, 1881-01-20
Long Speech, in the Senate, Of "oerro
Gordo" Williams on Epizootic
Diseases.
THE afONOPOLIES.

SPsefGt ANPA@fa 10 4Ak LH4eoQo A11o4He'
W4AsulSGroS, d. e., Jan. lo.--Thcro Is a
general feeling III Congress Tint son,e pro-
lection IL uuu.lctl b. tho people against tho
gigantic rniroad antl tcIegrnpl!lc lnon0p0ltes.
This necessity has beei. made more apparent
by tho recent consolidation Of tho great tclc-
grapli lines. MIR. Springer, III n conversation
tu-tay, spoke with ,ul,c! spirit VI his illte'l-
ton In presenting Ills resolution to tic
uonse, a,1d said TINT ono 0f Ills
chief objects was to ascertain thd
actunt yuluo of the property
Of the Western Union Telegraph Company,
and tho cost Of operating Its linns 1t n,ay
pe objected to this Inquiry tint 1t lntcrforcs
with private business, but this Is not the
case. The Western Union Telegraph ConI-
| pany fs 4 public corporation. common
carrier, aild tic public aro interested. and
huye the right to know what Il costs to sGtld
such communications.
| j. THERE All: TWO WAYS, -
says Mr.. Springer, by which tho people catl
be protected ngainst these exncttols, First,
under power given by the Constitution to
| Regulate colIlincrce among the States, Coli
grras may fix tic rites to bc charged by
existing corporations for the transmission of
| telegraIns, 81 rs to secure Il rcnsQnabto aiid
! lust eu,npetlsat!o1l tO tile company alul to
prevent extortlon and discrimination; second,
under tho power to establish post-ofllces
allu post-roauy, Congress may construct lines
Ut telegraph of its;owil, alld operate tAeia
for the public benefit, liking sucti rates rs
will rolnllHcrato tho Government for tlle ex-
petlaa Of constructing and operating the
sah1e Tile usual objection tint Govern.
mental interference Is not strictly constttl-
tonat IL M u,,sttuct one, Mr.. Springer thinks,
md ongIisllut loilker to. stand In tha.way Of
vigorous acs!on to obtain relief. LIS sthoagh.
tint ~ s..
-, ONE RESULT ',a.'
Of IN Investigation Of this sort would be 10
hrlp All. I,eagan's Interstate Counereo
bill, as. opinion would undergo rapid
change as tu the tesilnblllty Of Ihterfcsence
by Congress with tile management of these
gteat lines Of tz,s!l!e alYA communication. tits
satd that the telegraph nlcl', aware Of this
feeling, arc trying to shape things so rs to
sell out to guutl advantage to tho Goyerll-
nent. One Ut tho objects to bp galncd by III
Investigation sucl! rs IL contemplated I'll the
Springer resolution will be to ascertain how
lnurlt Of the $50 0o0, 900 of valuation Of tcle-
graph lfues Is real md how mucl, fictitious.
, T1l1s LAnoE FALSE VALUE
| Is nothing Icss tnan q tax OIL tho people who
have to pay for 1t, yenr after year. Even
: though rates aro cheaper than formerly, The
: telegraph companies make larger profits
because they liaye nil tho advantage Of In
, proved modern Mnclilnury. To demon
strate TINT the public docs need pro
/ lection against such tricks III
} this telegraph consolidation, and thu
the people nro helpless without Government
t supervision Of tho broadcst nntl most search,
. Ing kind. 1t Is remarked tha: Congress mt
t the Supreme Court together lnre mado til,
I building md operating Of telegraph lines Ct,
Q tlrcly free to every one, The decision
t of tho Supreme Court, In the case 0
;. tic Pensacola Telegraph Company aEalns
1 tho Western Union Company, ia 1871
j, declared that tho act of 1858 lnl,st be so con
I; strucd rs to preyelt absolutely my 6tat
!! !! interference with tho running Of TELEGRAPH
! lines, any company having the light to ru
t Its ltucs anywhere ncross tho public donnit
O md anywhere else where 1t could plsrcllAs
O rfght-orway from private owlers, wltliu.
= regMrd so State laws or prohibitions, but 1t
n said
e THIS FlsEE TEI.EonArIIlo LAW,
}. broad rs 1t Is, docs not protect the public, an
r tho recent gigantic consolidation is prot
T. TINT 1t mayer will: Private enterprise
= powerless ngaEnst the schemes OF II few mel
10 with hundreds ot millions In their pocket
10 unless Congress will undertake 10 snpervI<
d ntd Wgl,lnte their operations III tie mo-
~ rigid manner for tho protection Of the peopl
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