The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-03-10
TELEGRAPHIC MONOPOLY.
BEGINNING OF THE HOUSE IN.
YESTIGATION.
Representative AndersOn's Resolu.
tiOn Before the Committee
on POstOflices.

WARRINGTON. March 0.-There was
full attendance at the meeting Of the
House Committee on Postofiees and
POstIoads this morning called 10
begin the investigation ordered by
the House, OF certain matters en-
bodied in the Anderson resolution,
as follows:
"rhat the Committee on Postoffices
and Postroads. is hereby, empowered
to ascertain whether additional leRis-
lation is needed 10 prevent a monop-
oily OF the telegraph facilities aud BE-
cure to the Southern, Western and
Pacific States the benefits OF COMPETE
ton between telegraph companies,
and to protect the people of the United
States against unrf asonable charges
for telegraphic service"
Mr.. Anderson was present and adj
dressed the committee briefly in ex.
PLANTATION of his purpose in offering
the resolution. His general reason, he
said, was an organic opposition TO
monopoly OF any sort, but specifically
in this instance his motive was to be
found in the state OF sffsirs existing
between the Missouri river and the
Pacific ocean, region comprising one
half or two-thiIds OF the AREA OF the
United States. The State he bad the
honor in part 10 represent (Kansas)
was a part OF this region, together
with the remaining seven States and
organized Territories, was interested
in the matter OF cheap telegraphy. 1t
was also vitality interested in
preventing such a monopoly
Of telegTaphing as would deprive its
people and press OF the advantage and
safeguard OF competitive facilities for
obtaining news. 1t would be shown
to the committee that in the chartt "a
Of all of the land grant railroads, they
are required to operate their telegraph
lines precisely as they operate their
rails. Next, that they have illegally
but substantially Transferred their telG-
graph franchises to the Western Union
Comp q ny const quently when a rival
telegraph company reaches the East.
ern terminus OF one OF these roads
instead OF receiving from that COM
pany, without discrimination, its bus
ness, they refuse TO do 80, or, at least,
substantially refuse to comply
with this obligation OF their
charter. In other words, the
Western Union, 80 far as that
whole area is concerned, now having
a population OF 100000 people, has
practically a monopoly, and it Is car.
rying II TO such an extent as to show
a tendency 10 claim, in addition to the
recognized right of common carrier,
a right also to gather and sell the
news Of the day on its own account.
II the committee would inquire into
this branch OF the subject it wo1ld
find that the collection and sale Of
election news and such important
matters rs Presidents message are
sought to be monopolized by the
Western Union Company in some
instances, and that barefaced at
tempts had been made by the
Western Union Company to coerce
newspapers into making exclusive
contracts to transact all their business
by it's wires. The committee would
see at once how such attempts and
assumptions threatened the liberty oil
the press in the region which was sub
jected to this monopoly. 1t is bees use
Of that fact, and because Of other
matters upon which he would ask to
be heard at later date, that he intro
duced this resolution.
Mr.. d. H. Bates, president Of the
Baltimore and Ohio Telegraph Com
psny, was then sworn and examined
He furnished full Information ant
data in connection with the futile ef
forts of the BALTIMORE and Ohio Tele
graph Company to have its telegraphi'
business accepted by the land gram
railrc ads in the same manner anC
upon the same terms as the telegraphi'
business from other telegraph compa
MES, and particularly from the West
ern Union, had been or might be &C
copied. He said that the adoption o
a bill such as was proposed by Repre-
sentative Anderson would fully NEE
the requirements OF the case.