The Washington times., 1894-03-19
A PHASE OF THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH.

A PHASE OF THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
BY AN When cheaper postage
assoc, TIE Jrv,,cr and uniform rate were
demonstrated to be advan-
of ihh tageous by the example of
SUPREME COURT the English post Office
op under Sir Rowland Hill
Congress promptly applied
Nohih 'AAoAA the same in our own postal
service In like manner followed the use Of
postage stamps, the introduction of free de-
livery into cities, the adoption of the money
order system, the issuance of postal notes,
and many other improvements in the hand
ling and distribution of the mail. None of
these things were dreamed of by the trainers
of the Constitution. They were details wisely
left 10 be worked out by the progress and in
telligence of succeeding generations. When
our post Office was first inaugurated mails
were carried on horseback or, in few in
stances. by mail coaches. When steam was
introduced the post office promptly availed
itself OF the new agency. In fact, every
appliance and every improvement 10
facilitate the social and business inter-
course of the public has been laid hands
on, and been made subservient to that pur-
pose save one. Why the Department has
been forced to stand still In the presence OF
the agency which is most especially adapted
for that purpose, and, after having availcd
itself OF the potent energies OF steam, has re-
Trained from the use OF the more potent
agency OF electricity, is well known TO all men.
1t has not failed to adopt them because it is
unconstitutional to do so. That is too plain
for argument. 1t would be easy to fill pages
with citations of legal authorities showing its
constitutionality. Indeed, it could be better
said that it is unconstitutional for the govern
ment not to adopt them for the purpose OF
giving the people the best and cheapest and
speediest postal facilities which the most
improved methods known to science can
afford. The clause of the Constitution
is understood to be mandatory upon the
national government to establish and main
tain proper postal service. since, in the face
of that provision, neither states nor private
companies can do so. Besides, the first tele-
graph established was, in fact part of our
post Office; and its continuance as such, at a
time when the government was in the hands
of strict construetionists, was recommended
by Hon. Cave johnson, the then Postmaster
General. This wise recommendation was
not acceded to, simply because Congress, not
foreseeing the value and Importance OF the
invention, deemed the price asked by the in
ventor too great. and in an evil hour per-
mitted this great agency to pass into private
hands. The public interests, the popular
will, and the constitutional provision, all alike
require its restoration to its original function
as part of an enlightened and progressive
postal service.
Nor can it be said that it would be an ex-
pertinent. Every civilized country, with the
sole exception of ours, has long since made
the telegraph part of its postal service, and
in all it has worked satisfactorily. The rates
in Great Britain and Ireland are, like postage,
uniform for all distances and are l cent per
word. In Germany the rate is about the
same, and in Austria less. In France and
Belgium the rate is under 10 cents (half u
france for ten words between any two points.
No department of the post office in any coun-
try pays better than the telegraph. In most
countries the telephone, too, has been added.
1t is very certain that the telegraph and the
telephone, as parts of our postal service would
not only wonderfully improve the means of in
tercourse, but it is believed that very cheap
uniform rate-probably 5 cents a message
would pay handsome revenue to the gov
ernment WALTER CLARK.