South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-20
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP Oh
TELEGRAPH AND TELE-
PHONE LINES

Naturally the telegraph and tele-
phone magnates are not taking ultra
kindly TO Postmaster General Burie-
sons government ownership proposal.
II may be too. that taking their fig
ures at their face value, there is a bit
of patriotism as well as financial self
interest in IT. Pres. Clarence II. Mac
kay. OF the Postal system, especially
takes the postmaster general 10 task.
He says the postmaster general
wrong 20 begin with in assuming that
the telegraph and telephone lines are
subject TO the post roads act OF con-
gress. and that his presumption that
$500. 600. 900 would cover the cost Of
acquisition is merely evidence of his
lack OF financial knowledge.
According TO Pres. Mackay. the Bell
company would demand more than
$500, 900, 600, say nothing Of the indie
pendent and farm telephone compa-
MES which would have TO be invited
into the system.
He places the price on both the tel
ephone and telegraph lines at about
$4,000, OOO,OOO-figures that are
staggering but for his one fatal ad
mission.
He says it "is about two-thirds of
the national debt at the close Of the
civil war when many Intelligent men
dispaired Of the solvency of the re-
public"
Yes despaired. but in vain, and yet
this 1900. OOO, 900 is only about two
thirds OF that great national obliga-
ton that despaired them--an Obliga-
ton that represented go resources ex-
cept the recovered south.
The cost Of obtaining the telephone
and telegraph lines even at 80, O00,-
600, 600 need not be despaired of,
should their acquisition otherwise
prove desirable. That is the main
question. can the government handle
the telephone and telegraph lines to
an advantage?
History, arbitor OF so many great
questions. appears TO decide in the
negative. but even history. Patrick
Henry Notwithstanding. cannot always
be accepted as final. To have held
the future always TO a repetition of
the past. we would still be wearing
fig-leaves,-and taking our wives
from our ribs.
The telegraph lines of Great Brit
ain are owned by the government and
under the management Of the post Of
flee department. The annual actu-
al loss since 1908. has never run be-
low S2,O1O,055. which was in 1910.
-
These figures are the difference
between income and outlay for actu-
al operating expenses. Including cost
of repairs, the loss in 1912 ran up to
S5.6S6.965. The income was $15,-
T47.42O and operating expenses $751;
9g5. $50. 1t runs along about the same
from year 10 year. and it is considera-
bic of a question whether with the
amount OF politics we have in our
government. we could teach Great
Britain any lessons.
Taking over the telephone and tele-
graph lines OF the country is big
proposition II is not a new one. 1t
has been talked OF for decades 1t
may yet come 10 pass. bat doubtful
il il would be wise unless we can
have some advance assurance of being
able TO escape the British rut.
And same with the question of rates
and service. The government can
make the rates as low as it likes, or
high TO meet expenses. but unless bet
ter service can be had than Europe
furnishes over government lines,
whether in Britain or Germany we
need TO shy clear OF it.-only, since
we have outdone Europe in SO many
other things. can't we possibly do it
again?