The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-16


Mr.. DoEsEy-Is it not true that there are no such
long lines of telegraph in any civilized nation?
Mr. GREES-Yes. sir, there other long lines of
telegraph. but they pass through several companies
aud that is what you propose to do by this bill.
Twenty hve years ago message from New YORK 70
New Orleans had 10 pass the lines o. at least nve
companies. The expenses were necessarily larger
and the delays more. II We sent mes
sage New Orleans day aud got an
next day thought were doing very well.
Now we send a message and get an answer the same
day, and that. too during business hours II is not
cheap rates that the commercial world requires SO
much AZ prompt service. Direct lines have been es-
tablished between New York and Chicago. and an
swers received many times within half an hour
The CHAinMAN-I am inclined 10 the opinion that
what has done more to agtate this question ana 10
CALL on The part OF great Fany people, for some
very great monopoly upon the part OF the Associated
Press l would like 10 know. if IT is proper for me
TO know. what relation exists between what is known
the Associated Press and the Western Union Iele-
graph Company. and the Associated Press ana the
public press?
Mr. GREEN-I am very much obliged to the Chair
for asking me the question. The western
Union Telegraph Company have announced again
and again that they will transmit messages for any
association regardless of favor in any respect
The CHAIRNAN-Have yon any knowledge OF what
the arrangement is between the Associated Press OF
New York and these various papers!
Mr. GREEN-I have some knowledge OF it. but it
is certainly none of our business; for instance, the
Associated Press establish their business and make
contract for their III New York. England or else
where, and they go on, and by their combination
they are each served very cheapy. An outside paper
wants MS to supply it with that news and we say we
cannot do it. because we have no news to sell. We
simply carriers.
BREAK DOWN MONOPOLY.
Mr. DAwEs-I suppose the only way in which it
can be done is by legislation here, and because
you refuse cooperate with the government in
breaking down the monopoly the government pro-
poses TO break down the monopoly. no matter who it
touches.
Mr. GnEES-Of course the government has that
power, but am only presenting to you the fairness
of side of the matter.
Mr. DAwEs-Somebody else complains that, while
tha nil Tell on a
you have it in your power, nevertheless, for what
some people would think the public good, to break
it mp instant. You re use to carry ii for
the Associated Press except upon such terms as you
would carry IL for anybody else.
Mr.. GREEN assume as pubccarriers that we are
bound to do like service for every party at like
price. will assume that we have no right to trans
NIT message for one party at price that we do not
charge another party.
Mr. DAwEs--The impression abroad is that you
have q right to do you please
Mr. GREEN i do not propose to dodge any fair
proposition l only state the fact that do serve
outside-not in these combinations-at less pro-
portionate rate than do the service for the COM
bination. l have only one more suggestion to
make, and that l have partially alluded to, that
when l commenced the telegraph business you
could not send telegram thousand miles any
where III the country without sending it over the
lines of three, four five different companies, and.
each company having its own toll. the average rate
of tolls was nearly five times what it is now. The
enactment of this law is going back just twenty five
years. and l correctly stated the fact when l said
there very few railroad companies that have any
THE BILL WOULD AFFECT CONTRACTS.
The CHMnMAN-I suppose you claim that the pas,
sage OF the pending bill ii it becomes law would
not affect any existing contracts!
Mr.. GREEN do not know presume it would not,
but the passage OF that bill would stand as menace
for all time and could be played and piled on Wall
street at least every three months with great
success Anybody can organize q telegraph company
and accepting the provisions of the act of 1866 can
get all that that act gives them.
Mr. MA1THEws-Is that SO Can telegraph COM
pany organize under the laws of New York and get
the benefit of the act OF Congress of 1866 in the
OF the contracts which you claim to have made with
all the railroad companies in the country In other
words, have you not. using the power under the act
of 1866 already claimed the privileges of that act
and also made contracts with the railroad companies
that they shall not give to any other company the
privileges Of the act OF 1866 !?
Mr.. GREEN-The privileges of the act of 1866 do
not apply them. There are many places, as
between here and New York. where there is no
economical advantage in having the telegraph line
on the line Of a railroad. We could maintain many
OF our lines more eheaply on the high
ways, through the wilder portions Of the
country. However. there is very material ad-
vantage in being on the railroads. We have
very many contracts with railroad companies for the
exclusive right OF way. presume this bill would
not abrogate those contracts II does not preclude
any company from the privilege of the act because
all the avenues open except the particular ones
of which we have the exclusive right OF way.
Mr.. MATTHEws-Let me relate the proposition.
Under the act of 1866, as you yourself interpret it,
any corporation organiZed-say in New York--tor
telegraphic purposes may go upon any post route.
which includes all railroads. and may go INTO Florida,
Tor instance IN spite Oh the prohiDIoh Oh the Lcss-
lature OF that state forpldaing you 10 90 So You,
being foreign corporation, wonld ordinarily be
excluded but Tor the act OF 1850, which
gives to your company thehatonai privilege OF going
over the national posi- routes now tneu is IL not
fact that while you claim that as you ala III the case
OF the Pensacola Telegraph company you at the
same time have made contracts over the entire con-
tnent, everywhere you could, with railroad CON-
panes whereby you bind them to prohibit other tel
egraph companies from gong on those post routes,
Notwithstanding the ac' OF congress To give such
company the right to go upon any post routeF
Mr.. GREES-ln the hrst place the act OF Congress
does not give the right TO go upon railroad line
without the consent of such railroad. 1t gave us the
right to furnish ana operate lines IN any State or
Territory in the Union or upon any posi- route, hav-
ing acquired place to put our lines mat power is
given by the statutes OF the states The state
of New York has such statute. and l pre-
sumo any such contract would be good against
such statute. Any state may provide means for
obtaining the right of domain, space to plant their
poles either on the road or outside OF its right of
way or otherwise. There Is nothing prohlbitory
about that unless 1t IL assumed that the Legislatures
have not the authority in the case. have occupied
more OF your time, gentlemen, tiian at nrst
proposed. would ike 10 nave the attorney OF our
company heard by the committee, because he IL pre-
pared with some citations, statutes. &C., having a
direct bearing upon the case. and is more carefully
prepared, the ground which L have