New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-24
THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH SCHEME.

THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH SCHEME.
CLOSE OF MR. oRroN's ARGUMENT IN OPPOSITION TO
THE HUBBARD BnL-THE UNCoNsTirUTIoNAILTY
OF THE MEASURE AND THE NEXPKDIENCY OF
ADOPTING IT.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-Mr. Orton, President OF
the Western Union Telegraph Company. completed
to-day his statement on the postal telegraph scheme
before the Senate Committee on Post Offices and
Post Roads. Hardly session of Congress has
passed of late years IN which this CommitteeIhas
not reported Postal Telegraph bliI, and al
though they have given much time to the
arguments of the advocates of the several
schemes, and have on few occasions
listened to those who opposed them, they have
never before listened TO Mr. OrtOn, the one man Of
all Others in the country who competent to give
them valuable information on the subject lie APP
peared at this time only condition that he should
have at least six hours in which to be heard and In
four sessions of the Committee, of an hour and
half each he has about exhausted the subject from
his point of view. Mr.. Hubbard, the author of the
Postal Telegraph bill called by his name, has been
present and will submit arguments on the other
side. 1t is the opinion of persons competent to
Judge that the postal telegraph scheme is weaker in
Congress this Winter than last.
GENERAL PRESS DIsPArCH.l
President Oron, who has recently been before
the Senate Post-Oice Committee several times, the
Hubbard Telegraph bill being before them, con-
Guided his argument to-day maintaining the follow
ing propositions
First: Congress has no right to pass the bin, because
IL would indirectly take private property for Telegraph
purposes without just compensation; and Furthermore
the passage Of the bill would be violation of contract
established between the Government and the telegraph
companies existing under the provision OF the law
OF 1866.
Second: II there we're no Constitutional objections or
any violation OF contract would be impoltc 10 adopt
the Hubbard scheme contemplated by the BILL because
il constitutes a partnership between the Government
and private corporation, TO be conducted by both
official and private agencies, operating at the
time. under which there is to be division OF the e1
penses between the Government and the Company
while al the profits to accrue exclusively TO the
latter.
Third: That whatever may be the fanls OF the exist
ing telegraph system OF this country. the scheme pro
posed affords no adequate remedy for them In this
connection the fact established by abundant evil
dence from official documents that the present average
rate for messages in United States ia lower than III
Europe for like dispatches and that In this country the
business conducted without expense TO the Gov
while in Europe the annual deficiency raised
by taxation upon the people amounts to several millions
Mr.. Orton. in reply to Mr.. Hubbards arguments,
referred TO the relations of the Western Union Iele-
graph Company with the New-York Associated
Press, and showed that there is no combina-
ton between them; that the Associated Press
depends upon the Western Union Telegraph
Company in no respect for its own monOp
oily, and that all other press combinations
are offered the terms as the Associated Press
obtains; also, that the Associated Press If an indie
pendent agency for the procurement and distribu-
ton of news and that the Western Union Telegraph
Company is an equally independent common carrier
for it's transmission call, for all who require ii
and that no establishment of a postal telegraph
could affect the Associated Press monopoly in any
way.