National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-02-18


District Judge Of the Western district Of Penn
sylvania. Passed.
the appointment Of Of Commissioner to inquire
into the alcoholic liquor trafic, but it was ruled
out on point Of order.
Mr.. POLAND said he wondering II up again
on Monday, by motion to suspend the rules and
pass II, and see how many temperance men there
Mr.. BUTLER, Of Mass, reported q bill to
punish forging or uttering certain instruments.
Of forged or fraudulent pension papers and other
paper purporting to be Official
Also, bill to punish certain lareenIes and the
IThis bill Furnishes the stealing sr embezElIng
OF Government property by imprisonment not ex-
eeedinR hye years, or by tne not exceeding nye
court
Also, Senate substitute for the bill for the COL
lection Of debts due the United States from GER
tain Southern railroads. Adopted.
Aiso, bill to change the time and place for
holding the Circuit and District Courts ofthe Uni
ted states for the District Of Minnesota. Passed.
Also, bill for the better organiz alton Of the
District Courts Of the United States In the Dis
triet Of Louisiana. Ruled out on point Of order.
TELEGRAPH LINES.
Also, bill to establish certain telegraph lines
In the several States and Territories as post
roads, and to regulate the transmission Of CON-
mereial and other intelligence by telegraph.
The Dill declares all telegraph lines over
roads, and authorizes the Postmaster General 20
advertise for proposals under the same Limitations
tracts with the lowest responsible bidder. Each
Geographic company shall receive all kilograms
from any other telegraph company and transmit
are confined to the transmission OF messages for
hire, and are not permitted TO engage in
news 70 be- transmitted By itself or any other com.
pany The tariff rates 6f charges for the trans.
mission Of special kilograms 70 newspapers and
70 each, without discrimination, and the rates Of
such special kilograms shall IN no case exceed
these charged 70 the Associated, Press or the
DECLARED privileged Communication, and are not
y be dlyulEed except BY order Of ag9mpstsnt court
% seinmlttes pr ,shsr House Congress, Tariff
but uoysTnnleAt dispatches are 60 have bFsosd.
ehee. The penalty imposed for violation Of
i,Og6, OF imprisonment not eSessding two year,
81 the discretion OF the Court
M, BUTLER
argued that Congress, having given itH authority
for the contraction OF telegraph lines all over tho
eelhtfy, had the same power 70 regulate the
transmission OF communications BY telegraph as
y bad 70 regulate the mails, lie charged that
the Western Union Company charged other lines
reason why there had been no competing lines
was because the lines receiving communications
from another had held such business back until
the real lines we're ruined. He said the Western
Union Company collected news on the other side
and sent u by cable and sold It on this side and
would allow no one 10 send the news until theirs
had gone ahead. For instance, coin adYanoedtWo
pence In Liverpool, this would make four cents
By the western Union Company and soId 10 tbsis
customers to send over the wires, and would allow
no enc else 70 send the news till their customers
had time to take advantage Of the market.
He referred to the extent Of the Associated
Press all over the country, which was q close cor
poration 70 which no one could be admitted. The
value in New York to q paper in the association
was quarter Of million dollars and was So
recognized in the sale of paper, although 1t had
not cost dollar. This Western Union Company
had bargain with the Associated Press by
which all news flowed to the latter, which colored
every dispatch to suit itself. All the news COM
ing to 1t was either eolored CT suppressed.
Inthe recent Alabama investigation his friend
from Pennsylvania Mr.. ALBRIGHT had an ex-
perience which he would yield the floor to him to
state to the House.
Mr.. ALBRIGHT, OF Pa,
said that when he was in Alabama serving as a
ofthe Associated Press ever called upon o menu
Der Of the majority Of the committee, but they
always had the dispatches in as coming from that
city Of Mobile 1t was considered proper that GER
tain circumstances that had been divulged should
get before ,h the country and gentleman there
sired to have go out. He stated, however, that
the Associated Press agent would not send 1t over
me wires; Was Just as the gentleman pre-
ciated Press agent, and he declined to send Il.
Mr.. BROMBERG, Of Ala inquired whether
y 0E S sRI q thsPS dd not, Thew
supposed the Associated Press wanted news and
they gave It. The next day, however, state
mitteS had done, but which, was not the prepared
statement
Mr.. CESSNA inquired whether the dispatch
was refused because IL was not paid for.
Mr.. ALBRIGHT did not know; but he did
know that the gentleman who prepared the state
ment assured the agent OF
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
that II was fair and complete statement OF tho
Ia continuation. MI. A%BRIIH III
asserted that even dispatches on Government
business did not 20 directly, but were tempered
lie had read the testimony OF Mr.. Herr. OF I.ly.
ingston county, Alabama, who stated that o mum.
Der Of men had been released from jail there In
come from Lieutenant Miles, an army oficsr
stating, Put no more men In that jail The howl
!, getting t9o loud" The army officer, when OK.
aminel, said he had sent no such dspatch-thht
i had been tempered with. Mr.. ALbRlGaT had
ne testimony read % greater length to show that
Other dispatches had been tempered with.
MIR. BUTLER, resuming, said be was net an
enemy Of telegraph companies but he Was
An ENEMY OF ALL MONOPoLiEs,
aid he did not intend that this great engine for
he transmission OF news should be monopoly,
There was another amendment which hs pro.
posed, however and that was TO create an add.
Ilehal cause o. penalty, which was 70 puaish any
1ne who sh6ul steal Che news from a telegraph
inc BY htehlhs copper wire " q wire and steal.
Nj, Wilson, Of Ind, inquired whstbsr that
would cover the puhshlneRl OF men who Stole
Jews BY 81 ting BY On instrument and taking IL OF
hlf. BtTLER thought that was covered BY the
amendment,
hs said he would send up to the clerk and have
president Of the Western Union ubmpaay, Ia
which he frankly and Freely uses the frank " the
In tbs extract read M, uItSa mentions the fact
bat the lines run through large number OF
stsss am shas laalss4s use 81 franks amSnE
more than the expenses epIalsd by the use o. the
MI, BUTLER said he thought It was about
Mr., PIERCE, OF MAS, asked his colleague n
here was any constitutional provisions By which
ne seventh seetloa could bs made % apply to the
person who intercepted and dlYulged
THE CONTENTS OF DISPATCHES
snt from and received In this city and boAStsd
Mr.. BUTLER said they could not pasI an "a.
1oH yacto law, and they did not propose to do 50.
Mr.. PIEIlCE said he thought his question had
not been understood, and At the request Of Mr..
Butt ER repeated Il.
eaR ue's question. ! do not think as q lawyer IL
an be. and a. he Is not lawyer, excuse his ques.
Ion. lie did not know any better. As TO what
y - A0Ho ekg ~ VIII W hu9WNNgd uAI"
where. Why don't he speak out u he means any
hng7 This lg his hrst speech In Congress.
Mr.. PlERCE. Perhaps II will not be his last,
Mr.. BUTLER. ] hope It Will be II II is not
better.
Mf. BuTIER then yielded the last ten min.
Mr.. MERRIAM, orN. Y, who denounced the
ill as one Of tho most monstrous propositions
hat had ever come before Congress. He thought
he title should be changed so as 10 read, "A BILL
g enable rival lines 70 pRrtake OF the profits Of
he Western Union Company without rendering
IN equivalent therefor" Whel this subject was
brought before the House he had Whtten to q gen.
leman tor information, and he now 0 liked TO have
he reply TO his letter read. He sen: up
LETTER FROM Mr.. RroS,
resident Of the Western Union Company, and
he Clerk had read about half Of the letter when
he hour expired, and Mr.. BUTLER d Imanded the
previous question on the bill. Several gentlemen
appealed TO him 10 allow the renal der Of the
etter to be read, by unanimous conse 1t. hut he
declined, and the question on the Secondlng Of
he demand was put, resulting, yeas, 50; nays, II.
Mr.. SOUTHLAND, OF Ohio, mOvei 10 sLriAs OuC
he nrst section Of the bill, relating to
THE TAX ON WHISKY.
lie did not deem IL necessary to discuss the mo-
ion, Tor he did not believe taxation to be neces-
AIRY.
Mr.. SAYLER, Of Ohio, hoped the amendment
would be adopted, as the bill clearly discrimi-
lated against one section Of the country, and that
vas the West. 1t would oveTburden interests
Llready too much burdened. He was sorry that