The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-18
GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL OF THE
TELEGRAPH.

The New Orleans Times-Democrat in
earnestly advocating and urging upon
Congress the resumption blythe Federal
Government of the control of the tele-
graph, which it possessed half a century
ago, is engaged in II work which deserves
the hearty cooperation of the press of
the country. Some years ago when the
question of governmental control of the
telegraph and it's management as n part
OF the postal system came up for discus
sion on such recommendation from the
then Postmaster General, the Times
Democrat, with large majority of the
American newspapers, doubted the advis-
ability of postal telegraph, from the
fear that the addition of such a large
force to the already enormous army of
Federal employees would have disturb.
ing effect on the politics of the country in
the attempt of the part, in power 10 use
the telegraph service to continue the con-
troll of the Government.
The extension of the civil service rules
in the last few years to the postal SER
rers and other employees, has removed
any apprehension heretofore existing OIL
the score of politics. The Postonce De.
partment cuts no part in politics, and is
of no more value to the party in power
here than it is in England or France,
where the telegraph is already under gov
ernmentai control and management to
tie complete satisfaction of the press and
people
With this the oaly serious objection tc
postal telegraph removed, the question
can now he dispassionately discussed,
whether or not such service would be atl-
vantageous to the press and to the conn
try, and there are many reasons for be-
lieving it would be. 1t would not only
result in improving the service, rs has
been shown in England and France, but
there would be II reduction in telegraph
tolls, which would greatly lessen the ex-
pense and greatly facilitate communica.
ton among the people. Throughout the
country many of the telegraph Offices
close after dark, and in some of the com
paratively large cities they close before
midnight This works to the serious DIS
advantage of the press in the transmits
sion Of news. and III the case of individ-
uals is often the source of unfortunate
delays and great annoyance and anxiety.
The expenses of the Western Union are
said 10 be not over 60 per cent. of what
they were in 1897, and yet the tolls are
as high now as they then were. There
has been II marked decline in all lines of
journalistic expenditure, except in the
telegraph service; while the demand for
news is such that these charges have rel
atively doubled in the past ten years,
so that now they constitute from 10 to 90
per cent. of the gross expenses as COM
pared with 3 or 10 per cent. in 1887.
Specials have either become an expressive
luxury, or the tolls have prevented many
journals from getting much telegraph
matter that they otherwise would take.
Hundreds of petitions have been pre-
sented TO Congress In favor of n pos tai tel
egaph system operated like that in Eng
land as apart of the Postoflice Depart.
ment, which has given such satisfaction
to the press and people of that country,
and fourteen Congressional committees
have at different times reported in favor
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