The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-30
ELE6RAn5 For 10 CENTS; TELEPHONE CALLS CENT EACH
First Steps Already Taken f
By RENE BACHE.
feh. for government own.

IT. He fight for government own
ership OF our telegraph and
telephone lines is to be
started in Congress very shortly. 1t
will probably have the backing of the
Administration.
What is understood to be the first
step in this new departure has al.
ready been taken by making arrange
ments for the transfer to the Post
Office Department of the government.
owned telegraph and cable system
covering Alaska, and connecting
that Arctic province with the United
States, which hitherto has been un-
der the management and control OF
Inc army. This system has been
conducted with an efficiency so ad-
mirablo as 10 afford the best imag.
Unable illustration of what Uncle
sam is able to do as manager OF
telegraph business.
An Act OF Congress will be re-
CURED 10 accomplish the transfer in
question, but beyond q doubt it will
be passed. The Washington-Alaska
system, as 1t is called, will then
become a part OF the regular postal
service. And, after while, when
the government shall have taken over
ali the telegraphs in this country,
/; will become as much matter Of
course 10 transmit messages by wire
through the post Offices as 10 send
letters.
The resulting advantage to the
people will be enormous. For one
thing, it will mean cheap messages.
Telegraph service will cost half, or
less than half, what it now does. In
addition, it will be much more rel..
able
Every civilized country in the
world. except the United States.
owns ana controls its own tele-
graphs the first government to &C
quire such ownership having been
that Of Belgium in 1862. All over
Europe the cost OF teleg7aphIng is
less than half what It is here. and
the service IN some instances is in
comparably better. In any instance
where il may happen to be uEsatis-
factory, somebody can be called to
account for the fault. II our own
country it is commonly unreliable,
and the person who suffers has no
redress. He may complain, but he
gets no satisfaction.
Take England, for example. In
London the wire service IS so cheap
that If q person is 10 be asked 20
dinner the invitation is as likely as
not 10 be sent by telegraph The
cos; Of the message IS only sixpence
for twelve words. In England near
y 30 per cent OF all the messages
dispatched by wire are social--to
Use the term in its broad sense. mean
ing noncommercial. But in the
United States people cannot afford
10 use the telegraph much in such
ways; it is too expensive. Less than
per cent o: the messages in this
country are social, and more than
90 per cent relate 10 the stock mar
ket and racing
II should be explained however.
that this small rate does not apply
merely 10 the city OF London. One
may send telegram for sixpcnce
twelve cents 20 any part OF Eng
land Scotland or WuleS-a message.
that is 10 say. II twelve words
Il the government taxes over our
own telcgraph:. We shall soon have
ten-cent MESSAGES IN all likelihood
FOR such distances as are covered
today by the twenty-fve-ceht rate.
This will make the wire service an
every day convenience to the people
generally. instead OF luxury 10 be
used only once in While or when
necessity compels. Quite possibly
telegraph operators may be picked
out for appointment as pcstmasters
n small places.
The Washington Alaska system
was built by the United States gov
eminent few years ago for the pur-