Omaha daily bee., 1884-02-01
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Dr.. Green Tries to Diagnose the West
Hrn Union Case.
And Mr.. Hubbard is Ready to
Show His Error.
The Texas Paoi6c's Land Grant
Declared Forfeited.
No Words and Only One Vote
Recorded Against It.
Other Land Grants Forfeited-Con-
gressional Proceedings In Detail.
FROM
THE WESTERN UNIONS RATES.

Union, Telegraph company, addressed
the senate committee on postotlices and
postr ads opposing the proposed govern
ment control of the telegraph. He said
unless there was something defective in
the service rendered there seemed no
reason why the government should take
hold of the telegraph. He maintained
that we had telegraph facilities in larger
proportion to population, and better and
cheaper service, than any country of
Europe.
He explained the apparently cheaper
rates of Europe by saying that there a
message was counted once in every
country through which it passed, while
in this country it was counted but once.
Press matter, moreover, was dropped at
many points in the United States and
delivered as many messages while only
words being counted as a message.
A senator asked for the explanation.
He thought the statement an sxtraor-
binary one, and referred to the rates in
France as being only twenty cents for
twenty words within the limits of that
country, and the average was a half q
cent a word in other European countries.
He cited therates from France to Algiers,
two thousand miles, which were only
twenty tents for twenty words.
DIR. Green replied that no company
could send twenty words for twenty
cents without loss. A new tariff was in
process of preparation, to go into effect
| the 1st of March, giving a maximum rate
of one dollar, Tor which sum a message
could be sent four thousand five hundred
miles, from Halifax to Washington ter
ritory. DIR. Green, referring to press
contracts, said he would furnish the com
mittee a copy Of the contract with the
Associated Press. 1t was manifest that
papers could get cheaper work
done by the association, and that the
Western Union company could not trans.
nit press dispatches to single papers al
as low a rate as it could carry the dis
patches of an association. A careful es'
innate of the cost of press work per
formed by the Western Union company
should average six and one-half cents pei
100 words. Referring to the talk about
the accumulated wealth in the hands Of
individuals and corporations. DR.. Green
said he had become satisfied that the
great power of England consisted in the
wealth of her citizsns. Much of this
capital was invested abroad, and about
EGO. 000, 5000 sterling were derived
from it, much of it going from this coun
try.
In CONCLUSION he asked that the West
ern Union company be heard before thu
committee through an attorney, and tina
the committee fix a day when it woul,
hear William M. Evarts.
Gardner G. Hubbard stated to tn
committee that he desired to be heard
and would attempt to controvert som
points made by DIR. Green. DIR. Greer
had said that unless something was defec
tive in the service, no reason existed TO
government interference. He would un
dertake to show that there wassomethin
defective in the Western Union service
that their rates are excessive; in othe
words, if they had a rate n~otexceedingG
cents for the whole country, they woult
make more money, give better servic
than at present rates, and hat one com
pany could not serve the country whei
allowed to capitalize as rapidly as i
pleased without reference to the value O
property.
CHANDLER CRITICISED.
During the discussion in the senate OIL
the Greeley bill Secretary Chandler wa
quite severely criticised by Mr.. Sauls
bury and MCPHERSON, both charging tina
as soon as the senate adopted a provision
to which the secretary was opposed h
would set TO work to counteract tn
senate's action. Salisbury trusted tina
the senate would not abdicate it
functions in favor of the secretary of tn
navy, or anybody else. McPherso'
thought the amount to be expende
should be limited. AS it stood it woul
give the secretary power which congress
ought never to give any officer of tn
government. He wished it understoo
without any reservation whatever thu
the secretary of the navy did not seem I
comprehend that the people of tn
country had not implicit confidence j
him. Mr.. Allison said the bill did nc
emanate from the secretary of the navy
nor even from the senate, but came froi
. the house of representatives. MI. Hal
: and Mr.. Sherman defended Chandler.
i NEW EDUCATIONAL BILL.
DeHIJOr Dldir rep"Ftou IToIn tuo con
mittee ON education and labor a subst
j. tute for the educational bill introduce
this session. The report says the Leaf
ing provisions of the original bill a
unanimously approved by the committ'
but it is thought best to enlarge I'll
scope of the bill 80 as tv make mol
specific the provision for industrial ed
cation when practicable and for instru
! ton to females in such branches
, technical and industrial education as
suited to their sex.
Lam GRANTS FORFEITED.
The house committee on public lam
|. has decided to report a bill declaring Il
forfeiture of the entire land grants of h
Oregon Central railroad. a line propos,
between Astoria and Portland. The fo
= FIXTURE will be declared on the gr.ul
that the main line of the road, and +
which the grant was made, will never
constructed. There are 1,480, 600 acr