The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-01
The DAILY ARGUS.
Friday February 1, 1884.
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
.NorviE Green Gives the Senate Com
mittee His Views.
FORGETTING Railway land Grants---
Chairman Cobb Talks OF Probable
Land Legislation 49, Congress
SIGNAL PfSceedings---Efem

WASHINGTON CITY, Feb. DIR Norvln
Greer president of the Western Union Tele-
g1al,h company, addressed the senate COM
mittee on postoffices and post roads in oppo-
sition to the proposed government control of
the telegraph. He said that unless there
was something defective in the service ren-
dered, there seems TO be no reason why the
government should take the telegraph He
maintained that we had telegraphic facili-
ties in larger proportion to our population
and better and cheaper service than any
country in Europe He was prepared
to substantiate that statement in a care
full investigation. He explained the ap-
parently cheaper rates of Europe by saying
that there II ssge was counted once in
every country through which .iHpassel, while
III this country it was counted but once.
Press matter, moreover, was dropped at many
points in the United States, and as many
messages delivered, while only the one copy
filed was counted, thirty words being counted
as q message.
A senator cited the rates from France to
Algiers, 1900 miles, which were only 20 cents
for twenty words
DR. Green replied that the Algiers
line was operated at a loss Their
ohpiOJSo WeIo AlrSu IOf nlucn cheaper
rates, and even then the service
was done at a loss. No company could send
twenty words for 20 cents without loss A
new tariff was in process of preparation, to
go into effect March l, giving a maximum
rate of 81, for which sum a message could be
sent 1850 miles, from Halifax to Washing
ton territory.
DIR. Green, referring to the press contracts,
said he would furnish the committee with a
copy of the contract with the Associated
Press. 1t contained he said, a clause that no
cheaper rates should be made with any
other association without giving the Asso-
ciated Press the advantage of the reduction.
Some papers complained because
the Western Union could not trans
NIT their news at the same rates
their neighbors were receiving it from
the Associated Press 1t was manifest that
papers could get cheaper work done by an
association, and that the Western Union
company could not transmit press dispatches
to single paper at as low rates as it could
carry dispatches to an association. A care
full estimate of the cost of the press work per
formed by the Western Union showed an
average Of 615 cents per 100 words
Referring to the talk about the accumu-
lated wealth in the hands of individuals and
corporations, DIR. Green said he had become
satisfied that the great power of England con
sisted in the wealth Of her citizens Much of
this capital was invested abroad, and about
el6o, 900 sterling derived from it, much of
it going from this country. In his early man
hood there was not man in this country
possessed of 81, 10000 In those days our
own men of wealth were investing in Amer
lean securities and property, and the reve-
nues therefrom were expended at homo. It
would be better, to be sure, if this wealth
were more evenly distributed Everybody
knows that western railroads had been built
ten years in advance Of their necessity by
this excess of capital
With reference to the capitalization of the
Western Union company, he said it made no
difference with the rates. In conclusion, he
asked that the Western Union be heard be
fore the committee fix a day when thew
would hear Mr.. William NJ. Evarts
Mr.. Gardner G. Hubbard stated that the
committee desired to be heard and would
attempt to controvert some points made by
DR.. Green. Dr. Green had said that. unless
there was something defective in the service,
no reason existed for government in
reference. He would undertake to show
that there was something defective in
the Western Union service, and that
their rates were excessive. In other words
if they had . rate not exceeding TO cents for
the whole country, they would make more
money and give better service than at the
present rates, and that one company could
not serve the country when allowed to capi-
talize as rapidly as it pleased without refer
ence to the value of the property