Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-01-16
Consideration OF
IMMENSE PLAN UP
CONTINUED from page H.

CONTINUED from page H.
Senator Bourne Of Oregon, chair
offices, was much Interested In the
project but reserved comment
How the Corporations Feel.
NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-The an
nouncement from Washington thai
Postmaster General Hitchcock i5
about 10 recommend government
ownership Of telegraph and telephone
llnes was received with surprise by
officials Of the big telegraph an'
telephone companies here.
"lt IL u bolt out Of clear sky,
DECLARED Theodore \. VAIL president
Of the American Telegraph ana Tel
cphone company and of the Western
Union. Whether the government
could run telegraph lines economl-
.ally or not IL very doubtful" con-
tinued MIR. Vail. "The experience OF
Gruat Britain is not favorable"
Mr.. Vail said there had been no
conference on the sub ect and moi
oven sugBestion had been made to
the companies he represented III It
such II proposition was being 'onsid~
cred by the postmaster general
In my opinion he said, TN"
country tx not prepared for such b
stop II the government Is to take
over our public utilities. should NOT
the bigger things be taken first. Sure
ly the railroads are bigger than the
telegraph
Union Endorses Plan.
NEW ORLEANS, Jan. l5.-Thc
organized tclcgraphers Of the coun
try heartily endorse Postmaster Gen
eral litchcoCks proposed recon-
mrndation OF government ownership
and operation of the telegraph and
telephone lines of the United state"
according to statement given out
here today by J. KonenkHmp, OF
Chicago, International president Of
/ the Commercial Telegraphers Union
Of America. The Commercial Teln
graphers Union went on record as
favoriug government ownership thre
years ago at the Milwaukee conv'n
| llbIs Hulu hIs A'
Standardization OF the telegraph and
telephone lines is also advocated by
the American Federation Of Labor
and the dominion trades and labor
,oneress of Canada, with both of
which we are affiliated
THE gradual development Of the
telegraph and telephone Is towarC
government ownership of both mean
OF transmitting commercial intelli-
gence, and during the next five years
this question Is bound to become
burning issue before the public both
in the United States and Canada.
The greatest factor in this conneo
ton is the consolidation of the Am
erican Telephone and Telegraph ~
the Western linton which places both
means OF conveying Intelligence In
the hands Of one group of peo
pie. Today the American Telephone
and Telegraph company occupies a
position about on q parallel with the
Standard Oil company and it will not
be long until the people are forced
TO give this company the same SER
ious consideration that is being given
other monopolies today.
Operators Wages on Decline.
"1hc average wage paid the tele-
graph operator today is about SO a
month less than the average wage
paid in 1888"
lie said the average wage paid the
operators in England in about tho
same as in the United States, not
wlthstanding that the cost Of living
| in England is only about As per cent
the cost Of living in this country.
with the labor cost as basis, one
can understand Mr.. IItchcock's state
ment that rates. could be reduced al
least one-third to the public and yer
make the Investment an operation
of the lines profitable to the govern
ment seems to he well founded"
senator Cullom Favors H.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 15.-Senator
Cullom, of Illinois, head Of the for
eign relations committee, aligned
himself with the plan.
ION the theory that the telegraph
Is a part of the mails" he said 1T
seems Co me that it would not be out
Of place for the government to own
the telegraph lines"
There was a disposition among
some senators today TO credit the re
port that Mr.. IIitcffcocks action
might mean a break between him and
President Taft and an alignment of
Mr.. Hitchcock with those who are
urging the candidacy of Theodore
Roosevelt for the republican noml.
nation.
Think IL Big Subject.
Speaker Champ Clark declared
that government telegraph was to
big a subject to discuss until all the
details of the postmaster generals
plan became known. Democrats,
Leader Underwood was reticent an,
Republican Leader Mann Of the house
treated the project gingerly.
THE relation Of the postofIice de.
partment to the express companies
must be disposed Of before its rela.
tion to the telegraph systems can be
passed upon" said Mr.. Mann. Bot
subjects cannot be handled at once.
Texan Favors Plan.
I "I am In entire sympathy with the