Year: 1872




The Post Once and the Government


Telegraph.


The question of government telegraph is
10 be again presented to Congress for its con-
sideration. When it was first agitated the
argument of those opposed to the system was
based on the premise that government tele-
graph lines did not ''pay;" that they were o
cost and burden to the people. Elaborate
statements were laid before the Congressional
Committee to prove that in countries where the
postal and telegraph systems were united the
rates for messages were higher than in the
United States, and that the close of the fiscal
year always showed deficiency in the de-
partment which had to be made up from other
funds This ground has now been abandoned
as untenable in the face of the official returns
from England, France, and other European na-
tons, which prove that the rates are lower than
our own by an average of, say, fifty per cent;
that the business is more satisfactorily done
and that the government realizes from it a
handsome profit. The opposition to the postal
telegraph now raises the cry of monopoly
against the government, and declares that it
would be dangerous to place so great power
as the telegraph in the hands of an admins
tration.


II there is any one department Of govern
ment in which partisan management is utterly
impracticable it is the telegraph depart
ment. Skilled operators are required, and q
politician who could sort and deliver letters
well enough would not be available at the
"key." The business is not learned in day,
and on change Of administration it would
be impossible to replace republican operators
by democratic or democratic operators by
those of the republican faith. In that depart
ment electricians would be more powerful
than politicians. The mails are now in the
hands of the government and not one citizen
out OF ten thousand, probably, would consent
to their transfer to private companies Now
and then, for political effect about election
time, charges of tampering with the mails
are brought against the government officials
but they mean nothing and do not for an
instant shake the confidence Of the people in
the Postal Department. We are satisfied to
SSAANto Wa OoAACopOAOCACO Ny lCVVS1 W SON-
ernment officers; we should be equally well
coutented to entrust them with our CORE
spondence by telegraph.


Every good argument in favor of govern
ment telegraph applies with greater force to
the United States than to any other country
Here, in consequence Of our great distances,
and in some places sparsely settled territory
there is always heavy deficiency in the Post
Office Department. The telegraph is here, for
the same reason, more serious competitor
with the mails than in European countries
where only a few hours are occupied in the
transmission of letters from one extremity of
the nation to the other. In Europe there are
two classes Of telegram-those which take
precedence and are despatched as speedily as
possible, and those which take their turn and
are sent in order as received. For the latter
class smaller tariff is exacted. This plan
would be valuable and remunerative here,
where business communication, which would
take nearly q week to reach New Orleans
by mail, could be sent at little extra cost in
from twelve TO fifteen hours, or probably in
much less time, according to the pressure Of
business. With the two means Of transmission
combined telegraph and mail-the Postal
Department would no doubt realize an in
come instead Of showing a deficiency, and the
people would not be damaged by the rivalry
Of q private corporation.


The tariff now in force in the United States
is quite fifty per cent, on an average, higher
than in Europe. Our citizens who use the
wires are taxed to pay corporation and to
keep up the price of speculative stock, just
as capable Of being gambled with and
'cornered'' as is Northwestern or Erie.
Wherever the telegraph is in government
hands it is operated at its minimum cost the
people derive the benefit Of the profit in low
rates for transmission, and there are no stock
holders or stock operators to demand heavy
surpluses. which can only be secured by
exorbitant charges. For these reasons we
regard the government postal telegraph sys-
tenn with favor and believe the purchase of
the lines would meet with popular approval.
There must not, however, be any jobbing
speculation about the transaction. If the



do SO at fair price-fair towards the COM
pany and towards the public. The average
quotation of the stock for the last six months
would form on equitable basis for the pur-
chase price and would be exceedingly liberal
towards the corporation, because the bona .fde
stock Of the company is not more than one
fifth of it's nominal amount. The people do
not wish to see the consummation of q monster
job by which millions would be dishonesty
taken out Of their pockets, but if the transfer
of the telegraph to the government can be
made fair, honorable business transaction,
the sooner it is done the better.


A Worn.Out Rail.


Thanksgiving Day was marred by sad
fatality on the Binghamton and Syracuse