Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1874 — Postal Telegraph. [ARTICLE]

Postal Telegraph.

The President of the Western Union Telegraph Company, in a letter to a New York paper, says■: “The Herald is probably correct in assuming that further reduction of rates will not be made by the companies now doing the telegraph business, for Some time to come.” The Western Union Company have adopted some uniformity in their charges within a few years past, and made a reductions in their rates, to the great benefit of the public and the company; but the public are under no obligations to the company for making these reductions; for President Orton, in his annualreport, informs his stockholders that they were forced upon them from the competition of opposing companies. They have recently purchased the principal opposition lines, and have reduced their rates so low that the remaining companies are unable to make any money. Now that this great monopoly is free from all fear of competition, they announce that they will make no'further concessions in rates. That the company are able to make further reductions is shown by the facts given in the annual reports. From these it appears that the rates have been reduced nearly one-third in six years, yet the cost of doing the business is so much less, in consequence of its great increase, that the net profits are greater at the lower than aUtlie higher rates. Mr. Orton has so often reiterated the proposition that the expenses increase in nearly as a ratio as the business, and therefore reduction~in rates cannot be made, Unit he has persuaded himself of its truth,.and is unable to appreciate the force of the facts which we have given. Mr. Orton truly says that the telegraph is only in its infancy. The growth of its business is much more rapid than that of the express or post-office, and at the same ratio of increase the number of telegrams that will be annually sent ten yea hence is larger than the number of letters sent when the postage was reduced to five cents. The immediate increase in the correspondence that followed upon the use of the five and three cent postage stamp was enormous,rapidly increasing from 50,000,000 to 500,000,000. There will be the same increase in the telegraphic correspondence if the same relative reductions in rates are made, for the same causes would operate to produce like effects. The people cannot hope for such reductions from the Western Union Telegraph Company, because -there is now no reason to induce- at—to. make them, and because the loss of net revenues from the,, great reductions in Tates necessary to popularize the tclegraph would be greater than the saving of expenses on each telegram from the great increase in the business. Such reductions can be made under the postal telegraph system, for that will save nearly one-quarter of the present expense, and would therefore authorize a reduction in rates of nearly forty per cent., and yet leave a sufficient profit on the greatly increased business. The Postmaster-General will ask Congress to purchase all existing lines,of telegraph, and build the new ones required for the business. The expense of purchasing tliese.lines has been estimated by committees of Congress at from $40,000,000 to $70,000,000. It is not likely Congress will feel disposed, in the “ present condition of our finances, to authorize such an expenditure, especially as the object sought can be accomplished without any expense to the Government” The Post-office Department will furnish the offices, and the Postal Telegraph Company will transmit the messages at r:\tes fixed by Congress. If the people desire to have a cheap telegraph, and to have the news furnished to the press at low rates, they must support the postal telegraph system, anil urge Congress to pass the bill authorizing the Postmaster General to contract as he now contracts for the carriage of the mails. If, on the other hand, they desire to perpetuate an overgrown monopoly, which is everyday growing more powerful, then let them continue the present system, by which a single .private corporation controls the telegraphic correspondence of a nation, and has the power to give or withhold news to the press, and to mold public opinion in its own interest. Such a power is too great for any private company to hold, and should be in tile hands of the people to be used only for their benefit. —Chocolate Puffs. —One half pound of sugar, sifted, one of chocolate, scraped very fine, and mix together. Beat the whites of two eggs and stir in your” chocolate and sugar. Continue to ‘beat until it becomes stiff paste. Sugar your paper, drop them in it, and bake in a slow oven. Will Wonders Never Cease?—When Dr. Walker proclaimed that he had produced from the medicinal herbs of California an Elixir that would regenerate the sinking system and cure every form of disease not organic, the incredulous shook their heads. ‘ Yet his Vinegar Bitters is noiw the Standard Restorative of the ■West<srn World.' Under the operation of the new remedy, Dyspeptics regain their health; the Bilious and Constipated arerelieved of every distressing symptom ; the Consumptive "and Rheumatic rapidly recover: Intermittent and Remittent Fevers are broken; the hereditary taint of Scrofula is eradicated! Skepticism is routed, and this wonderful preparation is to day the most popular .Topic, Alterative and Blood Depurent ever "advertised in America. We don’t sell Rum under the guise of medicine. We advertise to sell a pure medicine which will stand analysis by any chemist in the country. 23 If your horse.is lame, sore or galled, you Should Use Johnson's'Anodyne Lininient; wash the part with castile soap and warm water, rub dry with a dean cloth, then apply the lliirneuf; rub In ifell. with the hand, i

' 1 The attention of our many readers Is called to the attractive advertisement of J. N. Harris & Co., advertising their great and valuable lung remedy, “Alien’s Lung Balsam.” This Balsam has been before the public for ten years. Notwithstanding this long period, it has never lost one whit of its popularity, or sllwn the least sign of becoming unpopular, but, on the contrary, the call tot it has been constantly increasing, and at no l previous time has the demand been so great, or the quantity made been so large, as at this day. We earnestly recommend its trial by any one who may be afflicted with a cough or cold, and we warrant it to cure if directions are followed. It is sold by all our city druggists.