The Washington times., 1894-04-08
WANT A POSTAL TELEGRAPH
A United Effort for 1t Unlike Any
Ever Seen Before in Congress.
$4,000 PETITIONERS AND MORE
Various Bills Before Committees-senator
Butler and Congressman Rayner Are
Active in support-Allt the National Bodies
Of Organized Labor in Earnest.

The agitation in favor Of governmental
ownership and operation Of the telegraph in
connection with the postal system is assuming
a new and real proportion. This agitation is
by no means new, for the subject, in one
form or another, has been before every Con-
gress, with one or two exceptions, since 1868.
The present movement has been organized
and is now being directed by the International
Typographical Union, which at its last ses-
sion, held in Chicago in June, 1898, authorized
its president to appoint committee of WASH
ington printers to take general charge of tn.
work before Congress. Back of the Inter
national Typographical Union and enthusiast
tically supporting it are the American Fedora
ton Of Labor, composed Of nearly all thu
great international and national trade unions
OF the country; the Knights OF Labor, this
measure being one OF the principal planks Of
the orders platform; the Farmers Alliance
and Industrial Union. the Industrial Legion,
and, in short. every organized body of work.
ing men and women in the country.
Bills for carrying out the above purpose are
now before the Post Office Committee of both
Houses of Congress. The Senate bill is num-
bered 1136. and was introduced on the 1Ith
Of October Cat the special SESSION. by Senator
Butler, of South Carolina. and the House bill
is numbered 4476, and was presented on the
9Th OF December by Hon. Isador Rayner, of
Maryland. Resolutions by the hundreds and
petitions by the thousands from organized
bodies and citizens in support of these bills.
which are identical in language, have been
pouring in from every direction and are now
in possession of the two Post Office Com
mittees There are also petitions containing
nearly 10000 names still in the hands of the
International Typographical Union commit
tee which will be presented before many
days. Not day passes that there are not
resolutions and petitions offered and appro-
priately referred in one or both Houses.
At present tine principal point Of attack is
the House Committee. and the gentlemen COM
posing it are deluged with matter in the shape
OF resolutions adopted by organized trades;
petitions. which are readily and cheerfully
signed by all conditions of people. to which
may be added large numbers OF personal let
tiers and postal cards. sent direct by colstitu-
ents. The movement seems to be general in
all the states and congressional districts hav-
ing membership on the Post Office Committee;
and it will be strange indeed if this uprising
on the part OF their own people in favor of
this reform does not have very great infiu-
ence even on men who may have heretofore
been opposed to all measures OF this character.
This movement for general telegraphy, al
though organized and directed by one OF the
great trade unions is not a class movement.
The organized workers are far from being
alone in clamoring for it. The national
board of trade, which is composed Of the
chambers OF commerce and boards Of trade of
the principal cities of the land, and whose
members provide more than third OF all
telegraphic business, has long earnestly sup
ported and persistently petitioned Congress
in favor of postal telegraphy. The faculty
and students of many OF the great institutions
OF learning are known 70 be enthusiastic ad-
vocates of some form of governmental con-
troll, if not actual ownership and oper-
alton, and in more than one OF them this
question has been chosen as the preferred
subject of debate during the prese'' college.
year.
Several days ago Chairman Henderson, Of
the Post Office Committee. assured the Inter
national Typographical Union committee that
as soon as the Post Office appropriation bill
had passed the Honse his committee would
take up for consideration and give hearings
to persons interested in a government tele-
graph H r. 447s. 1t is the wish of the men
in charge of the bill, If sufficient notice be
given as TO the time when the hearings will
begin to invite to be present President Pres
colt. OF the International Typographical
Union; President Gompers, Of the Ame1.-an
Federation of Labor; General Maste, Vork-
man Sovereign, of the Knights OF Labor. r
President Marion Butler of the Farmer Al
lance. Some if not all of these gentlemen
will be on hand and voice the sentiments Of
their organizations in support of the bill.
Other able advocates will not be lacking.
Many tenders of hearty and disinterested sup
port have been made to the committee. Sew
eral Congressman, who have never faltered in
their belief in the soundness OF the principle,
will speak good word. and some others
will take more than casual interest in the
proceedings owing to the attitude of large
numbers of their constituents. Hon. Fl. W.
Blair. of New Hampshire, has promised to
make an argument for the bill. Judge Ma
guire, of California. has also telegraph bill
OF his own in the committee hopper, and as
the Judge is not only an able man but good
fighter, he will doubtless see to it that the
subject is fully and fairly considered A
number OF other Congressman have promised
to lend a hand, but their names can not Do
announced as yet.