Postal Telegraph

General Wanamaker has submitted a proposition to the cougressional coDimittce on post-offices and postroarts for tbc government to eslablish a system of cheap telegraphuifr for tlie people. Tlie post-offlee department of the United States was established "for conveying letters and intelligeuce." Up to this time its eflbits have been in the line of quickeninit the transportation of our mails by faster trains, shorter routes, raihvay postal services, freo deliyeries, etc, until now the limit of speed in the direction of the rails has been attained. AVith every rednctlon of postage or of timo in delivcry Hiere has at once followed largely lncreased business, ehowing tliat the people appreciate these facilities. The present telegraphic sygtem of this country, although widc-extending, does not meet the wants of the public, chietly because its cxpensiveness and varying rates. This is shown from the character of its business. For the larger part of the messages are sent by speculators, pool sellers ami brokers. Only 8 per cent. of the messages are by the people and of a social nature, whereas in foreign countries 50 per cent. of all the telegrams are for social purposes. Iiugland bas twiee as many telegrums cvery year in prnportion to its population. 8he controls her ttlegraphs in connection with the pstofliee9, as does every other large nation, except the United States, thereby charging about one-half the rates we pay. We do not believe with the Bellamy school of nationalists that the government should 20 into business, investing large sunis of money either to freeze out her citizens and compel them to sell, or to ruin their property. Uut we do haye a fondness lor such a plan as is now otlered to tlie country by a responsible company who propose to erect their own wires, furnish their own inslruments and operators, and do tlie government business free, provuleU thej are allowed room in the postofüces of the country. In the frec-delivery cities the postoffices will delivcr the mesMiires. Tliey would charge uniform rates of 15 cents regardless of distance, just as is done on letters. The tovernmeut does not invest a dollar iii it, but gets its work done free in consideration of a few inexpensive privileges allowed to the compaDy, besiues glvln to the people chcaper telagraphy. J.ast year the Western Uolon'g receipts were over $20,üOO,COO, while lts expenses wereaboul$15,000,000. Everybody knows tliat its stock has been tremenüously watercd up to $8G,000,000, whereas il would be duplicated for a quarter of that amount. Yet the public have to pay this tribute or go without. Too many of them do, who with reasonable rates would be glad to use it more. A curious pliase of this question is ihat the Western Union having a monopoly of their business, necessarily have the lash over the assoclated pres., and consequently over all the large daily papers of the land, from which they have to get tbelr ï-.ews. So they dare not faTor a plan of this kinu, no matter hov desirable it may be, for fear that the Western Union will shut ofl' diepatcbes. Of course that eompany is fighting these proposltiona, and it is quite likely that they will Bucceed lor a time, but in the end the rights of the people will be cstablished even over absolute monopolies. Samuel J. Kandall of Philadelphla, for years the foiemost democratie politican of the country, died at his residence last Saturday nlght. Mr. Kandall was a leader, Btrlctly lionorable and uprlght, and liis party would Lave bettered Itselt in many ways liad tliey tollowcd him. Jíut tliey Bougbt a ncw light tbrough Cleveland, and liad tbelrlamp extinguislied. The deiith of so eminent and nble a man is repretted by all, regardless of party affillatlone. Thls lenyesthe miníirity in Congress in a bad Bhape tor leadera. WitU the loss of Cox and Kandall they have no one to cope witb such leaders as Reed, Can non, McKinley, Allen, Burrows or Bntterworth on the republlcan side.