The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-19
THE TELEGRAPH.
WHAT EXPERIENCE SHOWS AND
SHOULD TEACH.
In the Face Of the Facts Presented by
Professor Parsons After Searching
Inquiry 1t Is Nonsense to Permit Pri-
vate Ownership States.

oiy, WHICH, dppSdIS III luS -hASH 500
December, deals with the experience OF
England under both private and public
ownership. The following lengthy ex-
tract will be found unusually interest
ing, and it is certainly convincing OF
the correctness OF the peoples party
demand for government ownership OF
the telegraphs:
The experience of England constl-
tutes most powerful argument for
public ownership of the telegraph. UP
to 1870 the telegraph business IN Great
Britain was in the hands OF private
companies, and for many years COM
plants had been made OF excessive
charges, poor service and inadequate
facilities. The companies pretended
to compete, but in reality had an un-
derstanding among themselves which
prevented the reduction OF rates to
just figure. They were satisfied to
keep the tariff up and allow each COM
pany to obtain such share OF the ousl-
ness as its territory and facilities COM
manded.
In 1869 the tariff charged by the
United Kingdom company, as well as
by the older Electric, international,
British and Irish Magnetic companies
was:
is. ga cents for 20 words up to 100
miles.
is. Cd. t3e cents for 20 words up to
200 miles
Is. (4s cents for 90 words beyond
200 miles.
S.. to IS. for messages to Ireland.
In many instances these rates, hlgh
as they were, did net cover the whoie
transmission Of telegram. They only
applied to the wires Of single COM
pany, and when a message had to DC
transmitted over the systems OF two
or more companies an additional
charge, frequently Of considerable
amount, was levied.
These rates were scandaIously A4Sh
and yet our own people at the time IN
question QS69) were frequently COM
PEELED to pay from Ave to six times as
much for the same distance and the
same number of words.
In 1866 the Edinburgh chamber Of
commerce called the attention of Lore
Stanley, the postmaster general, to thu
telegraph question, showing that th'
rates were unreasonably high, th'
transmission unsatisfactory because o
delays and inaccuracies, the treatmen
Of the press unfair and many towns
and districts wholly unprovided for
The Edin .urgh committee gave care
ful consideration to three dlfferen
, remedial measures: O a regulated
amalgamation of existing companies
(2) the establishment OF entire ire
trade in public telegraphy; (9 tn
transfer of the service to the postoihc'
, Its conclusion was in favor OF the las
, but it agreed to recommend the aT
pointment Of royal commission
inquiry prior to legislation.
Lord Stanley appointed Frank I've
, Scudamore to inquire whether tn
= telegraph might be benefcially worke
. by the postoftice." Mr. Scudamore We
a man Of the highest character, tho
oughly impartial and of very fine abb
ity. He made scientific study OF II
abuses Of the existing service in En'
. land, the condition OF the service
other countries, the benefits likely
= result from a postal system and Il
difficulties and disadvantages tn
might attach to it. The result WI
e that he came to believe in the post
o telegraph, and in 1866 he made his +
'e port, a very able paper, conclusive
II showing the advantages OF the press
1t plan. In 1868 he made a suppleme
tary report to Lord stanley's successt
the Earl Of Montrose, who transmit
IS # to the house Of lords with commu
ID ication. Of which the following is
part:
Is In the inclosed report and that viii
L. preceded it frequent reference is ma
to the manner in which the telegra
systems of Belgium and Switzerla
e have been framed and maintained
Ill the postofices Of those countries. 7
er example of the colony OF Victoria mig
o. however haYe been cited with eq'
I'D propriety, for in that colony the te
n graph has long been worked by
Sc postoffice and with such success tt
although the charges for transmissl
are high, the proportion Of telegra
to letters is as high as in Belglr
There is indeed nothing new in
=. proposed scheme. OF its various pa
:. each has been tried, and tried "
success, either in Belgium, in Switz
= land. in France, or In British colo
and taking into account the grea
), wealth and commercial activity of
n ~ United Kingdom, see no reason
mt doubt that the scheme. as whole,
es be equally successful here.
,ta Your lordships will readily perez
re- that such system, besides facilitat
or social intercourse. strengthening
-as multiplying the relations between
Ill inhabitants Of different districts
,ed stimulating the growth OF trade
commerce, will also strengtheu