The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-04
TIE HOUSE.
The Pacific Telegraph NH PASSES Mo-
nopoIies Must Go.

/
| nopoIies Must Go.
WAsmSGTos, March 3.-ITenry G. Sey-
mour, successor to Seth @. MofIatt, OF
Michigan, deceased, appeared before the
bar OF the HOUSE and took the oath OF Of
fee.
Mr.. Dargan, OF South Carolina, from the
committee on banking and currency, re-
ported the bill authorizing the issue Of
fractional silver certificates. Committee Of
the whole.
Mr.. Grain, OF Texas, from the commit
tee on election Of President and Vice Pres
ident, reported back his joint resolution
proposing constitutional amendments
changing the time for the commencement
Of the Presidential term and changing the
date for the annual meeting OF Congress.
House calendar.
The House then resumed, as the special
order, the consideration OF the Pacific rail-
road telegraph bill.
Mr.. White, Of New York, took the floor
in opposition to the measure. lie thought
that all remedial legislation should make
the punishment ft the crime" and that
before numbering up the statutes with
voluminous enactments, Legislators should
assure themselves that those enactments
| would have the desired effect. This bill
afforded the government no new remedy.
There was buncombe In IL, but there was
no legislation in II. Ifabuses there were In
| the management OF the Pacific telegraph
lines, the existing laws Afforded acomplete,
adequate and speedy remedy. Instead OF
hanging the victim first and trying the
question OF his guilt or innocence after
wards, II would BE- better, the question
lrst and punish or acquit afterwards. lie
could not see the necessity OF encumbering
the statutes with page after page OF legisla-
| ton when better result could be accom-
plished by single section--the necessity
OF loading columbiad 10 shoot canvas
back. He then proceeded with a legal ar
gument in which he commended that
under the terms Of the contract be-
tween the Union Pacific company and the
Western Union company, vested right
had been created which would not, under
the decision Of the supreme court In the
Union Pacific sinking fund casc, DO inter
iered with by congressional action. He
| wished, be said, 20 present some statistics
| In regard 10 the Western Union Telegraph
company-this ogre, this octapus giganti-
Gus, this devil-tish, which had been
brought before the bar OF the House for
condemnation for having prcyed upon the
blood OF the country and sapped its vitals.
| These statistics cover twenty years, and
showed that, while In 1857 the Western
| Union had wires enough 10 20 three times
around the globe, and made an average
charge per message Of Sl.0i, In 1887 is
wires could cncircle the globe twenty-one
times, and tho average rate per message
was 30 cents. No other country, he said,
enjoyed such facilities for telegraphing; rs
TO cost, the figures showed that telcpaphy
was really cheaper here than In Europe.
The minimum rate In England for $50
miles was SO cents for twenty-five words;
the rate from Jacksonville, Fla, 10
Oregon, the longest distance In this coun.
| try, was S1.2l for ten words of message
and the entire address aud signature.
Mr.. Bclden, OF New York, asked why Il
was that higher rate was charged be-
tween Washington and Cortland, N. ",
| than 10 Syracuse, q more distant point.
| Mr.. White replied that II was n matter
| Of interstate commerce.
Mr.. Bcldcn replied that the fact was that
the Western Union raised rates within n
week after opposition ceased.
Mr.. White said he had states nj hand
20 answer for him, and upon them he was
| willing 10 rest In conclusion, he said that
he was here 90 protest against anarchic
and communistic legislation, which would
seek 10 legisate away tho property OF n
man acquired honorably and honestly UNI
der the forms Of law.
Mr.. Symcs, of Colorado, said that the
purpose Of the bill was merely 10 compel
the subsidized glilroads TO comply with the
conditions and provisions OF the grants
creating them. The contracts between the
Union and Central Pacific Railroad com.
panies and the Western Union Telegraph
company were void ab initio, and no law.
yer In America knew u better than the
gentleman from New York (Whitc). They
were ut the time, and they were still, In
direct violation OF the express provisions OF
the statutes, and the grants creating the
Pacific railroad and telegraph companie..
were In violation Of public policy and
against public law. There were numerous
authorities 10 show that all pooling con-
tracts with certain limitations were void;
and no contract could be enforced II lis
conditions were against the general good.
Tho contracts under consideration had
been made with the object andintention Of
defeating every substantial requirement OF
the grants After jay Gould and his ring
hal conducted the Union Pacific az long
M he could mako anything out Of II, he
had walked oil leaving the company bank
rupt and taking with him, among the as
sets, the telegraphic lines, with which he
levied discriminating tribute from the peo-
pie west Of the Missouri river.
Mr.. Dockery, OF Missouri, said that
under the granting acts the Pacific conipa-
mics were required 70 construct not only
railroad lines, but also a telegraph line.
Instead Of doing 10, they had assumed 70
diyest themselves Of their obligations by
contract with the Western Union Tele-
graph company. comforting upon that COM
pany The exclusive right Of way along the
J railroad lines. The acts Of Congress re-
! guired that the telegraph lines along the
: Pacific railroad should receive all business
without discrimination here nulliiiei by