The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-21
be at first supposed he had that his clerks and
employees would not have time TO do

be at first supposed he had that his CLERKS and
employees would not have time to do
THE TELEGRAPH BUSINESS;
That they could not learn the little trick quite
SO quickly as lie had supposed they could that
the room In The postofices was not what
he expected it would be- The floor area
III our main ofnee employed In our busi-
ness is more than equal to two acres.
We have one floor of Twelve thousand five hun
dred square leet and four others of eleven thou
sand Two hundred square feet each which are
necessary TO our business, and even then We had
TO move tie commercial news business out of the
building into another which we have down
on Broad street
PRACTICAL LESSON.
al was inihopes that the committee would have
accepted my Invitation 10 come TO New York aud
examine our books. They would learn more with
regard To what 1t lakes 10 constitute a
telegraph company in one day by an
inspection OF the practical operation Of it, of the
uiscture the current, of the receiv-
ing room. OF the book Keeping and
delivery departments, than they could
ever learn here IN the eOnlmittee-room. By the
way, We have reduced The book keeping TO about
one-hf;h OF what II used TO be. MIR. Hubbard
said that we had made no improvements III IL Tor
twenty five years. That SHOWS how little he
knows about ii.
| wANAMAKER's PLAN IMPRACrICABLE.
"The PostmaSter- q CneraI's scheme was eX-
cecdlngly impiacticdble. He had about As much
to statt leleg aph system with as the country
man when he found tar buc,et and had 10 buy
a wagon and team To make II of any USE to him.
He has backed entirely on of that and adopted
The old Hubbard scheme of contracting with d
new company. That was the original scheme OF
the National Tel graph Company. He wants
Congress 10 charter 1t and give him contract;
aud lie has been hammerng on that for twenty
i've years, but 1t has been rejected by every
Congress 10 which II has been presented.
THE EUROPEAN SYSTEM.
There Is one other thing, Mr.. Chairman, to
which l desire TO call attention. While all the
European Governments own aud operate the
telegraph there Is not Government in Eu-
rope that ever established telegraph
There is not a Government in Europe
that ever established telegraph without buying
all existing properties at fair price, where there
any TO buy. There Is not statesman III Europe
that would not sneer at the injustice OF the Gov
ernment going into business-a commercial
business.
SUPREME COURT DECISION.
d" The Supreme Court OF the United States, by
Chief Justice Waite, has declared that he tele-
graph is a commerce itself. aud mat it bears the
sam relation 10 II that railroads do; not
fayng dspcaIe 9s Of property p sa II That fact but
Government proposes 10 go into commercial
business and give its patronage aud lis assist
ance 10 compe Ing company which, l insist
under the act OF 1886. the good faith OF the
ernment is pledged. More than iour-hfths of the
telegraph properties nave been created since
that act was passed.
THE ORIGINAL CALIFORNIA LINE.
There are number of other things and some
most outrageous Misrepresentation which L
want to correct and | am very anxious TO be
the committee VIII name 1 have got rec
ord proofs. have got the original act estab-
fishing the overland telegraph TO California. II
ma been sta ed 10 thls committee that there was
an appropriation Of Congress sufficient to build
the line. Whereas, ii was most advanta
geOus thing for tne Government, and but
one man in this whole United States
would put dollar into 1t. 1 was
solicited, but did not take share of 1t. 1t was
au appropriation of $4,000 a year for ten
| Years, aud the Government was to have the free
Use oi IL Tor all business Tor which II wanted lt.
BENEFIT TO THE GovERNMENT.
1T was at the glnn,ng OF the war, and for
some years the Government got the full
| benefit and the full return for all the money
! II had paid. besides having the gieat
advance Of any railroad through wild
| and open Indian country where did not sup
pose Il line could have 6ren maintained. Now.
these are the simple facts. Instead of being
| enough TO build the line /; was not one quarter
| enough 10 maintain ii.
SALE OF GOVERNMENT LINES.
This great tuning over or all tue telegraph
lines owned by The Government al tile end OF the
war has been represented TO you 10 have
Sssn %sn q0ne 9 rac at ina, cost OF SsooGG60G
cost OF the Government telegraph system
| from the beginning of the war To the end, with
l4S employees at salary. The amount of the
| lines built was pretty large, but many OF them
! were torn down the next day. They were run
| up TO Large mileage aud torn away when
| the army moved so lnat very little was left 10
turn over 10 anybody. The Government appro-
priated and used our lines, the Western
UnlOhS. because Ine western Union had not
| even reached New York and did not come to
| Philadelphia"
MIR. Binghsm-The hour for adjournment has
now arrived. We VIII try TO get our committee
together for you at some other day.
BIG CONSIDERATION.
Mr.. Green-I would like TO present these
documentary proofs. Th.re a big
| consideration gwen the Government for the
| property that the Southwest, Washington
and New Orleans line got, aud ii was very ad-
yauIageous settlement think, Tor the Govern
ment. What does the Chairman say TO a week
from to-day for NE 10 he heard?
M. Bingham-l viii consult with the commit
tee and see what dare can nix. Ii Is Very hard
| for US 10 get the e iemen OF the committee TO-
| gether, as the House meets early la The morn
| lug.
| PROOFS TO BE PRESENTED.
| Mr.. Greeu-I am willing TO suit the conve-
neuce OF the committee. | will come here now
| any day or stay here. l have good deal OF
| record proofs which | want 10 get
| into this record, and ] want to present
| them In proper shape. | want he committee 10
hear them. appreciate the fact that The COM
mttee is very tired OF this subject, but l think
| they Will know more about 1t when l get
| through.
| Mr.. Hayes-We would be more apt to get TO-
| gether IN Tie evening, as the House meets so
| early.
! Mr.. Bnghsm-There is a question whether the
House VIII meet as early II does now after the
| termination of Ihe tarif debate
The committee thereupon adjourned.