And so, wherever a group of citizens established a telephone service, the government officials looked upon it with jealous eyes, and usually snatched it away.

The telephone thus became a part of the telegraph, which is a part of the post office, which is a part of the government.

It is a fraction of a fraction of a fraction--a mere twig of bureaucracy.

Under such conditions the telephone could not prosper.

The wonder is that it survived.
Handled on the American plan, the telephone abroad may be raised to American levels.