Year: 1869

When the invention of the magnet
ic telegraph was urged upon the atten-
tiOn of Congress by Prof Morse, he
suggested that its operation should be
connected with the postal system
The Secretary Of the Treasury at that
time also urged Congress to take pos
session of the invention for the gov
ernment. It was a lack of foresight
that this was not done. It as leRiti-


mately belongs to the government as
the carrying of news by the nails
The New York Herald ably puts this
view of the case


1.-The telegraph must become the
great regulator Of commerce, of finan-
clal operations, and of exchange. Few
will take the trouble to write letters
and wait the slow process of the mails
when the facilities of teiegraphing are
increased eight or ten fold. The time
IS at hand when almost all communi-
cations will be by telegraph. Finan-
cial operations will be reEolutionized.
The old system of exchange and the
profits thereon will be abolished
People will communicate directly and
freely with each other from one part
of the country, or of the world to an
other. The capital Of commercial
men will be more than doubled in use;
for instead of waiting for the mails
they can learn instantly Of the accept
ance of bills or the payment and re-
ceipt Of money, and can 60 to work
with new operations. Indeed, far less
money or currency will be needed.
The financial operations and condition
of the banks of New York, as exhib-
tied daily by the Clearing House,
where hundred millions or so of
transactions are represented or adjust
ed BY small balance of one or two
millions, will show what an effect the
telegraph may have in extending such
a system to the whole country. The
question arises here-aud il is one
which especially concerns New York,
which is destined to absorb the
financial business of this conti-
nent or the worlds the power over
all these mighty interests and opera
tions to be left 10 the hands of a few
individuals or telegraph companies?
Shall all the communitions which reg
ulate the commerce, trade and social
intercourse of the whole country be
be left under the control of few mon
opolists ?"


The HreaId then urges that the time
has come when the telegraph shall no
longer be in the hands of private indi-
yiduals or companies. The English
Government. on the first of January,
Will take entire control, in connection
with the Postofice Department, of all
teIegraphlc communication in the Uni
ted Kingdom. The great nations in
this matter have followed the example
of the lesser ones-Belgium and SWitz-
erlaud. But all will have 80 come to
it in time. There is no other way Of
preserving the secrecy of cOmmunica,
tlons inviO!able, of preventing monop-
Oiles from using the telegraph to the
injury of the public, and of cheapen-
ing the transmission Of messages.-
The charges for tetegraphing now are
enormous and out of all proportion to
the capital actually invested in the
lines. Under Government control and
IN connection with the postal service
they could be reduced to a fifth the
present rate.


The Herald understands that there
has been a new invention in telegraph.
ing power, which will multiply eight
or Ten times the facilities of tele-
graphic communication over the pres
ent system. It thinks this is likely to
prove one of the most astonishing in
ventions of the age, and destined to
produce great revolution in the COM
merce, financial affairs, intercourse and
social condition of the world. The
government will be asked to test the
invention aud to take control of and
use it for the public good. An exper-
mental line from Washington to New
York is recommended and if success
ful, let the government obtain the pat
ent and give the whole country the
benefit oft under government control.
- Toledo Blade.