The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-17
indicated by the Supreme Court. Having that power
il yOut duty to exercise

indicated by the Supreme Court. Having that power
1t is yout duty to exercise IL.
THE AMENDMENT TO ARaTY BILL
Now. then, the amendment which put upon rhe
Army Dill as a gernane PROFESSIONALISM relates TO
the telegraph-and which passed with such unanim-
ity in the House. without oven objection being
made aud when IL came into the House from the
Committee of the Whole and some gentleman desired
a vote by yeas and nays and could get n separate
vote upon it. sufficient number of supporters
could not be found to order call by and nays.
MIR. Teler-Is the amendment this bill?
Mr.. Butler-No. sir; am going to make distinc-
ton. / meant to embody all there is in this law,
knowing that You could not likely get separate
through Congress. because / suppose the Western
Union would talk the committee to DEATH and there
fore put il where you must consider it. is in the
Army bill, and tho thing must be considered Now,
that amendment proposes that all railroads.
init intelligence OF the government and the public
generally. having that authority conferred upon them
because they post roads. All railroad lines
declared post routes l believe the power will be
given by which they could join bands join tee-
graphic apparatus and make continuous line, and
make healthy competition. J believe il TO be
automatic that railroad competition always ends in
railroad combinations sooner orlater and tcegraIShc
competition always ends in Geographic combinations.
l thought it possible to prevent combination be-
tween the railroads by Ptting great Geographic
combination against ihein. MT Lowroy says tney
combine put a clause in my amendment that the
charges and rates should be established by the Post
master General.
Mr. Mitchell-By railroads you mean post routes?
Mr.. Butler--All roads that carry within the
meaning OF the law post routes therefore, the
transmission of telegraphic intelligence the Post
master General should have tie same rights over
railroads that he has over express companies who
carry mail matter. It was in order to make it GER
tain that introduced the amendment containing the
provision that the government shall fix the
rates OF business, individual and governmental.
BY that means all questions of the As
sociatcd Press or other associations can
be regulated by the government rn!n by whom they
this being the means. so far as can see it is only
necessary to carry it out to insure fair and
cal service TO the government for do not sec that
your bill goes any further.
COMBINATIONS.
There objections raised to this the first one OF
which have dealt with--namely, that the respective
companies will combine within five years. Well, let
have five years OF competition and after this five
years is over if the railroads do combine with
the telegraph company the telegraph company
with tho railroads land in saying so my friend Mr..
Lowrcy talks with more frankncss than he usually
uses let them but for five years we shall have compc
titon. That competition will settle the question how
cheaply telegraph intelligence can be carried and all
of us know that every railroad has wires either of
its under its control. by contract or other
wse for transmitting its messages. They
have to do it for their own business, and if in
the regulation of their roads they find only par
tial employment for the lines, they do the ser
vice the public requires very chcaply.
It has been said there would be great advantage
in having tcegraphic business controlled by one
line because messages can be transmitted Ivy con-
tinuous line OF wires il under one company. The
moment the telegraph business passes into the
hands of railroads their wires will be as continuous
Ms those of the Western Union and the difficulty Of
taking messages off by relay is chimerical There is
no difficulty, for all know that tclegraphic
message be taken Off if transmitted by sound at
every office between the point Of transmission and
delivery.
Mr.. Mitchell inquired how many miles Of wire
to-day owned by railroads.
Mr.. Buter-I cannot give you the statistics, sir.
but they very great. believe there is hardly
road in the United States that has not its own means
of telegruphing for conducting its own business. In
my Judgment neglect to avail themselves OF such
facilities would make them liable for criminal negl
gcnce and prosecution.
Mr.. Mitchell-But General, do they not frequently
make an arrar cement with the Western Union
some other telegraph company. by which they have
the exclusive of wire, which, however, be-
longs to the telegraph company?
QUESTION
General Butler-Undoubtedly. l so understand.
Now for the next trouble 1t is said that telegraph
business is done now as cheaply as it can be. Some
thai shs cost Of all the wires of the western Union
Company would exceed 81 900 000 and do not think
they would exceed s5,oOoooo. They could be put UP
Mr. Green-I desire to state to the committee that
our published reports demonstrate and our books
demonstrate that since the union of the companies
more than $l7, 100000 have been put into tho COM
pany1since that time, besides what we had before.
General Butler-All right.
Mr.. Greenland besides what the railroads have
put in for us under contracts.
General Butler-An right. have no doubt that
showing. but think know what mile of telegraph
wire will cost but putting it down $4,000 Oo0. if
You paesae. the capital stock Of thst company Is
Mr.. tireen-I said $17O00.O0O since 1856. when all
the lines united. and also say that the gentle
man overstates our capital stock
General Butler-What is it?
Mr.. dreen-rhirty-hve million dollars.
General Butler-very well, put it what you please;
the answer is only in degree and not in kind. Now,
this telegraph business can be done cheapy, and the
fact that it can be done cheaper than is shown
any degree successful il is always bought up. Now,
If IL cannot be done any cheaper nobody will at
tempt to build q line and the present monopoly
cheaper they ought to be harmed. and our
people ought to have the privilege of transmitting
their messages tho post routes of the United
and violate nobody prerogstive. Il IL the only way
in which it can be done. because the telegraph COM
decisions of the courts. There Is no decision OF
the Supreme Court on the subject, and when there
was about to be one the company in whose
off, That must have been at least fifteen years ago.
and we have never got up case since They always
buy out the claimant, rs they did in my own case
and then abuse the lawyer. That is the way this
great corporation does and therefore this
Allow the post roads of the United States TO be
opened for the transmission Of intelligence by them
selves and then control those post roads under the
direction and supervision of your Postmaster Con-
eral. That IS the simple question before your COM
mittce.
Mr.. Dorsey-General. how would You cohstrue the
term post route as regards the space occupied by
railroad across country? Does it mean the 100
feet right of way just much occupied by tho
line itself? How would it apply to the land occupied
by telegraph?
General Butler-It is to be construed as meaning
just much OF il is necessary for the transmits
sion of intelligence. To illustrate take the
whore the railroads refused to run postal cars,
they did. somewhat recently. l con-
suited upon that matter and / advised that
under the law the Postmaster General had right to
put train their roads ut his will and pleas
ure, and their cars must get out of the way under
peril of obstructing United States mails. Not only
that but, IL there ~ form for the transmission
of intelligence it is post road for that form.
For instance, suppose that 1t should be done by
watcr-by putting in waterpipe. That would be q
fprf hs ryfa and