OCR Text |
Show TELEGRAPHIC REFORM. Tho bill before the houso of representatives rep-resentatives to incorporate the National Na-tional Union telegraph company gives tho right of way over al1 post roads aud railroads, and provides that telegraphic tele-graphic messages shall be received at such post oiliccs as the postmaster-general postmaster-general may direct, and may be transmitted to any address on the lines of said company under such regulations as the post m aster-gen oral and tho chief of the signal service may establish. The charges for special telegrams to newspapers and commercinl news associations, for each 1-0 words or less, lor each 300 miles, shall not exceed GO cents if sent at night, and 90 cents if sent during the day. The postmaster-general postmaster-general and chief of tho signal ser-Tice ser-Tice aro made ex-otticio directors. The postal telegraph bilf introduced intro-duced in the house by Butler ot Massachusetts, Mas-sachusetts, a brief synopsis of which we have published does not propose to interfere with the ownership of existing ex-isting telegraph lines, but makes all such lines post roads; provides that ait companies shall receivo aud forward for-ward dispatches lroni other companies com-panies without extra charge, and prohibita preference feeing given to any class ot business; and it also prohibits pro-hibits the several companies on laud and ocean from being interested directly di-rectly or indirectly in the collection and transaction of commercial news The rates for special telegrams to newspaper and commercial associations associa-tions to be the same, which rates shall be publicly displayed ; such rates in no case to exceed the rates charged to the associated press and the American press association on the 1st of January, 1675. All telegrams shall be privileged communications to the same exieut that sealed letters are now, and their contents shall not be divulged by any agent or officers of the company, except tor the purposes pur-poses f justice, by order ot a court of competent jurisdiction. The tariff is to b uniform to all parties for similar services, government messages, when cerufjtU by the proper oiiiecr to have precedence, without prepayment, at rates to be fixed anmtailv bv the postmaster - general. The divulging of the content of any telegram or injury in-jury ot any hue or apparatus is made a rubdemeanor. punishable by fine and imprisonment. |