Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-09-01
raR LABOR connIrrEE.
DR.. Green cOntinues His Testimony ON
the Western Union.
NV YORK. Aug. 81.

/ Marvin frrlpn continued
| hefors the sena,oriaI subcommittee ON labor
"a adncs,;on ,oJay Tha witness said
where the strike occurred il would have been
fatal TO the interests of company to have
yielded as it would have been admission,
that il would be in the power of the opera
tors TO dictate terms.
/ The relations between the eompany and
their amnIovas was ragulared strictly by the
tiaw of .nnn,v and demand Salaries maid
wera eopal and inst and that was proven bv
th, fact that no other telegraph company
| who paid similar wages ever made any
money
| Senator George-Is It. or is il not policy
| for the Western Union to break up combina-
| ,ioos Of ;,s oneratives orgsnized for The pur-
nose of securing an advance of wages?
Wirnes.-We would not admit of a few
men ~ dictate to many on what conditions
they should work 1 have the statements of
\ several of our EMPLOYEES that the few who
co,,tituted the so-caIled committee of the
| brnrherbood had no right 10 sneak for them
/ ouas IL !, ,ben tb. obiect of the company
% 80, The frea - IN NJ em,lovees2
~ rxao,lv 70 ,bs ex,an,I have men.
tioned
Do YOU mean to sa, that there is no ute
rior object in YOUR policy toward those en-
pIoyees who belong to the brotherhood out
side the benevolent features of their organi-
za,ionS
Ans.-The fact that there were over 800
annlirarions in the office for employment
showed that rank and file had. not entered
willingly into the strike.
The subject was then changed and in
reply TO other questions the witness said that
they had expended $50, O0O, 900 in cash and
there was an issue of S23, 10000 in stock
shortly after 1866. The total issue of stock
was about $50, 600, 900. In the course of his
remarks. DR. Green said IF held stock of
Western Union and had a guarantee against
sny antasonistic legislation | would not give
it for 500, 900 600 The net earnings of the
company are SoO. 900, 900.
The witness was asked whether it was not
the policy of the company to crush out all
rival organizations and he replied that the
lines purchased by the Western Union were
worth more to them than the companies who
sold them
CUES is it not the policy of the company
to absorb all other lines of the country!
Ans.-We wish to cover the entire coun-
try. Take for instance the Mutual Union which
was earning 500, 900 month and spending 1t.
We could earn it and keep most Of it.
think there was some talk of buylng up all
the opposition lines, but [ advise against
buving up anv more. We had to buv the
Mutual Union as they were formidable
company and controlled extensive railroad
lines. The Western Union did not buy the
lines to prevent competition. When the lines
were purchased the profits consisted in the
ability of the w estern Union to do the work
of both with little more than the expense Of
| one The consolidation of telegraph COM
| panies has not been followed bv an increase
OF rates except in cases where competition has
had rates down below cost, making an in
crease of rates absolutely necessary The
rates have been reduced generally. All of
| the $50 00O, 900 of the stock of the company
| is distributed except about $50, 900 to $40 900
worth. which is still the property of the
company, because in the division it was not
possible to divide fractions. Some railroads
have sold to the company the exclusive right
to build and operate lines. Other companies
had granted this privilege with the reservation
that it should be only as far as they had
right to grant such privilege, We have
always had competition. We control bust
ness because we have the longest lines
There is rs per cent. advantage in having a
telegraph on the line of the railroad. Rates
are constantly being reduced. MESSAGE
can now be sent 1000 miles for 81 so. There
is no substantial consolidation, combination
A