Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-02-15
The Ega:IreEt;.T'eIcur Hill.

HEARING BEFORE TIE SENATE COMMITTEE TO-
DAY.
The Senate committee on railways today
heard the conclusion Of the argument OF Nr.
lowrey, counsel for the western Union, ayainst
Mr.. Jones bill authorizing railroad companies
TO construct and maintain telegraph lines for
commercial purposes. He closed hy anrvinr
10 the proposed bill the words used BY the man
ufactlnerS foreman in reference 10 Il stmke:-
considered - as q success il is a failure, ard
considered as failure 1t is a perfect success
GENERAL BUTLER
then addressed the committee la favor OF the
b!tI Mr.. IOWTey had stated that 30 one asked
for legislation OH this subject. kSan answer to
that Re produced petitions from 2s states aud
terrific rieS, signed by 10000 persons which Weie
tad tefore The judiciary committee OF the
Eousc in 1915 in favor OF the postal tele graph
bin. Another matter which was brought before
tliat committee was the inpossbitlty OF con-
teEGipg against the power Of the Western Union
in different states, because or their immense
power of corrupting The legislatures. Now this
was apretty harsh statement, but it was no less
a fact. a published report of Mr. VIM Orfon.
the late president of the company, showed that
the franks issued to government officials COM
prised third OF the entire business done by the
company, with regard to which the re-
port stated land the judictous use of
complimentary franks among them has
times the money value of the services per-
formed" This proved how difficult il would be
TO break down such monopoly. When the
postal bill came up. he and those with him
thought that with such a power the subject
could never be properly dealt with i'm Congress-
They were afraid OF the franks in the pockets
GI members OF Congress.
Senator Ransom.-I would ask il railroads do
uCt give passes 10 members OF Congress.
Gen. Butler-Oh. there are other cOFrIlprerS
Ct Dublic morals no doubt; ] only point cut this
CDc. and do lot say that because the tower
falls on them that they are the wickedeSt.
The general then went on to enumerdte the
advantages that would accrue 20 the general
public 1lCln the passage OF the bill. He was al
iGdiDg TO the argument on the other side, that
messages could not be sent cheaper because
they were sent over continuous wire. and say
iug that the moment the telegraph business was
handed TO The railroads their wires would be as
continuous as those OF the Western Union.
When the chairman asked if he knew the mile
age OF wires owned by the latter company. the
general replied that he was not prepared with
Statistics but he thought tic c0mpany's outlay
would bot exceed seven million dollars. or even
five. He should put it at three
DR.. Gfeen.-SinCe tie union OF the companies
il 1876 more than Il millions have been put
into il.
Gen. Butler.-Seventeen millions then and
the capital stock selling al rOrty-ttTe millions,
kept up by the use OF TIE seventeen millions.
Dr. Green.-That is an unfair comparison. |
said since the union that mucn had been put In.
and the capital stock Is net stated correctly;
there are - millions.
gen. Butler-I don't care. it is answering in
degree and hot in kind. That teiegraphing can
be done CHEAPER is shown by the fact that
whenever any rival line obtains any degree of
success il is always bought up by the western
Union company. Let the railroads go on with
the telegraph business and in five Years COM
binc as Mr.. Lowry said they would: In the
competition during those five years the POStrnaS-
ter-GeEeral would ascertain how cheaply il
could be done and fiN rates accordingly.
The committee then adjourned until Monday.
when Nr. S1monton viii be asked TO state rela-
lions between the Western Union and the New
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