New-York tribune., 1886-03-10
TELEGRAPH FACILITIES N TIE WEST.
HEARING ON IHE ANDLE~oN RESOLUTION BLfoEL
HoUsF COMMITTEE.


HEARING ON IHE ANDLE~oN RESOLUTION BLtoEL 4
HOUSE COMMITTEE
WAsuI<GrON, March 81 here WAS a full
ATTENDANCE al the meeting OF The House tomidtro
Post GGces and Post Road. TINS morning called to be-
Gin the luNc,-atIyu or,,Icd 10y The House Of certain
matters embodied 90 The Anderson Ic-oui"u - fol-
lows: 'Ihat the Committee on Post onIc,s and Post
Roads is hereby empowered TO ascertain whether adi-
uonaI legislation is needed TO prevent monopoly Of
telegraph frcucs ana secure 10 the southern, Western
and Pacific state, ile benefit, Of competition between
Telegraph companies and To protect the people OF the
United States against unreasonable charges
for telegraph scIvcrs" Mr. Anderson was
present aud addressed the committee briefly IN cV-
PLANTATION Of his purpose in Offering the resolution.
Il would De shown the comn that Ia tho charters
all OF the laud railroads they are required 10
operate their telegraph lines precisely IA they operate
their rails next that they have Illegally but snhshht-
ally transferred their telegraph franchises tothc western
Union Company; consequently when rival telegraph
company reaches the eastern terminus OF one OF these
roads instead OF receiving from that company without
discrimination It's business tn'y refuse 80 o do. or AT
least substantially refuse To comply with this obligation
their charters In other words the Western Union 50
far o. tna whole area concerned. having poPu-
atiou Of 100000 people has practically monopoly,
ana It is carrying 1t to such an extent as to show a
tendency 10 claim IN addition to the recognized
right OF "a common carrier, q night also 10 gather
and sell the news of tho day on its own account;
ana that barcfaced attempts had been made ny the
Western Union Company -papcrs into max
contracts AL their business
II. wires. The commit would see Rt once how ruch
attempts an'' d-1u plOh- threatened te Ho'iS q" tuo
press In the region which WAS subjected To ms
monopoly. ..,
j. Il. Bates. president Of the Baltimore and ohio
Telegraph COMPANY was examined at great length lho
witness admitted would be Impossible Tor tho
IuOu Pacific, ~ Omaha. to accept the business
OF the Baltimore and Ohio for tho precise terms
named In their contract with tho Western Union.
All be claimed was that tho land gr road, should
sume their telegraph fauchsr~ that the, should handle
general teegraphlc Tor the Government and tho
pubic The effect would bc to rclegste tho Western
Union TO lts own line II would not dcbAr the Western
Union from an its Offices hui he would ask that the BAL
more aud ohio be permitted tO handle business 10 the
railroads omaha iOr IOLt- ~ lhcT hHts, ana
rates as favorable were granted to the Western
Union
MI Bingham asked the witness II he did not believe
that hr had performed h, full duty when he called the
attrn ID OF the Commissioner o; Railroads and the sec
retary Interior To the fact that the law not
ben carried and that the Government losing
revenue.
MI Rates replied that hc held that belief.
Mr.. Biugham-"Aud therefore II II the Governments 4
duty that the provisions OF the charter ho exc
CutcdI"
Mr. Bates" so understand IT, We have been trying
for eighteen months but have not been able 10 Get the
Department action, and dread the long delay
I'm the courts
Mr.. Dockery asked what lie desired at the hands OF
Congress.
Mr Bates replied that the adoption Of bin such
proposed by Representative Anderson would fuly
The hearing at this point was adjourned until tomor
row. whcn j. c. Rien, Of Nowiork, and other persons
| W De