New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-17
COMPETITION IN TELEGRAPHl
ARGUMENTS IN WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1G.-The Senate Commit
fee on Railroads heard arguments yesterday III iee'
to the bill offered by Senator Jones' OF fIorod'
ling railroad oonpanes to build and operate lines Oh
telegraph throughout the country Tor geheraI Duhl''
Mr. Gro,yenor T. L0wrey. who had already made a io"S
aruncrt he ore the committee In behalf o the western
Inion telegram COMPANY counsel for tie company
concluded his remarks yesterday. His argument n'
part OF Which has yet been published, was III suOS'
as fOlOws: =,
The objections to the bill reported are various; ~
n-Ssses 10 con Ter upon state corporations nodlE pc,
existence for one purpose the power TO carry nn
other KINDS business. ana tgat ",' I 10, ed
cousent of their stockholders or the Hta- VINO
tHem and ia thus bold and unwarcanteu INVASION "a
state sovereignty II 10 can Do IeEl,g J,'s'"' tn
Conrress NV authorize railroad coihpahes "
ionsrt frnIn the busiDess for when alone
tbey were created and engage III my OH. ~ 80
The National sovereign mas no relation en"hing u ~
or ensbllnr those creatures 10 receive any ac-
ceOn o. nov ony no need Of such Legislation. but It "a
dangerous Has any railroad asked OF Is ~
a dCiion t0 tho mower which they hold over
transp"rtatlon business Of the country, tbs pecn
~ - tie rublici r. It thought wise Va!
the farmer or merchant WHO Is c"np ,l
+" ennoy the abroad 10 convey hi goods Ia am rom
The naftrt should be led to confJc 10 Tue -'le COM
p4ny his telrgrdphiC correspond nee 'S; pput
t stirs touching such transportation l. the eY
uence 81 sat isfdcDn with lhe lhduIoi ~ 'r",'d r.
railroads perform the inncuSIs sreS ,taiVes feel
net SItiont invcstIga tion inquiry into any OF
s icaI or other quest involved 10 make TINS
,,,,ns a,,di ION TO me means OF BduUnte over the
business oI tu.s country alricy poH9c''V" ~ @ 80,
rsd ol,n.0icsi o cour,r it viii be understood tnat
i'm cnnmrrti Ou fuI the te!eGTapInc BUSINESS
OF t1e country, railroads being III PV'sr'Io va
means OF transporting material ana supplies io'
n' 1r,cfion ana rrpairs, might, II 81 inclined,
discriminate IN manner br>Oni NV t'"ri W.
Congress TO remedy atall'' D., 'i ,,' ,,''r,.,f
81 fe ne ecraph coIBpauIcs surrender iher ihes W.
he oG r,iliinn,on 80 that thera womb nc oAe
and fl
MOI be resisted The bill s"ouid oe entitled n!l ~
enable railroad cOmpaurs 10 perfect comPe'o Io"Of
II the most understandable of all stock loDoes mao
sought t. provide himself win emu Io4 lht 'uI.a'Oi
inc of mis- enemies, could he have devised any tuibG more
nanny linn the OHion when ms Di"
l1ytS 10 parade. from time 10 time, I"sH'!,
combination Of railroads To lmPeill 'he NaIuo ..
teircraph franchise, and consequently the LaIhet
value Of StOchat -, .,.n - o., ,,s.h.sz
earned ON ~ numerous conptue7 III dhcIcht
sizes some well AMI some lily mihat"d'
mess under one t"h'I',, "-l-u nIS ~ MI
the perfect sys.cIn now tA.s.iu-' l','7 , W.,
line fiom Boston Z" Sa'"un"l' "h,h = l.'h-.'i
'y.r the rod, of uu,tecu different compilations.
/, a tec.rap.c dispatch from BoS."n 3" @'N@'"'" IS
i0,se two points, tn telegraph c"mpa'F mas
b. sued wherever ne 81 'ei o., I'''',
pg"-' i crroI ma, law. .yYrr,.. + . accident
b9uutrs pu the Pullman Car l.c hF i't ii-- % l"r
Ul me f~ iHf W. ii'-
siur defendant hui w'nG Dee 800 ihI i' 'lh " d.
collect u judgment Tor M. 'pup % a. "Hrtch,i
6n1ins out between d.,Vuuu1 Offices whose
2 %2o rr5T vas ms iI' ya.iy I'D hn- reu,r
IN most ra-a- for remedy go tar o." >''"rt confined.
iu- railroad. making ny p"t 81 TIE 30 'iu 'e'bIdp"
Tins bili.inno sense regulation ~ commerce be-
3, observed iLai even t.'-. Voc IT,. any
connection OF railroads. al t"e O'la.'' o S1I'-'
;his BIZ II mad j." ".i.1 h.'r i"I oIe'a.i.4'
vitGIn the states. II is equ.h y Well s.uci
tuat the Federal power Of 'Soai."" II g
Sy Ire st4tc From Tia. f. vcula result lat he pr
cot Dih, If ~ Is valid, valid a. ,, r.snal'on Of
inc state from lis control over IL railroad
corporations. end 10 mas thea inae2,nlrnt "t
10 toe Rom, and Naerown Ei'ilo'd tGd I've bli con-
taias no terms IHdc iius mat d. - moi lneude iJ t.
apply 10 roads thus placed who'll! wi'hn the ooiGcs OF
a s.a'e)
show boy ms mai I%'iro@H coiliihr' lay nos
hcre,oforc ATTEMPTED to eA.I1ii ,d Ing s a.
conceive who should pf'i'h ~ ~ tn' Ali"i"'I-
Genera, OF q State or . GiescUti'ut ~i"tLi.loti
The exercise az right 10 commit AN Individual 'tu+
10 enterprises not originally contemplated hrN been size
,.--iuig !--t,d vHCI o.. Sa-l' power "H.- creased
lpri has .ou@ a. ace u'lshtb rti "iu It
OF u f, original functions. H"" mach mci" u.h - THE
ura.r our st,I or ClNl.ru power NAt &c l''t.ut
ever Htlc OF siaies1lsLt -i a. not To o'Jec' ''
this. .., ~, .t ,.,, ,,,,, ,l.,s o.. ,-,s,.-.,
thr t.rI4 .udcr W4cl state TELEGRAPH company NAV
,cru.ra uEAt t. build On -idIc iaihnad nae.
road company 70 make a cohii"c, W't" . He"-l"ih
,sa company ior 'pSrAl pc 81 - 'n's ~, ithl
t.ir,.r..h comu.Ey 10 couGcmua riE.t ~ WAY 90 an
railroad ana ii j.. Believed tna sucn are be laws Of al
cnIppauy may have such advantages and privileges to
oher tut co, Is FOR TO fi.saa nrn
lions IN IFS stations, ana even 1" "gtc" 10 iui-
III com marion OF ls equI0menl, and pay pOr-
tt. ,,ff lao
ooin', ' ~ ir nav, no s n consul, ration 10 .fel I'm
of All COMMERCIAL taHs,c iluns HLd estahl "a
an eonol,ly III trade, without reference 10 tn
nnwrr of usefulness the doG gee OF consideration
winch each party able 10 give iuI the privileges when
w, ,ss I'M. - couiu,u IN supported by law and
* r,,iecHlly applied to the Ielc graph bulbcSs.
ana rtlirOti tJutIHrtH 90 TINS country
ra Uir THESE contracts b ave- often is.e bruu- I
undrI ilIcIaI consideration, sI.u have been, /
i' I'm ~ M acrOn between the Western
Iliiu" Telegraph Company ana lie Atlantic aud
Railway Company. defendants. lie plaintiff,
claim an exclusive reht 20 Use the right
OF WAY for teleSrapimo LtIpoIVfs. Tue , con
tract . in qIFs stc Esosd the SS' co o tine e
graph line from Iipion to Bonneville; To furnish
all ma5sa fT nes %y to- Keen T' Ge a
line In repair from 81. LOUIS to AtchlsOu,
Kansas 10 furnish the same materials fot tho erection
al new lines on such roads the railroad company
might there liter lease. purchase "T constructs 10 XIV, The
road con pIny The exclusive use Of t~o wire. along
the line for Its BUSHES, aud battery power
10 wors the same TO give the railroad company the
III or al the patents and telcEIap-ic seryire
Of the value OF $500 annually other discs
of the telegraph company. In the dI-char2o
Of these obligations the telegraph COMPANY X
pended over 900 since Maruh. 1870 In return
I'M, outlay OF capital, the telegraph comutuy
vance Of the contract OF 1870 10y the Pacific
Rat road and for the whole per OIL irG
the contract" Tins claim IS sustained ~ the opinion y:
Judge Ihayer, ana yet TINS II ono of he lines
being erected upon the rairoad cOmpIny's
own and which this bill, should IT become 4
law, would enable them Immediately 10 use ia
competition with the company when erected 1t,
and which has given such large
sldcratOn for extensive privilege wnlcn
the courts have sustained being suitable aud
proper be given under such circumstances and u1t
offensive 10 any rule Of public policy.
Mr. Ipwiey cited large number 4 legal authorities
10 supuort the points OF law made here and there