The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-06-04

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rage cost of a message is about
s'o The telegraph plants now il
0SD oouId be superseded by the govern
according to experts, with
pSrr rior plant at SIS. OOO, 600, while the
ssont corporations are ~strangline
~mprce to earn heavy dividends on
c~otered stock of over $3.50, 900, OOO'
,.oording to English experience the
I.osfer of the telegraph to the PosC-
&C. Department would result % In
form rate Of ten cents for ten
IDS between all points, or posslOIy
Tvs. c) An increase in individual mes
E If at least 10 for every n no"
s'e~ ~ An increase in Press dis
seI If 30 words or more for every
"now sent; "a A popularizatlon OF
+olouraoh for all uses, social or
.inoee. 81 Anincres Sc in the prompt-
-a 81 delivery, the average there be-
Snow T to 9 minutes as against 2 to
n5o,rs formerly t6) No section would
- destitute but at each one OF our
- 0oo Postc fices there would be either
. telephone or telegraph.
Bv adopting the telephone at most
po.tof6cts, instead Of the telegraph
.Lo increase in the number of Post
500 EMPLOYEES would be inconslder
.bo The vast influence of the great
..lsgraph monopoly can be used for
DoiGcd purposes by coloring news
I'd in other more direct ways. When
tba telegraph service is made a part of
,ba Postcfice and placed under civil
niles and subject to the direct force OF
,,bIic opinion the experience In other
Countries has been that it exerts no
more power on party politics than the
mi or judiciary. Originally the
telegraph lin 1916 belonged to the
psroffce. When it was abandoned
nprivate corporations on account Of
is supposed expense, Henry Clay,
Gave Johnson and other leaders of
both parties had the foresight to fore
toll the mischief done in abandoning
an essential governmental function to
private monopoly.
To prevent this great benefit of a
modernizad postal service being given
to the mafses and to preserve to
consolidated capital control of the
most efficient avenues of intelligence
with the great advantages thus
given that element, in addition
to the enormous tolls it can thus
levy on the rest of the nation,
there is practically only the memorable
will Of one powerful and exacting cor
vuatIon which has fastened itself on
the body polite. 1t is the oldest trust
in this country. 1t is the pioneer on
which so many others have patterned
his the most burdensome because it's
oppressive tolls restrict communica
ton between men and is a tax on
knowledge. 1t is illegal {since the Con
shtulOn requires Congress to establish
the Post hce,) to leave this most es
sental function of a modern, up to-
date postal service in the hands of
private corporations. 1t Is a source of
gigantic emoluments to them, while
the government restricts it's postal ser
vices to antiquated and more dilatory
processes. Il is no wonder that such a
postal service is not self su, tanning and
shows an annual deficit while the tele-
graph companies pay enormous divi
dends. In other countries where the
telegraph is a part of the POstofce
that Department. shows annual profits.
But the monopoly fastened on US is in
Eenched IN the sympathy Of all other
trusts. l. has the support of the large
city daiies (all owned by large capital
ES) who fear the competition of daIlies
hsmall towns and of the weekiies If
news should become free, and it's trans
mission cheaper, over agovernment
postal telegraph. 1t is backed by the
powerful lobby it constantly maintains
d Washington, paid out OF the excess
I've Geographic rates (still exacted in
Insecurity alone OUT of long suffer
Is and too patient a people. And not
sast, 1t Is said that i5 distributes
nanks to every Senator and every
@FnOer Of Congress. How many &C
opt these favors and how many are
~uaenced by them no n knows ex
UPtthe corporation officials, but that
%sy Go know may be seen from the
@e' that tenders of such favors have
not ceased. wArrvD Go
SAVE YOUR TIMBER.