New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-28

commercial intercourse. aud for the development of
have cone m T nrher M @
provision for their subjects. There Government
baths, with the accessories OF Government soap and
towels; and in France the Government build opera
houses and provides balls and entertainments with
peria Autocrat, who held upon the throne by bay
onets OF bis sOdiery while women laboring in the
cheap eegrapy TO his subjects in return for the greater
privileges which he has wrested from them.
Mr. orion then proceeded TO discuss the report Of the
Committee reading that portion which speaks OF consO
dating competing companies something TO be desired,
and also the removal of competition lie suggested that
nasmuch the only icharge made against his company
that OF being great monopoly whether II was the
policy OF Congress to foster consolidation ana abolish
competition, when the result would inevitably be the
Enlistment of greater monopoly than now existed.
majority of the States all Of which were being extend
ed and that If the business was not ntcrfcred with by
or two at the furhest-compcOn in tclegraphy would
exist all over the country Competition rarely promotes
ready TO invest capital in such enterprises the public will
certainly not complain and the Government has no ocea-
lie called attention to the reference in the report Of
statement made by the Chairman of the Select
Committee the Postal Telegraph" in the House, and
added that that is Committee recently appointed at the
organized and the opinions Of its Chairman, therefore,
are entitled to no more weight by this Committee than
those OF any other gentleman VINO has had the OPP
portuuty to investigate the subject. But, II IL was
worth while TO quote and make part OF your report the
casual remark Of the Chairman of the Committee in
the House. why has the fact been ignored that the House
Committee on PostOnces, which has had this subject
under consideration Tor TWO years. ana mas heaIu more
arguments concerning it than the Senate Commit
teewly say. has no mention been made Of the fact
that the House Committee, near the close Of the last SEES
sOn unanimously ordered report adversely, not only
to the Hubbard scheme but to two or three others which
had Deen referred tOltf mat report was duy ppsneu
and is OF the documents Of the Honse aud neither
the conclusions of the Committee nor the reasons there
for have ever been cOntruyerted
Speaking of the cost Of lines, he said Cost srarey The
measure OF value, although 1t may properly Dc taken
into account as an aid III ascertanng H. INC Govern
ment proposes 10 purchase property ana business say
in the City OF NewYOTk would the question be asked
what did 1t COST And on the 0ther manu- II u s4u De
decided 10 remove tho Capital 10 the Mississippi valley,
and this building put up for sale, would De uItOl
millions which 1t has cost be considered the measure q
its vauet Any discussion Of the cost of telegraph lines
Zee Improper IN view of the fact by the
of the law OF 1866, whenever the Government shall do
night to select half the jury and until 1t Is proposed h to
puIchaSe' thcre Is no occasion 10 ePsuca , Sep
TO the OF the Committees report IN regard TO the
charge for messages from Washington TO the following
places Watham, Mass, given at 81 Is, is but 81 20;
Chicago given at 81 IS. is but 81 Geneva, H. given at
S. is but 81 so Omaha given 50 75 is but y Jack
son. Miss given at So 25 but s. S. lie then called at
tention certain provisions OF the bin previously
ferrod TO- and Of the clause authorizing priority Of trans
mission at special rates not named and said IT, after due
consideration by Congress ana with fun understanding
Of the subject 1t is decided TO authorize this feature IN
telegraph service the fnducement would be 30 strong
mat should be almost tempted 10 uies the passage OF
this bil IN order tha my company might aNa lseli OF
its provisions and get control OF its organization for
If you Will give me the night by law to make my
own rate for messages requiring lmheWhtt u'!d'ch,
little what the rate shall be FOR the small remainder
which will consent TO be delayed.
ARGUMENT or MR.. HUBBARD.
Mr.. Hubbard began by stating that It was true the
telegraph principally used at the present time by
bankers brokers' Spectators and the press The object
Of the postal telegraph to bring it within the reach
OF the many, and make II ordinary means Of cOmmu-
ncaon There are, he said two systems Of telegraph
the governmental and the corporate systems The
former is in operation IN all the countries Of Europe;
the latter in America alone. comparison Of the two
systems disclosed the following r,suls: The investment
for 10000 miles OF wire in Europe is SOO0OO IN gold or
S4s 100000 in currency at the present prices, While The
Western Union Telegraph Company have 10000 miles Of
wire with an investment OF nearly Aso00Oo -Four miles
OF wire under the Government system would cost no
more than under the corporate system In nineteen
countries In Europe 25O0OO0 OF messages are sent for
s13.OOOOOo In currency, while the Western Union
Telegraph Company transmit sO0O,OO0 OF messages
for $5,7OOO00 The average rates under the governm-
entail system arc As cents; under the corporate
system, Il cents. The argument Of Mr.. Orton. that
the rates per mile are less in this country than in
Europe. is faacOus, because distance does not enter
the cost OF teiegrapng for good line II costs no
more 10 send tcc gram 80 miles than costs 1000 miles.
The tecgraphs less used in America than IN England;
in all the Southern and Western parts OF this country
probably less used than IN other parts 0I the United
Mr. Orton says the business cannot be done at the
great reduction Of rates proposed by the Postal Iee'
graph Company The average reduction on rates VIII be
about 30 per cent The experience OF Europe shows
that while tie rates are reduced per cent there the
business is increased 100 per cent, with an IN
crease Of expenses only Of to 80 per cent In
Switzerland the rates the lst Of January 1863 were
reduced from frame To half franc The business,
AZ consequence doubled, and the net receipts were re-
duced only three thousand francs that year Nheh the
rates low the pay for the increase OF length OF
messages nearly pays for the increased rates IN Amer
lea If union OF the Telegraph TO tG I9st-Ohce De naue
there will he large reduction IN all the office expenses
OF the telegraph without any corresponding increase IN
the expenses OF the IOstOmce department
These Office expenses are at least % per cent
d ae the Sses are reduced per cent and
increased 100 per cent with p per cent additional eA
union with the Post.Once Department. The wires are
now occupied but small portion OF the time Low
not now use the wires TO them at times Of the day
when they not crowded with business Only ten per
proportion that Belgium had at the high rates. AT low
rates per cent Of the Belgian business IS on social mat
tiers, and from the habits aud character OF our people
is natural suppose Ike result VIII follow
like causes The ordinary mercantile correspondence Is
mited by the night malls When the telegraph shall be
made ordinary means OF communication WIN Ieauceu
mited by telegraph II the proposed rtes25 cents Tor
a message transmitted a thousand nnes AT hlshlLaie
not low enough 10 induce merchants TO use the wires
the rates must be reduced until the business lnclthId
Great reduction in the expenses Tii Do eneeted Dy
an objection 10 the bill that $3.50 mile was
too much to be paid for many OF ue lines,
and that they could be purchased al very Duch
less value aud turned into the Postal Telegraph Com
psuy a large profit To tins # may he replied that
among the cOrpOIatOTs gentlemen representing the
various telegraph interests hO will sec that other com
panes are not favored to their prejudice anu besides
the Postmaster General and therefore great or i'm
proper profit can be made without ms assent ana approval
the transaction As by The bill he NAV become
chaser Of the property At The cnd OF i've years he WILL be
careful TO he does not sanction give TOO large
sum for any lines Of telegraph Mr. Hubbard said they
had been told that Mr. Ortons policy would be decided
by his observation Of the working OF tue English system
That system fsvoraby and yet the gentleman OPP
poses the bill The only reason Tor tins can he that he
expects the English system "ll be a success ara through
ms friends will ask the Government IN another year 10
adopt the English system Wa the hps,9 9o rue ~ o.
Company $jGO0o0CO instead OF s25GOOOO' The amount