Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-09-24
TELEGRAPH RATES.
ACTION ALONG STATE LINES
is ADVISABLE.
How to Reach the Oppressive Tole-
graph Monopoly-Work for the Estab-
lishment Of Public Postal Tele-
graph.

The Times-Democrat of New Orleans
OF recent date says: The good work
has begun. The North Carolina Rail-
road Commission last week reduced
the rates on Geographic messages
within the state to fifteen cents for
ten words, the reduction to take effect
September LIST That Is, telegram
can be sent, after September LIST from
any point in North Carolina to any
other point in the state for fifteen
cents, a reduction Of from 40 to 70 per
cent on the present rates.
This is on the line suggested some
time ago, that the best way to deal
with this monopoly is to attack 1t
through the undoubted right of the
states to fix telegraph tolls within
their limits. When the power of the
company has thus been crippled, and
its exorbitant profits cut down, it will
be an easy matter to secure an act
from congress providing for the Fed
eral control of the telegraph. 1t was
in this way that we secured the inter-
state commerce law Congress would
never have passed that law had not
the states taken the initiative, created
railroad commissions and proved that
state regulation was in the interest
Of the public and necessary for its
protection from extortion, oppression
and favoritism on the part Of the rail-
road companies. By the by, the rail-
road owners shouted "Populism" then
as the Western Unions friends are do
ing to-day.
| When it is shown that the states
can control the telegraph and fix the
rates of the telegraph tolls, and that
it is to the public advantage for them
to do so. preventing gross spoliation
and robbery, there will be little diff
Guilty in getting favorable action from
congress, either in fixing rates, or, bet
ter still, il establishing postal tele-
graph; for while a reduction in rates
is one of the Improvements we need
in the telegraph, it is not the only one.
The action of the North Carolina
Commission in reducing the tele-
graphic tolls in that stateis all the more
gratifying for the reason that the West
ern Union made fight against 1t; but
as we have frequently shown, whenever
this question is brought up for dis
cussion and action, the inevitable con-
clusion is reached that the present SER
vice is poor, and the rates charged ex-
brilliant. This is why the Western
Union is afraid to have the matter dis
cussed, for the discussion always re-
suits to its disadvantage.
In the North Carolina legislature
bill was introduced at the last session
fixing the telegraph rate at fifteen
cents between any two points in the
state. The Western Union sent it's
lobby down to Raleigh to watch the
work, and the bill was beaten by ex-
actly one vote, so closely did the lobby
calculate it's strength and use its vic
tory. But it was barren victory, for
the State Railroad Commission has the
right to fix telegraph rates, and 1t did
so last week, making the tolls exactly
what the legislature had proposed. The
Western Union could not get in its
work this time.
Although the reduction in the tele-
graph rate in North Carolina is very
encouraging, being a cut of 40 to 70
per cent on existing rates, it is not OPP
pressive; the Railroad Commission has
left a very handsome margin Of profit,
as the following table of charges in
other countries for kilograms show:
Telegraph rate
Cents.
Great Britain .................... IL
France ............. .............. lO
Germany ................. IL