The morning times., 1895-10-22
Federal Control Of Telegraph
Lines Being Strongly Urged.
THE HOUSE is IN ITS FAVOR
Is Not Regarded as I.ikely-ExIst-
Ing Companies Would Fight IL TO
the Bitter Em-Lobby Would Fol-
low the Proposition.

headway made in this direction. but the in.
dicauons now are that new impetus will
soon be given to agitation of this cbarac.
ter.
Economic questions and other matters
OF urgent Importance have heretofore served
as clog to restrain those who sought TO
champion such q proposition as that the
government should extend its proprietary
interests.
II is wen known that during the last Con-
Sress there were many able men OF both
parties who desired to ma Ike nm issue of this
question. The Populists, of course, have
adopted This idea as one of their cardinal
principles. Many OF the more progressive
democrats, such as Tom johnson, Of Cleye-
land, were strongly in favor oft.
n large proportion of the far Western
members believed that both railroads and
l'telegraphs should be managed entirely by
thcgoVernment. Every member of the Cali
| fornia delegation, with the exception of
MT. English, prepared. bill embodying
theiridcls. Jerry rySimpsonandbiscollc
We're ready aud anxious to render every pos
| sible assistance when such n measure should
| come up for action. But those in charge OF
| legislationproved able tu control their forces,
and, so far as surface Indications are con-
cerncd, no perccptible progress in this di-
| rection was made.
ATTITUDE OF COAST MEMBERS.
But, whatever may have been the success
of Mr.. Crisp in preventing discussion con-
| ccrniDg the amalgamation of postal and tel
egraph service under governmental super
vision, IL Is certain that the phantom VIII
rise to haunt Speaker Reed, and Will not
! down at the humping OF u gayel or even
! the splinteriDg of desk.
| The coast members have not changed their
views on this subject, and it is known that
Judge Mcguire, of the Fourth California
district, will lead in a movement TO secure
| legislation of a remedial character.
The first efforts in this direction will be
made when the troublesome question of
funding the debt of the Pacific Railroad
comes up for consideration. The heavy
losses sustained by the government in sub
sidizing these roads will be used as an
| objectlesson TO indicate The necessity for
the government controlling transportation
and communication. i
1t VIII bcurged as prot ection in time of
war, and a safeguard TO the people in
periodsofpeace. The argument oEcconumy
Will Dc used, and the 5ict pointed out that
the postal and telegraph services are so
closely allied that they should be COM
bincd under one executive management.
The Congress which cgnvcnes next De-
ccmber will afford a more favorable OPP
portunity for agitation of this character
than has been given in many years. As
stated, legislation regarding the Pacific
railroads, which has new become abso-
lutely Imperative, Will furnish a CON
venient anchorage for the affixing OF
definite plan for postal telegraph.
IN FAVOR OF IT.
There are sufficient number of re-
elected members, whose Views are known
TO be pronounccdly in favor of such plan,
to bring the matter prominently forward
n nd nh nj tful hos rtu
Populists In the next House viii un-
doubtcdly sustain any movement in this
direction.
The next House will be an unusually
anomalous body, difficult TO control and
spasmodic in its action. More than one
third of the members are not versed in
legislation.
Many of them are from the rural dis
tricts and honestly believe that the govern
ment could in various ways largely con
tribute TO the prosperity of the common
people without dctrinent or loss Such
members will take kindly to the argu-
ment that while the postal telegraph in
England results in financial loss to the
government, it is because So many OF The
employees are pensioned after certain
period of labor and that with more economl-
cal management it would be self-sustain-
ing.
As matter of fact, there are evidences
of reasonable probability that postal
telegraph bill may pass the House during
the coming session, without any reference
to Mr.. Reeds opinions on the subject, or
the efforts that he may put forth to pre-
vent discussion OF the question. There
is scarcely fighting chance that it would
pass the Senate, but it would serve for the
establishment of precedent.
There are many Senators who favor the
proposition, but the Ieaven of enlig ghtenment
rinn will arl- fffafz.
to affect majority of the whole body.
The two leading telegraph companies, the
Western Union and the Postal Will bitterly
antagonize any attempted legislation look
ing to the purchase of their plants by the
general Government, or the construction
of rival lines in connection with the postal
service to be used in handling commercial
business.
CLAIM OF THE COMPANIES.
Although paying fair dividends ON stocks,
both claim 10 be compelled TO exercise the
most rigid economy in order TO avoid
actual deficits.
They argue that the minimum has been
reached in the reduction of tolls, and the
public has been given every possible benefit
in that direction. They point out the facts
that all revenues now derived from handling
Government business, at rates fixed by
the Postmaster General, ould be lost as
all official dispatches would be entitled |
to free transmission; to save rentals all |
main offices would be removed TO Govern |
ment buildings, thus rendering them, in |
many instances, inaccessible TO customers
and curtailing the volume of business; to |
obviate this disadvantage it would be |
necessary to expend considerable sum |
in the establishment of convenient branch |
offices; the lines can be utilized by the |
Federal authorities in tine of war without |
purchase; q large force of operators W ould |
be entitled to the usual privilege of q |
month S leave with full pay and tins would |
aggregate a material loss, and in addition |
the Government would of necessity be |
handicapped for years. in the practical |
operation of the postal telegraph by reason !
of new and Observation-Disclosures officers |
Without any reference to the merits or
fallicies of a telegraph service supervised
by the Government, tits apparent even at
this early day that the subject W i'll be dis
cussed and agitatedi to on unprecedented
extent during the Fifty-fourth Congress.
While actual legislation appears impos-
sible SO far as the Senate is concerned, the
House viii either accomplish or closely
approXimatesomethingd definite.
Whether il will be he Inauguration OF
a steadily growing movement that will
eventually be successful, or only a tempo
rary ebullition due TO peculiar conditions,
cannot be foreseen until another Congress
shall have been chosen.
Sailing of Bunce's Squadron.
Fort Monroe, Va, Oct. 21.-Admiral
pupca with tho North Atlantic Sruo.lro,, |