The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-01-02
WOULD TAKE OVER
TELEPHONE ONLY
Prominent Member of Congress
Thinks Telegraph Should Be Left
To Companies Now Operating It
UNITED STATES RANKS LOW
In List Of Twenty Nations It is Placed
Last As To Cost Of Messages
Sent Over Wires


From Congressman G. II. Tavenner,
Washington, Jan. 2,-To those
seeking to make a study of govern.
ment telephones and telegraphs the
recent speech Of Congressman David
j. Lewis, Of Maryland, is recommend.
ed as the most exhaustive ANALYSIS
of the situation now in print. The
address represents careful conclu-
sions drawn after months of investi-
cation by the ~clearest thinker on
government ownership now in Con-
gress. Copies of this remarkable
document can be obtained by writ
ing to Mr.. Lewis in Washington.
Mr.. Lewis mature Judgment is
that the government should take over
the telephone network only, since
t~elegraphing a be done on the
hone wires, and leave the telegraph
companies to transact such business
as the government may not wish to
handle. Sentences from the summary
OF Lewis speech show the high
points in his argument:
"The investigation discloses that
our telegraphic rates are the highest
among 20 countries, running from 25
cents to $l.00, while in other coun-
tries they average about - cents, or
a cent a word. We rank ninth as
telegraph users, with 1 10 tele-
grams per person to our credit, while
in New Zealand, with the 12-cent
rate and our price and wage levels,
the use Of the telegraph reaches as
high as eight kilograms per person.
Against these conditions it ap-
pears that our postal rates average
lower than other countries, and that
the number Of letters here-1O1 per
PERSONS the highest in the world.
But u toll and long distance
rates compare with those of other
countries even less favorably than do
our telegraph rates. The average in
terurban receipt in Germany is but 4
cents; here it averages 20 cents. The
lOng-diStance rates here are made on
a scale Of 6 mills a mile per three
minute conversation, as against an
average charge Of about 7 mills a
mile received by the railways for
transporting q ton Of freight. The
average charge on the Continent of
Europe for a 300-mile talk Is 80
cents; here it is $50, or six times
as great. 1t is not unfair or mac
curate to say that the American in
terurban telephone rates are the
scandal Of public service rates the
world over.
"Telephone development has
reached it's substantial limits in the
United States under private capital
with the extension of the service to
the very profitable office and well-to
do home traffic. To extend it to the
oihSo VI SpS ltidSSCS, DIS Tic puUllC
roads and postal service now are ex-
tended, the postal agency is neces-
Sary. If the telegraph lines are pos
talized both the telephone and tele =
graph business can be done over
them, as in other countries where a
telegram and a conversation go over
the same Wira at the same time. The
telephone wires now exceed the ts11e-
graph wires In mileage and geograp-
hical distribution.
"The cost Of acquiring the tele-
phone network is indicated as some
thing less then 10000, for
which 1t IS proposed to issue 3 per
cent bonds payable in SO years. It is
calculated that the postal system, by
superimposing the telegraph service
on the telephone lines at half present
telegraph rates may net some fifty
millions annually from that traffic
alone, which the present profits Of
n telephones, and after the deduc.
tlon or interest on the bonds and de.
probation, would supply the Depart.
ment with a large surplus for extern.
sions."
Mr.. Lewis also advocates the &C.
QUESTION of the entire phone SYSTEM
local exchanges as we'll as long al
long distance lines-by the govern
ment, because to leave the purchas,
inc operation of local exchanges t,
municipalities "would be like diyorc
ing local post offices from the Pos
Office Department and turning then
over to the mayors to run"
Lathrop- Craychee.
Al the PRESBYTERIAN manse weGna s