The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-13

|
to the province YOU have assigned me,
further than as that relation affects the
general public. There is no doubt that
very large part of the collisions and
derailments are caused by the oyer-ser.
vice required of engineers and others
An accident not long since i'm our section
entaning the loss of many lives was caus.
ed by the engineer having been ON duty
20 hours out of "a He was nearly
drunk for sleep. The strain upon the
nerves of a man charged with the respon-
sibility of many lives, who stands at the
throttle valve of a 80 ton engine as it is
driven across the country on its marrow
ribbon of steel, is such that it is doubt
full if the law should not prohibit him or
other railroad employees ON the trains
from being engaged more than eight
hours out of "A. l believe that is now
the law in New York.
TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE.
Some of your Commissions are charged
with the regulation of rates and assess
ment for taxation of telephones, tele-
graph and express companies. In all the
countries of the world | believe except
this and Canada. the telegraph and the
| telephone are part of the postoffice sys-
TEN, legally as well as logically, for
they are simply methods of communicate
ing intelligence. | have always believed
as lawyer that under the provisions of
the Federal Constitution which requires
Congress to establish postoffces and
| postroads, it is its duty to transmit in
telligence by wire as well as by rail. by
electricity as well as by steam or pneu-
matte tubes, and as this power vested in
Congress is held by the United States
Supreme Court to be an exclusive power.
that the operation of telegraph and tele-
phones for hire by others than the gov
eminent is as illegal as their running the
pOstoftice would be. Great Britain which
alone has stood with us against govern
ment ownership of railroads, has had to
leave us on this matter for there the
telegraphs are a part of the post
office department. The rates under
government ownership abroad justify
the belief that under government owner
ship here we can have a uniform tele-
graph rate of 10 cents and probably of
) cents for 10 words between amy two
points in the country and 81 a month or
| less for rental of Il telephone. Back in
| 1891 Postmaster General Wannamaller
| telephones were turned over to the post
| office, as in other countries, Il uniform
| rate of ten cents for kilograms and 2
cents for telephone messages would pay
| handsomely. If so cheaper rates would
| be practicable today. Immense public
| benefit would result from this change.
| As you are charged with fixing their
rates, there is certainly room for large
reduction not only from comparison with
| foreign rates, but from the fact that
| the Western Union which now has a
/ capitalization, bonds and stocks, Of
$120,000,000, has acquired its plant and
| its capitalization entirely out of its earn
i ings over and above the steady payment
/ of dividends, for only S440,000 cash
| less than half million-has ever been
paid in by its stockholders. This was
shown in several Congressional inyesti-
cations. Though II out of rs Commit
tees of Congress, to whom postoffice
ownership of the telegraph has been re-
/ ferred have reported in favor of that
measure, as well as four postmaster
generals have recommended it, the mea-
sure has never yet gotten to a vote owing
| to the immense lobby maintained by
| the Western Union monopoly.
THE EXPRESS ANOMALY.
| It is an anomaly that express COM
| panies (which are also in your jurlSdlc-
/ tom should be permitted, thus placing
a double tax upon patient and Cypress
ed people. In other countries the post
| office has a parcels delivery branch,
which collects and delivers by wagon
| parcels at residences like other. mail
/ matter, up to / and in some countries
| Is pounds, and at u cent to
/ cent per pound, small
/ fraction of express charges III
this country. In Austria and Germany
more than S100,000000 of goods are an
nually sent by the Parcels Post. IL
these matters the United States is 9
| back number. The corporations dwarf
us. As long as the express business re
mains for private em0lument, nor fol
public convenience it should be noteC
i that the rates charged by the Postofhc'
i Department abroad show that there is a
large margin for reduction of rates un
/ der public control here.
NAIL CHARGES.
In no particular are railroad rates more
i exorbitant than those charged for tn
carriage of United States mails, 8 cents
per pound for an average distance OF hi
miles, with a further charge of 200 pei
cent per year on their cost for renta
of postal cars, while the charge to eX
press companies is one half cent pei
| pound or less. This is of interest to tht
public, as it is the sole cause of de
felt in the postal revenue. and thereby
defeats a reduction of letter postage u
one cent and further reduction ON othel
matter. In fact railway rates to th'
postoffice are often 30 per cent hlghel
than the charge for freight by wagon
This, however, should be remedled bN
i, Congress which has full knowledge of thu
facts and hardly comes within your Jur
isdiction. The corrective power OF pub
lie opinion may effect something.
THE MATTER OF VALUATION.
Most of your boards, if not all are
charged with the valuation of railroad
express and Telegraph and Telephone
property for. taxation. This is a gov
eminent function and it has been decided
G3A Safety