The Washington times., 1894-04-13
SPEND THEIR MONEY FREELY
The Western Union Is Compelled, in
Order to Beat Postal Telegraphy.
100000 BEAT HILL OF COLORADO
Congressman Sumner Suffered Similarly In
California How a Woman Prevented
Favorable Report by Keeping Member
Away-Friends Of Reform Watching.

The opponents Of the postal telegraph,
which is now so much topic OF general pop
ular agitation. are beginning to scent their
danger, and their usual train of LOBBYISTS and
retainers, who are customarily on the spot
| here, have exhibited new life and are more
than customarily watchful lest any move
looking to a favorable report Of any Of the
postal telegraph bills or, least of all, the pas
sage of any one of the bills, shall be made
successfully.
The advocates of the bill will have during
this session, as in ali former sessions, hard
fight before them. They realize that, how
ever, and are preparing for it. But it is
doubtful If they realize to what extent the op-
position goes, and TO what devious resorts it
will apply itself whenever it becomes neces-
sary. Apparently the only antagonism
OF the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany to the postal telegraph bill
arises from the appearance OF
counsel like Judge Dillon or old DR.. Green
in his day, before one or the other Of the COM
mittees. Now and then some lobbyist, high or
low, does a little work on the outside OF the
committee room. But apparently the chief
antagonism is merely in the well-prepared
speeches which counsel or officer OF the COM
pany deliver to the committee.
The real and active work goes on underneath.
however. The bill doesn't usually get out Of
committee. This is true for various reasons.
Many Senators and members are affiliated with
corporations. Some OF them are retained by
the Western Union in their various localities,
and many others are in the employ Of corpora
tons closely affiliated with the Western Union,
monopoly is almost omnipresent and omnipo-
tent. OF course. these Senators and members
have no interest in forwarding any postal
telegraph bill, and It is sometimes easy for
them without being observed to impede its
being reported and certainly its being passed.
This is the chief reason why so many postal
telegraph bills have never really seen the
light of day. and this is the reason why It has
never been known Just how Congress stood
upon the question. The matter has really
never come to q vote.
There is this other tact, and it seems all
potent in the case OF Senators and members
who might be inclined to favor postal tele-
graph proposition 1t is the fear Of the West
ern Union. There is ground for this fear.
Years ago when Hon. Charles A. Sumner. a
member from California, fought for postal
telegraph bill as hard as anybody has ever
fought for one since, he was promptly kept at
home the next time he ran: and it was
large amounts Of Western Union money.
Some have thought the sum as high as 81 000,-
600. In the Senate similarly. Mr.. Hill. of
Colorado. was several years ago warm ad-
vocate of the postal telegraph. A very bitter
fight was made on him for denomination, and
he was finally beaten. 1t was S10O.0 900 Of Jay
Gould's money that did il: for Charles
Francis Adams. then president of the Union
Pacific, was known 10 say that it was not
Western Union money. the f5100 900 that was
known to have been placed in Denver bank
and to have been checked out to the members
OF the Colorado legislature for the purpose OF
beating Hill, but il was Jay Gould's money.
These are the customary expedients re-
sorted to by the Western Union. not merely
to prevent any postal telegraph bill from com,
ing TO vote. but to see That its advocate,
who really fight for it, are left at home. Now
and then it seems hard to prevent favorable
report. story commonly in use in the last
Congress and universally believed because it
emanated from one OF the Western Union
lobbyists. was TO the effect that the telegraph
company. in order to make sure that favor
able report was not made by the committee
land there was great danger of it. if all the
members were present9 took pains to have
woman. in whom one of the members was
interested. invite him away to some interest
ing occasion Just at the time when the posta,
telegraph bill was coming up for a favorable
report. So the report was beaten, and If the
woman did not secure good sum of money
from the telegraph company, which the West
ern Union lobbyist took some pains to be un-
derstood as saying that she did at the time,
it was probably her own fault.
The present bills have very large follow,
ing and many warm defenders. as it is a re-
form demanded by the great mass of people
as for many years before. But it has also
been found so easy for the special interest to
defeat the general that some way is always
found by which the postal telegraph bills have
been delayed or beaten altogether. It is
rumored. however. that those interested in
the bill are intending to watch the progress
of this legislation this session and TO see who
are the friends of the measure and who its
enemies.