The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-13
PACIFIC CABLE COMPANY.
The Foreign Relations Committee Will
Report the Bill TO The House.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE House COM
mittee on Foreign Affairs has agreed, though
not unanimously, to report to the House,
with some notifications, the bill to incor-
porate the Pacific Cable Company. The
principal change made was to reduce from
S20O,OOO to $500 the sum to be paid to the
company annually for fifteen years by the
United States Government after the cable
is completed and open for business.
The committee, in reporting the bill, says
IL regards 1t as properly securing and guard
ing the interests of the United States. The
committee carefully considered whether the
proposed cable line could be established by
private enterprise, unaided by the Govern
ment. 1t is convinced that as business
undertaking the receipts of the line for
years to come would not be likely t. defray
the expenses of operating and maintaining
1t. Still less would it secure to the investors
any interest or Return on their investment.
The Importance to the United States of
cable communication with Hawaii has been
suggested 10 Congress in the messages OF
Presidents Cleveland and Harrison, and also
by various Cabinet officers and commercial
bodies.
The Hawaiian Government last Novem-
Der provided Il concession for the establish
ment Of cable communication, so that this is
a most opportune time for congressional ac-
ton. Such cable line would be of great
service, not only in securing Hawaiian
the Islands, but in securing TO our country
the commerce of the Pacific Ocean and Aus
tralia. There is great danger that unless
action is taken at this session large pro-
portion OF that trade and commerce will be
diverted to Canada.
Messrs. Hooker of Mississippi and An
drews Of Massachusetts declined to sign the
report. They object 10 its bounty feature.
McCreary, the ranking Democratic member
OF the Foreign Affairs Committee, and VINO
in q ohol In ire hai
said to your correspondent that although he
was not present at the committee meeting
to-day, he was unalterably opposed TO the
bill, because he did not believe in the Gov
eminent aiding private enterprises. He
said he would not make minority report,
but he and General Hooker would fight the
bill earnestly on the floor of the House.
McCreary was asked if he thought the bill
would pass, and he answered: ''N0t if The
Democrats can help it. If it ever comes up
In the House suppose the Republicans can
outvote us, but we propose TO fight every
bill that contains a subsidy feature"
rs 1t probable that the Cable Bill will be
called up in the House this session? ?" he was
asked.
81 don't know about that" he answered.
nope not. There are three ways in
which 1t may be called up for consideration;
hrst, by unanimous consent, and this can
not be had, l Will say right now; second, by
the Committee on Foreign Affairs being
given day by the Committee on Rules, aud
the committee -consenting that the Trans
Pacific Cable Bill shall be one of the meas
ures to be considered on that day; and
third, by the Committee on Rules setting
aside day for its special consideration, /
have been trying for weeks and months to
get Mckinley to give day for Foreign At
fairs Committee bills, but l have not sue
ceeded yet"
Representative Morrow was seen and he
SAID to your correspondent: You need not
fear. Our Foreign Affairs Committee Will
be given day, and one of the measures
which Will be authorized to call up will be
the Trans-Pacifc Gable Bill, and it will pass,
too. l sec that San Francisco paper thinks
the cable will cost $4,000 This is
grossly incorrect. We had General Hart
well of Boston before our committee aad
examined him closely. and he figured out the
cost to be 600 for a cable from San
Francisco to Honolulu. General Haruwell
is one of the chief movers in the cable
scheme, and his figures are reliable, as they
were reached by careful computation made
by engineers and scientific men,"
AS stated in these dispatches some time
ago. Senator MitchelPs bill, which was iden-
tical with Morrow's, was not reported by
the Committee on Foreign Relations, but a
substitute was reported authorizing an ap-
preparation of 81, 100000, to be placed in tile
Presidents hands to aid any cable company
that wishes TO and is able to lay Pacific
cable. This substitute is now being conSid-
cred by the Senate Committee on Appropri-
atoms, which now has the Sundry Civil Ap-
preparation Bill before it.
Your correspondent to-day asked Senator
Allison, Chairman of the committee, if the
substitute for MitchelPs bill would be in-
corporated as an amendment to tine Sundry
Civil Bill as passed recently by the House,
and he said the committee had the matter
under adYiSement and would soon decide