The New York herald., 1869-01-18
Ocean Telegraph Cables--Consress and tho
Lobby.


The impudenoe and lodges Of the telegraph
monopolists and their lobby agents in Wash
ington are astounding. Just rs a new Allan
tic cable is about to be laid from Europe direct
to New York; just as the Franco-American
Company is putting that cable on board, ready
to lay it at the only time Of the year when
the operation is likely to be successful, the
unscrupulous and overgorged monopolists rush
TO Washington to throw obstacles in the
wagon the plea, forsooth, that foreign COM
pany has no right to land cable on American
SOIL For narrow -mindedness, illiberality and
presumption this beats anything ever heard of
before. Here is an important project that
will be vast benefit to the whole American
people, and to this great commercial metropo-
lis in particular-.that, in fact, must prove
benefit to the world-and yet it is to be stopped
for the sake Of few monopolists and specu-
lators. A bill has actually been introduced
in Congress, under the influence Of
these monopolists and their lobby agents,
prohibiting the landing of cables along the
coast of the United States. The proposition
is disgrace to this country and the age
Congress is disgraced by admitting such
proposition. 1t ought to have been kicked out
unceremoniously the moment it was intro
duced. 1t would not have been tolerated in
the dark ages; it is worse than the Chinese
policy of exclusion Of former times. The
attempt to stop the progress of telegraphic
communication, and thereby to prevent this
great agent of civilization from becoming
cheap and in general use by the people is in
famous. It is like shutting out the light of
the sun, for the one has become as necessary
in the moral and material progress of the
world as the other is to the world Of nature.
In this surprising opposition to telegraphic
progress, worthy only OF barbaric age,
there is reason to believe the Western Union
Telegraph Company has taken the most active
part. This monstrous monopoly does not
scruple to place itself in hostility to the
interests of the whole community and to
invade Congress with it's impudent pretensions
We do not know what the law is on the sub
ject, or whether there be any law, local,
national or international, relative to land
ing cables on our soil, but we do know
that if any obstacle exists it ought to be
swept away at once. We notice that the bill
prohibiting the landing Of cables has been
referred by the Congressional committee hav-
ing it in hand to the Attorney General for his
opinion on the subject. 1t is to be hoped Mr..
Evarts will take a broad and liberal view
of the matter and report upon it without delay.
We see, too, that Mr.. Doolittle offered joint
resolution in the Senate to authorize the Presi-
dent to consent to the laying of cables from the
shores Of any foreign country to the United
States by a foreign company, provided that
lege to American companies or citizens. This
is good measure and should be passed at
once but, as it viii take time to carry out the
necessary diplomatic arrangements, and the
cable now ready to be laid from France might
be delayed in its work for another year in con-
sequence, something should be done imme-
diately to assure the company that no obstacle
will be placed in its way. The monopolists
would gain their point in part, at least, if the
work can be suspended. For this they are
working with all their power and by the use Of
large lobby fund. If Congress has any sense
or patriotism it will defeat their infamous
schemes and proclaim at once the broad and
liberal policy that as many ocean telegraph
cables as either natives or foreigners choose to
lay may be landed on American soil.
oeu.tC, uysI~ou ~ 81. Tauu~~ ~ nN,c. A.