New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-02
DIR. GREEN GETS EXCITED.
THE WESTERN UNION PRESIDENT ON THE
POSTAL TELEGRAPH BILL
FOR ASSAILINe POsTMAsTERGENERAL wANA3
MAKER HE is PROMPTLY REBUKED
BY THE COMMITTEE.

MAKER HE is PROMPTLY REBUKED
BY THE COMMITTEE.
Washington, March DIR. Norvin Green, prcsident
Of the Western Union Telegraph Company to-day con-
tnued his statement respecting the pending Postal
Telegraph bill before the House Committee on
Post Offices and Post Roads. lie said that he had
seen ii stated that the wire on the Pacific rail-
road lines belonged to the Government. lie did not
SO understand it, and, as matter Of fact, the Gov
eminent had power to fix rates over those lines.
Respecting rates generally DR.. Green said that they
we're about one-haH Of those prevailing twenty-five
years The ratio between own and the
British rates 25 cents to 90 cents The Post
masterGeneral proposed to reduce these rates one
half and this in face Of the fact that the British
system had been operated with deficit Of S11 $780,
300 in the past eleven years, and probably 100000.
900 since its establishment Yet the British system
had been Instituted under solemn pledge that 1t
should be self supporting The salaries Of the British
operators averaged from s2s TO S2a per MONTH while
in New York the average Including male and female
opcrators was s61 45-more than double the British
average.
DR.. Green presented figures to show that the
actual cost 10 the Western Union Of handling business
was GA cents message Taking up tho details Of
the Postmaster Generals plan, DR.. Green said that
at many OF the pOsOccs there would not be Sufficient
telegraph business to pay expenses 1t had ben sues
sested that the posmasters at these Offices might
as they were usually business men, and fully ens-
poycd in caring for their shops. Altogether. the
present postofice buildings could not be made to
accommodate the telegraph system.
DR.. Green made comparison between the American
domestic telegraph rates with those In Europe. show
ing that for all distances 500 miles American
rates much lower. Yet, said he, the Postmaster
General would establish uniform rate for 1900 mile
distances, a distance over which single wire had
ever been successfully worked AS TO the low rates,
the Western Union had never fought opposition COM
panies with low rates. the opposition companies had
usually butted against the Western Union. The laso
formidable competitor it had was the Baltimore ana
Ohio Telegraph Company. They had started IN 70
smash things; and ii had done it. That company
had ruined three competing companies; had ruined
ITSELF and had so nearly ruined the baltimore ana
Ohio Railroad Company that 1t had been Obliged 10
sell IL, sleeping cars and construction shops 70 toe
over the fnanc al stress The Postmaat General In M
order fixing rates for Government business had made
an order which the Board Of Directors Of the western
Union had decided practically an order OF connS
cation Of their business.
The speaker bccamc somewhat excited al thlS poinN
and looking hard at Postmastcr-GeIerai "ananaKeN
who steadfastly returned the gaze. he exclaimed:
And yet he says that he IS on irst-rate terms VITA
tho telegra oh companies. He may congratulate him.
elf that he can smile and smile, ana lnuruer whii, No
SMILES We propose 10 controvert that order thAinS
the rates for Government messaseS in the courts anu
TO demonstrate that IL Is not onehdi Oh ule cose W
count Of Government telegraph service since last July
we would not accept the ratio. one word more !
looks 10 a man up a tree. have never heard before
that Cabinet Minister may come before c9mmittee
coach and help his pet schemes through "fci lneN
have not been recommended BY the President
At this point. Representative Anderson CNiss) In
terrupted Dr. call attention 10 the late nour
and added that tho witness answers were argument~
tive and not responsive.
Representative Grain Texas remarked that so fas
as coaching the committee concerned the Post
master General had never spoken TO him upon inc
subject.
Dr. Green-The Postmaster General has between
$4,000 and 100000 civil appointment; to ma2e ana
him Ny only objection to the PostmaSterGenerA
T6eh addressing himself 70 the subject os q the
vas not based the assumption that It proviaea ior
the erection and maintenance OF Government Iines::
to- that would be tho result.
" Mr. Grain asked why the Western Union opposed the
bill It pTSposss am hs o are ei not all dead yet
A great many people would Jump in 10 build telegraph
Mr. Grain remarked that this objection seemed to %
that the Western Union Company would not be helped
u" chaIrInan Blnshan addressing Dr. Green said IN
reference TO ho 5uc .. here ee by the same invita-
ton as you are-to discuss the half dozen oIs ro
tcrred to the House for its action Inc ros,nss Ter
General has not coached the committee nor does inc
committee propose to be coached by any one" ,.,
Mr. Gambler "a commttecman) added that when
the committee found that but 100000 out OF
- OoO 900 people using the telegraph u pc
licvod il be matter of duty 10 see now lts use
conld he extended. 1t seemed 10 him that Dr. Green
had an unju, conception OF the Postmaster Generals
position when he assumed that he was attacking tho
western Union Telegraph Company. Inc innuence
which had been in the committee ana probaDly IN
the mind Of the PostmlstcrC'enerh was LOT tne
attainment of an advantage higher ana moro I'M
ortant to the of the people than might be sup'
posed from some things that had been said .
Til, concluded DR.. Green's testimony, ana the
committees listened to the reading OF statement by
Mr. Earnum representing the Visual Syncl.ronism
Telegraph Company, in favor OF the PostmaSter-Gcn'
erals ulan.