Year: 1870

The Western Union Monopoiy-The Danger


to Its Stockholders.


Sooner or later the telegraph business Of the
country will be conducted under arrangements
made by the government. In every essential
particular the present postal system will become
simply telegraph system upon an enlarged
scale. All messages of business, domestic
or government nature will, in time not remote,
be transmitted in magnetic flashes from one
end of the country to the other. We have
seen that momentous questions affecting even
the peace of nations have been discussed
thousands of miles across oceans through sub
marine cables, and not an error, even to the
dotting of an 81" or the crossing of st" has
occurred. In our own immediate localities
messages from the suburban towns and vii
lagos to the counting rooms of merchants, the
Offices of professionals, the workshops of
artisans in the city, are transmitted, although
sparsely at present in consequence of the high
charges. In the city itself the local telegraph
system scarcely meets the wants OF our
citizens owing to excessive rates. Every
where, in fact, we see the telegraph
system moving and acting as handmade
to promote the interests of communities,
except-and mark the exception-where an
overshadowing monopoly crushes private en-
terprise and boldly defies government inter-
ference or competition.


Addressing the stockholders in the Western
Union Company from a standpoint personal
to themselves, we ask them to consider the
present position of their investments. The
company has fifty millions in the enterprise.
1t is asserted that it is now losing one
thousand dollars per day. The government
proposes to build lines that will cover more
territory than that occupied by the Western
Union for twelve millions, or, according to
Mr.. Washburn's bill, buy up the existing lines
at a fair appraisement, and making it unlaw
ful (to quote a provision in the bilD, after the
oath day of July, 1871, ''for any person to
transmit by electric telegraph, or by any
device equivalent thereto, any message, infor-
nation or intelligence Of whatever description
for hire, or to receive any moneys or reward
of any kind for such transmission, except as
under the regulation of the Post Office Depart
ment." Upon capital Of fifty millions the
stockholders of the Western Union have realized
comparatively slight, If any, dividends. II the
government takes the field and builds its own
lines, the same as it would its own post roads,
and regulates the transmission Of business over
them as it now regulates it's own postal
business, by the utter prohibition of compe-
tition, what becomes of the investments of the
stockholders in the Western Unionp They
would be worth less than the paper upon
which the stock is written.


Again, we find arrayed against this op-
pressive Western Union monopoly an army Of
the most expert telegraph operators in the
world. They have struck, not for higher, but
against an unreasonable reduction in the
present rate Of wages for their services. As
business approaches specie basis it is not
unfit to anticipate an ameloration in the stand
ard Of prices for everything. But the tyran-
nical application Of concentrated capital against
the rights of intelligent labor can never be
justly recognized in any civilized community.
In such an event it is eminently to be expected
that the strength Of the organized labor system
of the country would be brought to the aid of
the defenceless, and, unfortunately, dependent
artisan classes. And here the stockholders in
the Western Union may be astonished to
learn that already the sum Of two hundred
thousand dollars has been subscribed by diff
ferent trade unions throughout the country
to lend aid and comfort to the progressive
movement Of the telegraph operators; and
these unions number six hundred thousand
men, with means to carry out their purposes.


Furthermore, we do not look over an ex-
change not absolutely in the interests of the
Western Union that does not cry aloud against
the operations Of the monopoly, and appeal to
Congress for a telegraph postal system, under
the direction of the government, which will
disenthral the press and the people from the
tyranny and extortions of an uncomfortable
corporation.


In view Of these things are we not right in
suggesting to those stockholders in the West
ern Union who are possessed Of intelligence
and sagacity, and are mindful Of their pecu-
MARY interests and the action of Congress, to
consider the situation, and, by encouraging the
sale Of the Western Union lines to the govern
ment, save themselves from loss and the COM
pany from ultimate reputation and bank
ruptcy? %


Tho Candy Question.


Our suggestion last week, that commission