The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-01
DIR. NOrvin Green Continues His Tele-
graph Talk.
GBy telegraph To the Dispatch. ]


NEW YORK, August 31.-Dr. Norvin
Green, president Of the Western Union
Telegraph Company, continued his testl-
mony before the Senate Labor Committee
to-day. He said that in his opinion 4
telegraph system controlled and operated
| bv the Government in this country would
| be more expensive and less efficient than II
controlled by corporation: this princi-
paly because partisan considerations
would govern appointments to service.
II this objection were removed a
postal telegraph might. he thought, be-
come acceptable. There were. he said,
in the Western Union Company about
9, 500 stockholders, and the largest amount
held by an individual stakeholder was
thirty million. The eighty million dollars
worth OF stock OF the company. except
thirty to sixty thousand dollars. had been
distributed. II he (witness) held the stock
| OF the Western Union, and had guarantee
against any antagOnlstic legislation. he
would not sell il for one hundred millions
OF dollars. The net snnual earnings OF the
company, he said, were :S,000,O0O.
Witness was questioned at length rs to
the policy Of the " estern Union Company
toward rival organizations. He said the
lines purchased by the Western Union
were worth more TO that company than TO
the sellers, and cited as an instance the case
OF the Mutual Union, which he said was
earning 100000 month and spending it..
His company, he said, could earn it and
keep most OF it. 1t was the policy OF the
Western Union to cover the entere tele-
graph business OF the country, and it con-
trolled the business now because II had the
longest lines. The company had been
compelled to buy the Mutual Union be-
cause It was Formidable competitor, and
controlled extensive railroad lines. The
advantage in having q telegraph line
on the line OF railroad was equal,
he said, to - per cent. Some railroad
COMPANIES had sold to the Western Union
the exclusive right to build and operate
telegraph lines: others had granted the
privilege with the reservation that it should
only 90 as far as they had righttO grant such
privilege. I here was no substantial con-
solidation. combination, or union OF rail-
road and telegraph companies. The West
ern Union had always had competition, but
did not buy up lines to prevent such COM
petition. The profit in such purchases
arose from the ability OF the Western
Union TO do the work OF both with little
more than the expense OF one. The con-
sohdation Of lines had not been followed
nv an increase OF rates except where they
had Ieen reduced by competition. Rates
were being reduced constantly, and mes
SAGE could now be sent four thousand miles
for Sl.56.
Witness said the relations between the
company and the employees were governed
hv the laws OF supply and demand. sala-
rics were equitable and just, and no Other
company which paid such salaries had ever
imade any money. On beng asked whether
il was the policy OF the Western Union to
break up the combinations OF the employees,
he replied that the company would not adj
nit the right OF few men to dictate TO the
many on what conditions they should
work. The company aimed at the protec-
tion OF the free will of its employees TO this
extent. With reference to the recent strike,
witness said IT would have been fatal 10 the
| interests OF the company to have yielded.
rs such action would have been regarded
os an admission that the operators had
the power to dictate terms. Coming 10
another branch of the subject witness said
| the company had sometimes found il
necessary TO secure legal services i'm the
matter OF negotiations, and referring to his
own experience with Legislators, said he
had found il necessary to take legislator
down in the lunch-room and open a bottle
of wine. so that he would wait long enough
| To hear him. Witness acknowledged that
great number Of telegraph passes hac
been given out to legislators and various
high executive officers, but these were
merely OF complimentary character
With respect to the relationship existing
between the Western Union and Associa
ted Press. DR.. Green said that it was o.
purely business character under specla
contract. The Associated Press claimed
the right of property in its news, having
IFS own methods Of collecting it.