Year: 1873




nton nsmelythat the interests of the rulers are 70
be considered first and those of the people last and
of great deal Importance send over the country
by the telegraph In extended proxity the latest state
the wind is likely to be today taking possession with
nfiexibe routine, II need be. of the only wire which
than that the great movements OF commerce. Of bus
ness and of society, which control prices, determine
should be allowed to pusate throughout the whole
tent Of continent with the minimum delay and in
SgnaI Serriee bureau me telegraph reference is made 70
TIC appendix 70 fhis report marked C.)


THE RIGHTS oP STATES UNDER FEDERAL MONOPOLY


OF THE TELEGRAPH.


Another question Of interest sure 70 grow cut OF the
absorption OF the telegraph by the Government would
he that of the tenure and conditions under which real
property, taken from the several existing telegraph COM
panies, would be held by Federal authority within the
territorial limits and sovereignty OF the different States
OF the sth section Of the 1s article the Constitution OF
the United States provides that Congress shall have
power TO exercise erepe legislation over the seat OF
government, and like authority all places pur
chased bv The OF TIE Legislature Of he state in


ieh TIE same shan De- for the erection OF forts mag
zines, arsenals, dockyards and other needful buildings
and IN accordance Win TINS proyson tne tSaera GOV
OF war powers assumed ownership or exclusive con
ro over any property within any state except oy
and gwen IL is also important TO note that the words
by the consent Of the Legislature Of the state IN Dhch
ne same shall BE-" were unanimously inserted by the
Federal Constitutional Convention, on motion OF Rufus





Gerry OF Massachusetts, that, without them the clause
would confer a power upon the central Government
which might prove perous to the rghtful sovereignty
within their sphere, of the sates and that MI had
quenty called attention to the great value OF this
clause a check the possible eneroachment of the
Now in all the reports and bills advocating prOvd
ing for the absorption OF the telegraph Dy e Govern
authorities be empowered by Congress- not only
10 abrogae at once all State charters uncer which al
irrespective OF state permission, 10 exercise absolute
control and ownership with concurrent exemption
longing - existing telegraph companies, and wherever
situated And # thus assumption be correct II follows
posing itself the alienation and transfer from state
ner not authorized by the Constitution, con-
trary to all precedent ana Whohy su1neT ti
sive OF State sovereignty as heretofore recognized;
or If the contrary be true, and no such procedure
is contemplated that system Of government telegraph
can practically 20 into operation without the consent of
the several States; and that the opposition of
would be sufficient TO prevent the scheme from De
coming uniform And as appertaining to this matter
attention here asked the circumstance that since
the commencement of the present session OF congress-
10 transfer the power Of cODdemning private property
for public Federal y uses from the Legislatures OF
the Separate States the Federal courts and 80 reeVe
the General Government from the Illuminating neces-
slty they are now under OF asking state authority Io
leave TO appropriate State property.


THE REAL ISSUE INVOLVED IN THE PROPOSITION OF FED


RRAL INTERFERENCE WITH THE TELEGRAPH


Whether therefore, under the scheme Of Federal in
reference direct indirect the people are likely 10 OBJ
tain more efficient and cheaper elegraphic facilities
whether il is necessity for the Signal Service TO control
exclusively wires for its purposes whether the
interests of ahy particular company likely be in
urOusly affected, all alike questions OF minor I'M
portance inasmuch as the real question involved the
significance isW the people consent 70 the Inaugural
ton Of policy on the part OF the Federal
State interference with the pursuits and business OF
the people and every step in the carrying ont Of which
isl dor rfurp
towards despotism and mOnarehyf


THE TELEGRAPH AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,


One point more connection with this review needs
TO noticed and that is the assertion that the Western
Union Telegraph Company, through its alliance with
the Associated Press" constitutes monopoly OBJ
struetve Of newspaper enterprise and the free dissent
nation Of news and as such ought 70 be abated How
entirely unfounded however this Is will at once appear
The Associated Press" in its inception, organ
zaon having its headquarters in the City OF New York.
composed of representatives OF the then prnclpal
newspapers of that city, for the purpose OF combining
their respective energies and diverse iaces ior ine
collection of news. This many years ago, ana IN
the days of the infancy OF the telegraph subsequently


as railroad and telegraph facilities extended, and as the
benefit of cooperation became clearly apparent series
Of similar organizations were forned-East SOUTH west
and OD the Paeihcf-eaoh one independent, bnt co,
operating in the collecting exchanging. and selling OF
news. In each case furthermore, it was matter OF no
its proportion OF expense TO become member OF one OF
these organizations but afterward as the privilege OF
membership became valuable the seNerdI OrgainIa-
tOns, Of their own yoltlon and with view 10 theH
| interests imposed restrictions on membership


But with all this the telegraph has no concern and II
is difficult to how the Government could interfere
with the existing order Of things in respect TO tins mat
ter IL it had as full control OF the wires as he
General claims that 1t should exercise Ihe
existing telegraph companies, having IN view the
amount and regularity Of the work be performed. and
also the interests OF the public contract with he several
organizations of the Associated Press" 10 forward
their dispatches what may be termed exceedingly low
wholesale prces;" but If any other association or COM
pany being free 10 organize should apply Tor IKE pry-
ece there can be no question but that they would be
granted The grievance complained or therefore, ltlt
really exists rests upon the Associated Press which
naturally enough unwilling to share advantages,
derived from long establishment IN business, with every
new conner and rival and with the telegraph winch
conveys their messages any more than with the rail,
road the steamboat or the stagecoach which IN certain
cases takes the place Of the telegraph In performing
AZ nstratine furthermore what the telegraph is,
respectively, under free and Government system,
attention is asked the fact that IT, at the present tme
%e were TO compute all the matter delivered by
The Telegraph 10 the press" separately transmitted
10 each paper IL would comprise an aggregate equa 10
graphs Of the world within given period selected for
Comparison when calculation IN respect TO TINS mat
Wear ises the whole OF transmitted IN
Continental Europe was l2sC5Se for Whleh the gross
v1ar the total number OF messages furnished to the
newspapers of the United States dividing the total OF
words by 90 and computing separately ior eaeh paper,
was II725sl, and the gross receipts for the same
ss9l 500 And since this time the amount OF press
matter tSs by NS Press


taking average o l nsraion ,ST Of S be
peculiarly American character OF the r.assts Asso
cated Press" and OF Nne IemaIhapAo aoeules
maj have flowed from the facilities Afforded
TO IL by the telegraph under private s manage g


ent reference may made 10 the statement made be-
fore committee of Congress- IN April 1870 by the Pres
dent Of the Western Union, that he would W
produce an American journal printed thousand miles


Signal Service Buresn with
. western telegraph Company being used 70 excite pn
OF the
private agencies here asked 70 The fonorDg rseet state
copied from The Journal Of nc 1tlgrph


signal and pecuhsr IL required ne
20 % o The principal circuits varying
"a
sornipg of tb messages thereon al each ngna station In
sdo n the these circuits erendng through
the OF the weather repor te
Sf sgus Officer represented that necessary that be should
nave b disposal special circuits between Wilmington and New lorf
New-Oreanh