The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-15
GOVERNMENT
OWNERSHIP Of
THE TELEGRAPH
Radical Scheme Recommend.
ed BY Postmaster Gen.
eral in His Report
ADVANCE announcement CAUSED
CONSERVATION At WHITE HOUSE

~s~O~AA
an Administration in Years and the
Postmaster General Summoned By
President Early Today.
Washington. Jan. i6-Postmaster
General Hitchcock. who last night
gave out a statement saying he would
recommend to congress government
ownership and operation Of all tele.
graph lines, was summoned to the
Wnlte mouse by President Taft short.
~ after IL o'clock today.
The pronouncement in favor OF
government ownership and operation
OF telegraph lines as an adjunct Of
tne Postoftice department stirred ofi.
clai washington today as few admins.
tratlons nave been stirred in years.
The postmaster generals statement
! was news to the white house and IN
said to have caused the greatest sur
PRISE there. This was evident last
nlght when efforts were made to re.
call Hltchcock's announcement, This
enort however, did not come from
hlr. Hitchcock. He was out of the CITY
When the statement was released and
Ihen he went Immediately to hia
apartments and refused to be disturb.
ed.
Inere was no disposition at tho
capital today to avoid serious consid.
Grafton Of the proposed plan. In the
mouse Representative Moon Of Tenne-
see chairman Of the postoflce COM
mute. Inlttee announced that the matter
would be given earnest attention. Tho
question of the public ownership Of
PUBIC utilities. he said, was one that
neeos long and careful consideration.
Senator Cullom of Illinois, head Of
the foreign relations committee align.
ed himself with the plan on the
theory that the telegraph is a part Of
the mails. He said it did not seem
to him to be out of place for the gov
ernmcnt to own the Telegraph lines.
Senator William Alden Smith NJ
Michigan said that though he opposed
| the government ownership of nublic
utilities. he felt the telegraph could
De more appropriately operated by the
government than any other branch Of
individual business.
After the postmaster general had
returned from the conference with
the president, an authoritative st.ta-
ment was made at the white house
that there had been no friction be-
| tween the president and Mr.. Hitch
cock.
For a year or more Mr.. Hitchcock
has had this recommendation under
consideration. After thorough study
OF the operation of government con-
trolled telegraph lines and postal
telegraph systems of foreign countries
| he has decided to urge the matter I'M.
on congress.
SHOULD this recommendation he
adopted" said Mr.. Hitchcock in
statement of his intention. Il am con-
vinced 1t would result in important
economies and in very materially low
er telegraph rates than are now en-
tries of the world-notablv in Great
Britain. France. Germany, Austria,
Italy. Spain, Russia and Japan-soy.
ernment controlled telegraps now are
IN successful and profitable operation.
In many Of the countries they are OPP
Grated in connection with the postal
service. These telegraphs serve an
aggregate population of 950,OOO, 900
and in every instance they have been
found to be Of immense practical
benefit to the people, in both prompti.
tude and cost of the service.
In this country postoffices arc
maintained in numerous places not
reached by the telegraph systems and
the proposed consolidation, therefore
would afford a favorable opportunity
for the wide extension of telegraphic
raclllties. In many small towns where
the telegraph companies have offices
the telegraph and mail business could
be handled readily by the same em-
p!oves. 1t is evident that the sepa-
rate maintenance of the two results
in needless expense
The first telegraph in the United
states was operated from 1914 to 1S47
pS the government under authority
from congress and from many view
points it is desirable that government
control should be resumed. A method
for the acquisition of telegraph lines
is prescribed in section 5267 Of the re-
vlsed statutes. which provides that,
FOR postal. military or other purposes
the government may purchase tele-
graph lines. operated in the United
States, at an appraised value.
My own view is that every reason
1or the transmission of mail under
government control can be urged with
equal force for the Transmission Of
communications by telegraph
Because of the more extensive orr
ganization maintained by the postal
service and the freedom from taxa.
ton and other charges to which pri-
vate corporations are subject, the gov.
ernment undoubtedly could AFFORD
greater facilities at lower rates than
are AFFORDED by companies now con-
Quoting the telegraph business. Next
to the Introduction of a parcels post
ior Whlcn there Is strong popular
demand. the establishment of a gov-
ernment telegraph system offers, in my
Judgment the best opportunity for
the profitable extension Of the nations
postal service
1t is not Mr.. Hitchcock's purpose to
recommend the acquisition of tele-
phone lines except, possibly in in
stances where they are operated as
telegraph lines and are an integral
part Of definite telegraph systems.
One hundred thousand people are
connected with the telegraph COM
panies of the United States. The ap-
praised value of the systems proposed
to be ACQUIRED would be purely con-
jectural, but it is said 1t would ap-
proximate s250.000.000. The experts
who have figured on the proposition
are Of the opinion that existing tele-
graph rates could be reduced at least
one-third to the public and yet make
the investment in and operation of the
lines profitable to the government.