New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-25
TIE POSTAL TELEGRAPH BILL.
ARGUMENT or THE PRESIDENT or THE WEST
ERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY IN oPrO
SiTIoN TO THE Measure.

AT tntr meeting tnis ulOrninR
Mr. Orion. President Of the Western Union Telegraph
Company In opposition 10 the Hubbard bill. and 10 the
report which that Committee recently made in it's favor
The argument occupied the entire session OF the ommt
Zee, ana was not eonendod on us adournmemt IN, 10
Mr.. orion first took up the statement In the Commit
tees report that In America the investment Ia telegraph
INES Is larger II proportion TO Their length INC ihles
higher and the lines less used than IN most European
countries. As to tie investment in telegraph lines. mas,
by Governments. he claimed that 1t impossible TO
n the nomn nSSsd IN poPe s4S
neither in Europe nor America. had ANYTHING to
not therefore. subject which demanded investigation
The other two propositions he claimed to be erroneous
higher In The United states according distance. than
In any European countries and lower than in several
The average rate per message the &c pnnci
pal cities IN France is 2lO mills per mile: the average
land, and ireland is also about $40 mills per mile tho
rate from Berne TO tho capitals OF the Cautions IN
Switzerland Is mills per mile; the average from Brus
sels TO the principal cities In Belgium IL 25lO
mills per mile; between the principal cities in
tween Berlin and the principal cities ia North Ger
many $40 mills per mile In Italy. between
Florence and 20 principal critics, The average rate per
message Is 9lO mills per mile; from Amsterdam TO the
chief cities in Holland 9lO mills permlc In the United
States the average rate between Ncwfork and % prinei
pal cities. gold basis. the same "a applied In the
countries above named the rate Is lio mills per mile;
average rate, on gold basis mills per mile fhese
those which charged for day service but he
called attention 10 the fact that since me Isl OF January
between all stations east OF the Mississippi Ryer mes.
rates; that business not requiring instant dspacn
be transmitted by telegraph at about onehaf
pean country.
Mr. orion next considered the statement that tho tee
graph Is less used IN America than IN most European
countries aud submitted tue following in support Of his
assertion that the statement ot the Committee was crto
which approximate very closely TO the present popua-
ton OF the United States Tho last official report 0f the
French Telegraph Department Is for the year 1908 ana
shows that the number OF messages transmitted ncud-
ing inland, international. and transit was 3,5h00;
Une he Telegraph Company
transmitted ia the United states during the year more
showed further that the whole number OF messages trans
nitted In all the countries Of Continental Europe. WIN
only about 100000 for which there was
ceycd more than s)o0o,Ooo In gold; whereas the
Western Union Company has transmitted larger
amount OF matter for the press alone receiving therefor
sloOOoo0 In currency lie then TOOK up the h99pd b.
and proceeded TO show-hrsl, the injustice OF hcoiP"rt
ting company by Congress, aud comforting upon Tree
rights OF way through All the states for the purro.e o.
competing with existing companies when were obbEtd
to pay. Ia money or IN service large sum per Gunuu ior
such privileges; second that the passage Of that NJ
Would be ensy Tor the Western Union Company take
possession OF Tie ORGANIZATION ana wnen tGs VIZ, gone
proceeded 10 apply the rates proposed IN iho
ceipts Of the Western Union Company 'or messages.
during the year 1852. were. cay. sao0OO, ana tie c-
Welded The above receipts would. under the Hubbard
hlll have Produced less than tcpOl. or about .Nolp
s@sd ths lie GoSerncai could not perform his ser
vice at less expense than the Company and ihcftoi"
county MALI 70 Inc dcaeit Of The Post one pSfarnen
lie then spoke OF the claim that the reduction M ratcs
largely increase tho number OF nessgcs. and adj
mlttcd lherc much force la this claim; bul demon
srated that an OF ~ per ut n the volume
Of business. without any Increase IN Tue cost 81
ihan 81 OoOa lie then proceeded 90 consider the ability
the present wires to carry THIS Increased business and
submitted the following slasi,c7; IN Buole These were
about miles OF telegraph wire over which there
were transmitted IN lSss between 100000 ana le0f"r
of mc-sagcs or IN average OF D' h''''s's Pe! le q"
wire. Tie Western Union Company has iiti.c over
messages, about 70 per nile of wire Vow, " u rea
sonable suppose that this number can Dc Increased -
per cent panns the BsI,g 's s. 90 o, ys ~ -
modate the Increase ui business which was nhc phicd
and which followed the reduction. A. the b ginning OF
1891 there were tlo more ihhh tV me, on viz ln
operation. aud the Let 81 January, ltP thofe wcfc
nnneT of ues Of vie; While the total increase n The
number OF message Transmitted dutiag ihs sAre p.ou
was but - pet cent aud ioHiihsiaudLs Ihc ee"t w
sse.-, 1t ..:1- lines tb,t iIafs @. ne dnsi.S Tic
Summer OF IsCs, when tie number ~ meehfes va, Ipnl
90 De IN excess of TIC faculties Tor ih'r fa ~
an Increase OF 81 per cent IN the number 81 miles 81 wire
while the Increase the number Of mcaeasc duung ne
same period had been % per cent In Iia ffu .' -
lsgl tie miles Of wiio had been increased - per cent
ncr cent In France during the same ucrta.s
Ia miles Of wire had been y Per cen aud in the nun.
iished the fact beyond aus 'u that any e0nHderato ~
Ia the Volume OF bIcs' must NJ ceeaiy require
an increase OF facilities the iuycsiGcnt "a which would
be entitled to fair prohts and tue Operation OF which
would Increase expenses, which, under THE hubbafd pan,
woud fal upon the Post Office Department.
Mr. orion then took NJ The statement made w the
Committees report that TIE charges ~ SsouniI, Neto
that they hgbet south than west and hgber Wee,
charging rates Ugh enough upon the large volume ~
business In section OF tho country TO cnsbe another
section 10 enjoy the shne rates lie showed uy lhe re-
port OF the PosmastcrGencra that The postal service
In the Eastern states, including Ngn,Nors hewJef,ty
Pennsylyanla Delaware, the D'lfct OF ColumDh, aia
Maryland, yielded excess 20 receipts over otp'hd'
lures Of moro than ooooo during The a' nscal YER,
while che central States ana Territories norm OF tho
and wyoming Wy cost $4,000 more 'IsI
son,bern division showed a deficit Of more than
tNOooo AS hs o"nrsny S w., P PM ~ @
WIch 20 draw IN case Of loss Il could hardly be expect
ed that they would undertake TO pcrform.n that portion
hons annually for the postal service Ia excess OF the re-
ccips tho telegraph service at tho same rate oil tah
In the section where tue butlness 9l the P9stohoo
ard thetelegraph were both transmitted at a profit
MI s oO ns9e IN lie Uaed states during the p@t
three years toward cheaper aud better telegraphc
Saco with The eFowng demands OF the public TOT
wires for their eNelbion into new territory charg
yalne of the capital Invested there occasion for
interference by tho Government III SDy manner lie
concluded by submitting the following proportions
Iou present rate, or ,ssgnflE reduced no DO
r,i. SS ~ nor Yet accomplished
w Be- nss.,su or co.. l ssa. 20 S, orss.uS
grOss receipts gsy 90! tAIs.Liss'. h''ts a.spi
Relieve from tb, sud make sse I'daesoH o. oss
s..a q our r,,y t . s l's ~ ss uop.s y ,a
girs to niue DO Us AID We should be enabled 70
aeeuth, without Interfering With profits
Congress provide for eomon 10 asceu AID t tho ash
property and sncs which shall be shied
AID DIVIDE sSgaal soLboe ~ per cent We VII
then the PosOte Department tho right
modify knf t the csp exceed,
per cent surplus be spped to the reduction % Ia such
the Ocs Depatme shall direct n the
posed b. Mt Hubbard mse TIE buas sefuppoug tboy
reached b. this plsH. Hner witch eli The facilities the
Government supply eau be assed of 10 the TALES rsEI bu1 vhh
os' a'a''''s any 'g--. o. ....a... .-y --r-n.oDr
POLITICAL.