Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-30

ownership for about a quarter OF = CEN
fury, and then the agitation became 80
strong in faver of government ownership
that Gladstone yielded to it and made
it a part of his country's policy. When
the government acquired the telegraphs
there was an immediate reduction of 40
per cent in the rate and an increase in
the amount of business handled amount
ing to 100 per cent.
Both the advocates and the opponents
of a government-owned telegraph look
to Europe for proof of their position.
Both sides concede that rates are ap-
parently lower in Europe but the OPP
ponents of the government telegraph as
sert that this cheaper service is more
evident in appearance than in reality.
contending that distance for distance and
service for service the European rate
is not a whit more reasonable than the
American rate. In Belgium, according
TO a government investigation, the rate
is 10 cents for fifteen words. with cents
for each additional word: in Italy the
rate is H. cents for fifteen words, with a
cent for each additional word But in
all European countries addresses and
signatures are charged for The rate
in England, Germany and France is
around a cent word, with IL or 10
cents as the minimum
MANY OPpoSS liit tiitijHI VI thC SoN-
eminent into the telegraph business. not
because they think
Arguments Made it a better policy
in Opposition. graphs to be private
" operated. but because they believe
that the day of TRANSMISSION or tele-
grams by wire is passing and that If the
government should acquire the telegraph
lines now privately owned 1t would stand
a good chance of finding itself IN posses
sion of system of communication oes-
tined to become as obsolete as the stage
coach. They urge that the thing to DO
is to wait until wireless telegraphy
reaches that state or perfectlon that VIII
enable it to be used as the present wire
telegraph is used. and then to declare a
government monopoly on the wireless
business Just as il declares monopoly
on the handling OF the mails.
Ii is asserted Ivy those VINO advocate
the ACQUISITION of the telegraph com
panies that they are vastly overcapital-
lied. They point to the Western ohioi,
as case in point In 1898 IT'S capl.ai
stock was less than 100000: eight years
later IL had gone up to S22o00,Vo0. and
the executives committee of the national
board of trade, i'm 1882. reported that Sls'-
oo,Nio of this REPRESENTED water IN tne
shape of stock dividends. Inc western
| Mon makes answer Ildt Tue iooh "
the budding lies in the eating and that
any fair appraisal will show that there
is a dollar Of actual value behind every
dollar of capital the company has.
s.. The government has no one but ltsen
to blame that it does not enjoy a mon
opoly on the. telegraph business today
1t built the first line between Washington
and Raltimote and turned it over TO the
Post Office Department for operation
Rut in 1916 Postmaster General cave
Johnsou reported that ii was a financial
failure and that the government ought to
get rid of it. Suiting actions to words,
he offered to give the income of the line
to Alfred Vail and Henry Rogers IL
they would operate it. They accepted
the proposition and from that day for
ward the telegraph became private in
Stituton.
That il does not profit legislators to