The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-10
House OF UNDERSTANDINGS.

Michigan, from the committee on labor,
v,reported the bill for the adjustment Of ac-
counts Of laborers arising under the eight
hour law. Committee OF the whole.
Mr.. Eland, Of Missouri, from the COM
mittee on coinage, weights and measures,
called up and the House passed bill TO
discontinue the coinage ofthree cent pieces.
Mr.. Glass, Of Tennessee, on behalf Of
the committee ON agriculture, called mp
and the House passed bill 10 promote
agriculture. II provides that such por-
tons Of the consular reports as refer TO ag-
ricultuml matters, shall he transmitted TO
the commissioner oiagriculture for embodi-
ment in his reports.
Mr. McCreary OF Kentucky, from the
committee on foreign affairs, reported
Joint resolution authorizing the President
10 arrange conference for the PURPOSE oil
promoting arbitration and encouraging re-
ciprocal commercial relations between the
United States and the republics Of Mexico,
Central and South America and the en-
pirc OF Brazil. House calendar.
A bill has passed amending the lawsreg-
ulating the fees for exemplifcations oiland
patents The next bill on the calendar
was that requiring the subsidized railroads
to maintain and operate separate telegraph
lines.
Nh. Dockery, Of Missouri, said the sim
pie proposition In the bill, in plain, unvar-
nished English, was TO compel the Union
and Central Pacific companies TO construct
the telegraph lines required by their char
ten, instead Of contracting with the West
ern Union and giving a corporation q
monopoly oi telegraph franchises west OF
the Mississippi river. He believed that
had the pending bill been law last sum
mer the absorption OF the Baltimore X
!. Ohio Telegraph company by the Western
. Union could not have been possible. lie
submitted that one OF the most pressing
. Investigations before Congress was the
hedging about and restricting Of the pow
ers and encroachments OF the Western
Union company.
Mr.. Anderson, OF Kansas, the author oi
the BILL vigorously supported It, The rail
road companies had bariered away their
franchises by entering into contract with
the Western Union, by which The railroad
companies refused 10 perform their telc'
graphic services and by which they gave
the Western Union an absolute monopoly
over the western half Of the continent.
Through the genius Of the most unscrupu-
lous pirate OF the century, Jayhawk Gould,
that monopoly had been created. Tho
pending bill was simply proposition e
intcriect little bit Of Gods burning jus
iicc between the people and Jay Gould
The people Of the country were pmyinf
for relief from the merciless grind OF the
most cxirayagant,' enormous, unscrupu
lous, piraiical set OF Incorporated scoun
drcls ON the continent. This bill was !
SQUARE blow between the eyes OF Mr.. Gould
the Western Union monopoly, and each o
the Pacific railroad companies, saying Y
them: GENTLEMAN, there Is power II
wealth and power In the combination o
monopoly, but there Is more power In ih.
arm 81 the American people, and you shal
obey the law"
Mr.. White. Of New York, said he had
worl Of criticism 10 pass upon the title o
the pending bill, which stated that th'
measure was supplemental 10 the Pacifi
railroad acts n there had been pcrlcc
candor and the same free use OF the uniie'
States tongue which had characterized th
remarks Of the author Of the bill today, th
measure would have been entitled -
bill 10 enable Congress 10 get in It's worl
temporarily against Jayhawk Nould an'
the Western Union Telegraph company.
!. All the bill contained IN reality was thrc
or four words In the first section rcquirin
the Pacific Railroad companies TO cxeI
else by themselves alone oil telegraph
franchises" II was that word alone
that furnished the gist oi the bin and mad
Il objectionable, lirst, on the ground Z
public policy, and second, because the pr
vision was repugnant 10 the constitution O
interfering with vested rights.
The bill had been brought TO the alter
ton of the forty.ninth Congress In beha
of the baltimore 4 Ohio Telegraph con
pony. when Il found that telcgraphcd ''nc
wisely but too we'll" The company Ia
fallen into minimum, and the Wcsicr
Union had made q contract by which
had bought the stock Of the baltimore
Ohio company, and ran Us lines In COZ
junction with ils own.
Mr.. Durham, Of Illinois Putting u
rates.
Mr.. whiic-Ycs, putting up rates an
putting down rates. Honon are aboi
easy on that point.
Mr. White argued that viewing I'll
matter Ia the light Of public policy, u vi
unwiHc for the government, Which was u
largest creditor " the Pacific railroads an
interested In the management OF that pro
crty, 10 enact legislation which would has
the effect Of reducing the profits on tho
roads. The result Of the arrangement
TIE Wesiurn Union company and u
Union Pacific Railroad company had be,
10 increase the telcraphic business Of u
latter company from $4,000 a wear
$4,000 year. and NJ the same time q
price had been reduced from sl.5O Tor me
saecs from San Francisco 10 Omaha 70
brtscvn San fmnrisco and any other pla
In tho United States lie then proceeds
10 make n legal argument 10 the effect ~
ConQcs, had no right 10 interfere wi
contracts lawfully entered into.
The matter went over and the dscuesi'
will probably DO resumed Saturday.
Adjourned.