Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1913-12-18
y, To s@T-A7
|bURLESON fAVORS
GOVT OWNERSHIP
- ..--.. : - y
|necommends Federal own.
srshi'p'- q 'T'slesra i and !.
Telephones '~
SHOWS BIG SURPLUS
sfaszss ~ !its . ~
2 Il ~, ,,--vr-.-. 49, ''~s,'.;d
Believed That President VIII Make
Government Ownership OF
Utilities ,. Policy. >.
tfNf9 = 4t5.. 3sstN y Va = I = IL,
SHOWS BIG SURPLUS

II q
Washington, Dec. 17.--Government
lovnershlp Of both telegraphs and tel
erhohes IL urged by Postmaster Gen
eral Albert d. Bnrleson, In his an
nuai report made public today, This
follows recent { conferences on 1.-THE
subject between the postmaster GEN
eral ana President Wilson and re-
Eports thnt the President was about
ito make federal ownership Of the two
H. | administ alton policy Mr.
B1ft MI Joints 10 the successful inr
apSnrati - and extension 'of' the par!
cell post system as a guarantee that
! tKgs foyt OFFICE departmeht IT. cara-
IN idf hand ling; further colatfy-wids
/ lslpas9 INA, sHseht| has attads sRd In
Mus har pIromihent feature tsof the
Bp5ltmasaer's report ,sis hisl9 assertion
AatItAers II assnTplns AZ shtsl dspart-
,Rsntl s{or iths, 'yssHl 'spdsd lJhas, 33se,
1asiI Minated AsNy3ISA1,soS rs, and
MI sss 81 II hSs thlS thisyIis stRa tI4sit
reAs \ sasrrplls siRSe Y4sss.s'aHIa ~ wy
.. SifIS starts his lengthy report with
Jay de4aaiea sttack1qpQn previous meth
DDS Of tleGring' the surplus. These.
he says. amply showed the difference
between receipts and expenditures
and ala not take into account either
amounts paid for debts incurred in
previous fiscal years. or debts incurr-
ed and unpaid in the fiscal year re-
ported. The assumption that these
two errors would balance each other,
'ka ,says,. ~as unfounded and caused
the false appearance Of a. better con-
dition than the actual one because Of
the increased amount Of business
done each successive year.
IN regard to taking over the tele-
graph and telephone systems, MIR.
Burlesoa says in part:
"a study Of the constitutional pur
poses Of the postal establishment
leads TO the conviction that the Post
office department should have con
troll over all means Of the commune
cation Of intelligence. The first tele'
grAph line In this country was main.
tanned and operated az part OF thu
postal service, and 1t is to be regret
ted that Congress saw fit to relin.
qiish this facility to private enter
PRISE. The monopolistic nature o.
the telegraph business makes 1t o.
vital importance to the people thai
II DO conducted by unselfish inter
eats. and this can be accomplished
only through government ownership
The tct Of July "a, 1866. provid
Ing for the government acquisition
at tn telegraph lines upon paymen
u a appraised valuation and thu
act Of 1902 directing the Postmaster
General to report to Congress thu
probable cost Of connecting q tele
graph and telephone system with thu
postai service by some feasible plar
are evidences Of the policy Of thii
Government ultimately to acquire
and operate these electrical means o.
communication as postal facilities, al
Is done BY all the principal nations
the Uaited States alone excepted.
s'The successful operation OF thu
parcsa post has demonstrated the ca
pacity Of the government to conduc
the public utilities which fall prop
erly within the postal provision o
the Cons.i!ution.
*Every argument IN favor Of tn
government ownership Of telegraph
lines may be advarcsa with eaua
logic and force in favor Of the gov
er1ment az nership Of telephone Hines
It has been Compel sct,y decided tina
telephone message aud a telegram
are the same within the meaning u
the laws governing the telearaph scr'
vice and therefore 1t is believed that
the statute enabling the government
to acquire. upon payment Of an ap'
praised valuation. the telegraph line'
OF the country will enable the gov
ernment 70 acquire the telephone
network Of the country
The receipts for the year were
szss,6ts.5s5.e5. AN increase of more
than 8 per cent over the preceding
year, as compared with correspond,
ing increase of 4 per cent reported
atweNemonth ago. The larger IN
crease me attributes to the parcel
post system started January !, 1913.
hi prsises the parcel post work Of