El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-03

graph lines. What he did favor was a
modification Of the proposal OF
Gardiner Green Hubbard in the seven
ties He wanted the government to
transmit kilograms for the people and
10 make annual contracts with the eX-
listing companies. OF any other COM
panies that thereafter might be or
ganized, for the transmission Of busi-
ness He felt that under such a con-
diuOn Of affairs messages could be
transmitted at a considerable saving
to the people. and that such a reduc-
ton Of rates would vastly extend the
usefulness Of the telegraph lines Of
the country
No Inquiry Since 1907.
No census inquiry into the extent %
the telegraph business Of the United
States has been made since 1907. At
that time. the commercial systems had
approximately quarter OF q million
miles Of pole lines and cables This
represented a total OF 1871. goo miles
Of single wire The average number OF
employees Of the commercial telegraph
system was $4,000, and their annual
salaries and wages amounted 70 nearly
SlSsOUOuUO- The growing use OF the
long distance telephone has perhaps
prevented the telegraph lines from IN
ereasing as rapidly as they otherwise
would have done between 1907 and
1912 The telephone lines had mOrs
than seven times as many miles OF
single wire at the time OF the last
census inquiry as the commercial tels-
graph systems Their total income was
nearly four times as great as the total
income OF the telegraph companies.
From 1907 TO the present the proper
tons IN favor OF the telephone systems
have increased still more largely.
Many objections haze been urged to
the government ownership Of the tele-
graph or even to the governments
control OF the message business Of the
country One of these is the cOnten-
ton that the government cannot con-
duct telegraph business as cheapfv or
as efficiently as private enterprises.
1t IS asserted that all kinds OF business
costs more when conducted BY the
government than when conducted BY
individuals. One OF the reasons for
opposing the government ownership OF
the telegraph In 1872 was the alleged
IacL that IN point OF efficiency trust
vTorthiness and attention TO the inter
ests OF the public, the postofffce system
IN the United States was far inferior
70 the postal systems Of Great Britain.
beisluIn or Holland 1t IS evident that
such an assertion could not be made
against the postal service Of the United
States today.
An Argument Against II.
Another argument against rne gov
2 nIsnt ownership. as advanced by
David A Wells. on behalf of the West
arn Union Telegraph COMPANY was
that in every case business conducted
1y the government was more diiatory,
expensive and veNatOus than that con
lucted by individuals. Mr.. Wells as
serted Jnat II any corporation were TO
undertake to do business ACCORDING to
government methods, its existence so
-ar as pubic patronage was concerned
would be exceedingly limited It was
also urged that there might be a ire
nendouS abuse Of the free message
business. Mr. Wells stated that If in
1871 all free messages which were
transmitted over lines o. the Western
mon had paid regular rates the
,narges would have amounted to
$4,000 Another objection urged vau
nat the ownership OF the telegraph b1
me federal government was incOnsist-
mt with the theory OF republican in
you'd give TO the government a system
1I espionage over the business of the
'ountry that would be subvsrsive 81
he best interests OF the republic
Likewise it was urged that govern
nent ownership would add greatly 70
he patronage at the disposal OF the
public officers Of the country ana
therefore, il would hinder q clean 49,
nlnlsJration OF government affairs II
vas also cOntended that under e-0ver1
manipulated at the close OF an excItiDe-
lOuucal campaign in such a Wav- as -
ireFenC the actual results from reach
ng the people David A. Wells pointed
rom the line down a crack in the 49,
,raph pole to the ground could aFFec
ualIy interrupt the current while fraa-
ould 1au conveniently IN the woods a.
-a-Ig ClLtSIenL localities. thus effac
lFe4y cutting or the undesirable Dev-s
{ was urged also that tie er1s-je-,,S
u the telegraph companies ans -
IeSs companies during the civil W.
eIloIlstIateo now much more afFac
I've, under such conditions ~ -
te ownership than pubIic' ov,- 49, ~.
was commended that the teIsers56
~ S0pL 50 companies continued 20
3elaIS throughout the south Iorg
5s~ss e-i a.. pSEsJot!lees had ceased to ais