The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-20
TO THE TELEGRAPHERs.
Speech to Men Who Receive and For
ward Commercial Messages.

When Major Mckinley concluded his ad-
dress TO railway employees he turned to Mr..
Burke and said:
And now. Mr. Burke and gentlemen of
the Telegraphers' Association of Chicago, |
am glad to meet you here with the railroad
employees who have honored me with their
presence. (Applause) Perhaps none of us
appreciate the degree of universal accept
ance that the telegraph has obtained. /
remember a boy of reading how Morse,
the first to put the telegraph into practical
use in the United States, sent his first
greeting across the wires, the significant
message: What God hath has wrought
he had made to his future countrymen and
to the remotest ages. (Appiause) When
the Democratic national convention. in 1874.
was in session at Baltimore, IL is said the
news of Mr.. Polks nomination in
stantly telegraphed to Washington sixty
there. Men did not believe in the accuracy
of the statement and waited until it was
verified by the newspapers or the returning
delegates. daughter and applause.) Per-
haps the news was surprising where a diff
ferent result was so confidently expected
but ii illustrates the credulity of the times
and the lack of confidence in scientific
curacy: Contrast this lack of faith with
ported, having learned to read the click
1ngs of the keys, waited patiently at the
telegraph office in Chicago for many hours
FOR news from Appomattox and when at
last the keys were clicking the news from
Washington that Lee had surrendered he
sprang to his feet with the happy eXclama-
ton which proved to be his last words:
Now l can die happy Great cheeringD
congress gave very scant aid to the
great invention. and some of the other
statesmen at that time laughed to scorn a
proposition TO make a small appropria tion
for connecting Washington and Baltimore
by telegraph line, saying it was chimer-
ical and could not be done. Iaughter)
And vet they lived to such lines prac-
tically girdle the globe. (Appause.) Amer
lean genius and enterprise. wiser than the
lawgivers, was soon extending wires every
where until now l believe it is estimated
that the American lines extend for $50 600
miles, with 100000 miles of wire, 900 Of
fees and 1900 employees. Everywhere the
service is efficient and reliable and | con-
graduate the telegraphers of Chicago as
the representatives Of those of the entire
country. upon the marvellous skill. rapidity
and accuracy with which the millions Of
messages almost daily are handled and
transmitted. (Appause)
1t is gratifying, too. to find them as
sensible in politics as in business. Great
applause.) AS quick to enhance the pros
perity of the country and as unitediy in
support OF the right as they are uniformly
attentive and obliging to the public
Great cheering.)
thank you, my fellow-citizens for your
call and appreciate most highly indeed
your assurances of support which your
eloquent spokesman has presented to me- |
wish | could shake hands with every man
in this audience. (Cries of We wish YOU
could too, Major.O l do not know that I
can do 1t, but glad to meet and greet
you and am glad to know that you are en-
listed in the great cause as against public
reputation tremendous cheering)