New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-08

tinonts, was deesrous that tke psopene1
connection should 10 made; but oef11tn
provisions Of this concession wsre deemaA
y me 70 30 obtection.ole, pestieulssly -
elusive right Of telegraphic communicates
~ submarine cable between the chores e
France and the United StHtes. l could ~
concede that any power should olAim
the right to land Q cable ON tho sheeee
OF the United States and 1t -
same time deny to the United States OF -
,ts citizens TO grant us An equal right -
land cable on its shores. Tho right .
control the conditions for the laying Of .
cable within the jurisdicti0ual waters Of ~
United States, to connect our shores with
those OF any foreign state, pertains exclu-
sively to the government Of the United
States, under such limitations and condi-
tons as Congress may impose. In tho -
sence of legislation by Congress, was nm
willing on the one hand to yield to . fors3Gn
State the right to say that its grantees my
land on our shores while it denied . similar
right to our people to land on it's shore;
and on the other hand was reluctant -
and OF civilization the facilities Of suoh
communication Is were proposed. /,
therefore, withheld any resistance 70
the landing of the cable ON condition
that the oppressive monopoly feature
OF the concession be abandoned aud that
the right of any cable which may be estab-
lished by authority of this government 10
land upon French territory, and to connect
with French land lines, and enjoy all tho
necessary facilities or privileges incident to
the use thereof, upon as favorable terms a.
any other company, be conceded. Az thu
result thereof, the company in question ~
nounced the exclusive privilege, and the
understanding this relinquishment to b
construed as granting the entire reciprocity
and equal facilities which had been de-
handed, the opposition to the landing Of
the cable was withdrawn. The cable, under
this French concession, was landed in the
month OF July, 1869, and has been an efficient
and valuable agent of commerce between THE
country and the other continent. It soon
passed under the control, however, Of those
who had the management of the cable con
Meeting Great Britain with this continent.
and thus, Whatever benefit to the publio
might have ensued from competition b.
tween the two lines was lost, leaving only
the greater facilities of an additional line,
and the additional security in case Of aoci-
dent to one of them. But these increased
facilities and this additional security. ~
gether with the control of the combined
capital of the two companies, gave also
greater power to prevent the future c0u-
structlon OF other lines and to limit the o0n-
troll OF Geographic communication betw0en
the two continents to those possessing the
lines already laid.
Within q few months past cable has
been laid, known as the
UNITED STATES DIRECT CABLE COMPANY,
Connecting the United States directly with
Great Britain. As soon as this cable was
reported to be laid and in working order
the rates of the then existing consolidated
companies were greatly reduced. Soon,
hewever, break was announced in this
cahla and i'm FOL tho akoa -
the ether lines, which had been reduced,
were again raised. This cable being now
repaired, the rates appear not to be reduced
by either line from those formerly charged
by the consolidated companies.
There is reason to believe that large
amounts of capital, both at home and
abroad, are ready to seek investment in the
advancement of this useful and most civil
izing means of intercourse and correspond
ence. They await, however, the assurance
of the means and conditions on which they
may safely be made tributary to the gem
eral good.
As these cable telegraph lines connect sep
arate States. There are questions as to their
organization and control, which probably
can be best if not solely settled BY cOnven-
tons bet yeen the respective States. In
the absence, however, of International con-
ventiOns on the subject, municipal legisla-
ton may secure many points which appear
protection of the public against the extor-
tions which may result from a monopoly of
the right OF operating cable kilograms, or
from combination between several lines.
First-No line should be allowed to land
on the shores of the United States under
the concession from another power which
does mos admit the right of any other line,
or lines formed in the United States to land
and freely connect with and operate
through its land lines.
Second-NO line should be allowed to
land on the shores of the United States
which is not by treaty stipulation with the
government from whose shores it proceeds,
or by prohibition in it's charter or other wise
to the satisfaction of this government, pro-
hibited from consolidating or amalgamating
with any other cable telegraph line, or COM
bining Herewith for the purpose of regulat-
ing and maintaining the cost of telegraph
ing.
Third-All lines should be bound to pive
precedence in the transmission of tho ofR-
cial messages of the governments of tho
two countries between which they may be
laid.
Fourth-A power should be reserved to
che two governments, either conformity or to
each, as regards the messages dispatched
from its shores, to fix a limit to the charges
to be demanded for the transmission of
messages.
present this subject t, the earnest con-
sideration OF Congress. In the meantime,
and unless Congress otherwise direct, I
shall not oppose the the landing of any
telegraphic cable which complies with, and
assents to the points above written, but will
feel it my duty to prevent the landing Of
any which does not conform to the first aud
second points as stated which will mot
stipulate to coneede to this government the
precedence in the Transmission of its official
messages, and will not enter into u satisfac-
tory arrangement with regard to ite charges.
Among the pressing and important sub
jects to which, in my opinion, the attention
OF Congress should be directed, are those
relating to
FRAUDULENT STANDARDIZATION AND ExPA-
TAXATION.
The United States, with great liberslity.
offers it's citizenship to all who in GOOD
faith comply with the requirements of Law.
These requirements are Is simple and upOn
as favorable terms to the emigrant e
the high privilege to which he 10 ad-
mitted, can or should permit. do net
propose any additional requirements 70
those which the law now demands; bat
the very simplicity and the want Of IN
necessary formality in our law have made
fraudulent natural cation not unfreuuont.
to the discredit and injury of all honesf
citizens, whether native or nsturalized.
Cases of this character are Continually
being brought to the notice of the govern
ment by our representatives abroad and
also those of persons resident in other
countries--most freq iently those who, If they
have remained in this country long euoueh
to entitle them to become nat iraliEsd, have
generally not much 0verpasssd that period.
and have returned to the country Of their
origin, whore they reside, avoiding all dn-
ties to the United States by their abnenon