Evening star., 1893-12-19
The Administration Arraigned in
Both Branches of Congress.
PERMIT TO A FOREIGN CABLE COMPANY
Granted by Mr.. Gresham After a
Refusal by Congress.
II AW All IN THE HOUSE.


would address the Serate in the morning
hour today on the subject of the Hawaiian
message Of the President. but promptly
upon the reading Of the jour- al. Mr.. Mills
CTex.) having meanwhile withdrawn a mo-
tion to proceed to executive business, Mr.
Hoar announced that he should withhold
his speech for the present in order to allow
Mr.. Berry tArk) and Mr. PETER fKan.) to
make speeches. An executive session, which
would follow them. would make the session
run rather late into the day. and, therefore.
he would not call up his motion as to the
Presidents message It'll tomorrow.
A bill to impose a discriminating duty on
tea imported from this side of the Cape Of
Good Hope was introduced by Mr.. Mander-
son (Neb) and referred to the committee
on finance.
Privilege Asked and Demanded.
During the transaction Of morning busi-
ness Mr. Frye (Me) rose and said: About
two years ago a French cable company
made application to our Secretary of State
(Mr. Blaine) for permission to land its cable
from Brazil on the coast of the United
states. Our Secretary of State investigated
the matter and found that this company
had. by authority Of the law of Brazil, a
monopoly, and that no other company
was In perpetuiam-could be permitted to
land a cable on the Brazilian coast. Our
secretary of State refused the permission
asked, unless that company would authorize
any cable company OF the United States
hereafter to land its cable on the Brazilian
coast. That was refused by the company
After Mr. Blaine retired. that company Il
think under another name or under a modi-
NED name) applied to the then Secretary Of
state, Mr.. Foster. For some reason or
otner MS suspicious were aroused, and he
caused thorough investigation to be made
with like result. And another refusal
was made. Subsequently the same company
app1ed TO both houses OF Congress In the
Senate the bill was referred to the commit
tee on commerce. Of which / had the
honor to be chairman. We gave the parties
a hearing. The company was represented
by Mr.. Jefferson Chandler an able attor-
Eey residing in this District. 1 believe The
Secretary of State. Mr.. Blaine. and Mr..
Partridge. the solicitor for the State Depart
ment, appeared before u.s.
Mr.. Gresham Granted 1t.
we investigated thoroughly and found tie
facts to be as the Secretary OF State had
before found them-that that company had
a perpetual charter: that, so rar as Brazil
was concerned. II was a monopoly, and that
no other company would be permitted TO
land Its cable on the brazilian coast And
our committee unanimously determined
against the request OF the company / am
informed whether truly or not 1 cannot
say that this company has recently an
peareu before the Secretary of State. and
that ne, without obtaining the Information
which the other Secretaries obtained. has
granted to the company the right which AZ
asked. IL that be true land there is no
remedy 10 be had for it), then the United
states will be perpetually kept from landing
a cable on the coast OF Brazil
Some Information Wanted.
In view Of these facts / ofrer the following
resolution and ask its adoption:
Resolved. That the Secretary OF state in
form the Senate whether permission has
been granted to any foreign cable telegram
company to land its line on the coast OF the
United States since the first OF March, ISY
ana whether permission had been refused
such company prior to that day; also what
reasons now exist for granting such per-
mission. IL 1t were granted. which did not
pertain when 1t was previously refused.
Mr.. HuntOn Objects.
Mr.. Hunton Va.)-I object TO the present
consideration of the resolution think
that the Senator from Maine is mistaken in
his statement of facts. In the first place
II understand it, this company proposes to
run cable from the shores Of the United
States to Cuba and not to Brazil. Am
right?
Mr.. Frye-No. think the Senator is not
right.
Mr.. Hunton-That is the way understand
It, And. IN addition to that, / desire to
state that the Secretary OF State (according
to my information) took the ground that il
was matter with which he had nothing
to do-the company having been incorporat-
ed and having by the action Of the legisla-
lures Of Virginia and South Carolina been
permitted to land the cable on the shores Of
those states-near Norfolk. Va, and at
Charleston, s. c.
The Secretary of State instead of giving
permission to land this cable (as 1 under
stood the Senator to say said that 1t was
a matter with which he had nothing to
do, and that he would not interfere with il
at all. l think that his letter. on file in
the State Department, will SO show. II
am correct in this statement of facts I
suppose the Senator from Maine will not
want the papers sent to the Senate from
the State Department The Secretary has
taken the ground. as I understand, that
1t is matter with which the Executive
should not interfere; that 1t Is a matter be-
tween those two states and the company,
Mr.. Frye stated that that was one of
the questions that had been argued before
the committee on commerce. and that the
committee had unanimously held an exactly
contrary opinion. He wanted to know
exactly what had been done by the State
Department His impression was that the
application was to land the cable at San
Domingo and not at Cuba
THE HOUSE.