Salt Lake Tribune | 1914-02-17 | Page 3 | Annual Report of Mackay Companies

III REPORT OF MSCiUOiPSilES: Attention Is Paid to Government Govern-ment Control Proposed by Postmaster General. By International News Service. N15W YORK. Keb. 1C Clarence IJ. Mackny, president of tho Mackay companies, com-panies, in his annual report dcclnrea that acquisition of the telephone lines by th government. and their nue for telegraphy Jn competition with the present two telegraph companies Is a proposition that hardly commends Itself to tho Intelligence Intelli-gence of Americans. "The specter of government ownership of tho telegraphs arises with periodical regularity." says Mr. Mackay. "The United States postmaster general's office now resuscitates the question again, but In a new form, and advocates tho acquisition ac-quisition of telephone lines In the United States by the United ytatcs government, and U3lng them for telegraph as well aa telephone purposes In competition with the present two telegraoh companies. Such a proposition will hardly commend Itself to tho Intelligence and fairness of the American people. Furthermore, it has been pointed out that it will require at least $'-000,000.000 to pay for the physical properties and the earning capacity ca-pacity of the telephone and telegraph lines and that the government would have to pay tho railroads in order to acqulro their rights In the railroads." Mr. Mackay mentions that the "bur-don" "bur-don" of such purchase would . be still heavier, because every municipality, state and Uio government Itself receive an aggregatu of about ?15,000;000 to $20,000,000 a year In taxes which would be lost under government ownership. Mr. Mackay gives a table showing how the operation of the telegraphs In Great Britain" has resulted In a constant Increase In-crease in operating expenses. "We feel there Is little danger of the government embarking on such an enterprise," enter-prise," says tft Mackny, "and, In any event, your Interests will bo safeguarded." Gratification Is expressed with tho ro-suk ro-suk of the government's litigation with the American Telephone & Telegraph company and a hope that the "diversion of the Postal company's business to the Western Union will now cease."