but when reached there
Is no coGbt mat Tire court will award them
what has generally been regarded a. a fair
i1rlce-tetween - ana ~ Der cent-accd I'd
ing 10 the then existing. CONF. ticns During
fSstmaster General Bi=sells i.rst year OF
administration the yearly contract cam. TO
his attention, and after some a.scus,,,.n AZ
was agreed 6hat the rate should lie reduced
10 % per cent IN open market or a reduction
CT per cent from the rates made during
al G previous to the DicktrsCa regime This
contract reduced the aggregate b. a con-
siderable amount, AM last year the bill fer
the service Of all the executive departments
ir,luaing the weather bureau. aggregated
Gbout s2uo,tUh. As the weather bureau now
maintains sepG -site ana distinct service
the true amCGn- for the executive depart
n'ents IS not mCre thar si51.Ws. Tie Post
master General regards the rate fixed fCr
the last ana the pres ent fscai year az , far
one, and the compan. were willing to make
a SPECIFIC il even lower rate .hal here
tcfore, rathe- than carry the case into the
Court OF Claims for subsequent adiudica-
tica.
There are 103 telegraph companies which
have accepted the conditions of tho act Of
July "a. l>t6. and which are subject TO the
provisions CT The order CT the Ptstrrlc ster
General fixing government rates and an OF
these companies have fled an acceptance
! TO The rates determined by the Postmaster
General.
| BY the terms Of the contract between the
Postmaster General and the telegraph COM
panies instead of computing the actual dis
tances OF ransr1issicp, the distance for pay
| mcnt shall in all cases be taken ABSOLUTELY
TO be the number Of miles between the can't
| tai OF the state or territory, CT from the CITY
OF Washington, il firm within the District
| Of Columbia, from within which, whatever
the place. the message is Sc mt and the capi-
tai OF tie state or territory or the CITY of
| Washington, pt,oa the shortest route he
tween such cGpitals. IL is clso provided
that II On July ], or at any time during the
ensuing year, any company shall charge the
| public for Message OF ten words CT less
| exclusive or The date or address ana sigma
ture, a less rate than is fixed in the contract
/ for twenty words the rates made with The
government shall be reduced SO as 70 pre-
| SCRIBE with those given the public.