The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-24
WASHINGTON.
PINCHBAcK's POSITION.

WARRINGTON, Jan. 23.-Pinchback's
friends deny that he made any confession
to Senator Morton ol fraudulent practices
with reference 10 his election by the Kel.
logg legislature, They said, in explains
tion ot the recent commotion among those
interested in the Louisiana case, that
when Senator Morton introduced his mo.
tion to recommit Pinchback's case the
latter thought his chances for admission
to the Senate jeopardized thereby, and
various statements and threats were given
out, showing disposition TO turn on the
Kellogg party. Now, however, Pinch
back asserts his conviction that upon an
investigation OF his case the Commit.
tee on Privileges and Elections will find
that the charges against him are not
made out he says he has been rendered
the unanimous support OF the true repre-.
sentatives ol Louisiana, and that thus
fortified he Is determined 10 abide the
issue before the Senate. The Kellogg
party, Il Is said, were somewhat hasty In
their fears regarding a new election.
They were surprised by the unexpected.
ness Of Senator Morton's motion, their
surprise being an over desire that Pinch.
backs case shall be brought out on its
merits. Pinchback does not make a
secret OF his determination to favor new
election If he is defeated before the Sen.
ate by the efforts OF certain white Repre-
sentatiVes OF Louisiana.
SILK MANUFACTURERS.
A delegation OF silk manufacturers from
New Jersey and Pennsylvania were be.
fore the Committee on Ways and Means
to-day, with reference to the silk bill now
before that Committee. They want a
uniform duty Of 90 per cent on silk and
ribbons, and on fabrics OF both silk and
cotton combined they ask such an increase
OF duties as will protect them from foreign
competition.
The Senate has confirmed the nomins.
tion OF VIM. E. Davis for Assistant Treas.
urer OF the United States at Cincinnati.
TELEGRAPH MATTERS.
Hon. VIM. Orton, President Of the
Western Union Telegraph Company, who
has recently been before the Senate Post. |
office Committee several times, the Hub.
bard telegraph bill being before them, to.
day concluded his argument, maintain.
ing the following: First, Congress has
no right TO pass the bill, because il
would indirectly take private property
for telegraph purposes without lust
compensation; and, furthermore, the pss.
sage of the bill would be q violation
OF the contract established between
the Government and the Telegraph
Company now existing under provision
OF the law OF 1866. Secondly, If there
were no Constitutional objections, or sny
violation Of contract, it would be impolitic
to adopt the Hubbard scheme contem-
plated by the bill, because 1t constitutes
partnership between the Government and
a private corporation, to be conducted by
both official and private agencies operat-
ing at the same time, under which there
Is TO be division Of expenses between
the Government and the Company, while
all the profits that accrue are ,exclu.
sively the latter's. Thirdly, whatever
may be the faults of the existing
telegraph system OF the country, the
scheme proposed affords no ADEQUATE
remedy Tor them in this connection. The
fact is established by abundant evidence
from official documents that the present
average rate for messages in the United
States is lower than In Europe for like
and that in this country the
business Is conducted without any ex.
pense 10 the Government, while in Europe
the annual deficiency raised by
taxation on the people amounts to
several million dollars. Mr.. Orton in
reply to Hubbard's arguments referred 10
relations Of the Western Union Company
with the Associated Press, and showed
that there Is no combination between
them; that the Associated Press depends
on the Western Union Company in no
respect for its own monopoly, and that
all other press combinations are offered
the same terms as the Associated Press
obtains; also, that the Associated Press is
an independent agency for the procure
ment and distribution of news, and that
the Western Union Company is an equal
ly independent common carrier for its
on the call for all who re-
quire 1t, and that no establishment of any
telegraph could affect the Associated Press
in any way.