The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-05-19
Franchise That Different Com
panies Can Bid For.
TT FOLLOWS sCRYMsER's IDEA.
Congressman Sperry of Connecticut
Also Has an Idea-LfttIe Chance of
Definite Action During Present Ses-
sion-Action of Senate Committee.

WASHINGTON, May 6.-The Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations this
morning reached a compromise on the
Spalding and Scrymser bills before it
for the construction of a cable to Japan
by way of Hawaii The compromise
measure which Senator Frye was di-
rected to report is in the shape OF d bill
directing the Postmaster General to
contract with the lowest bidder for the
construction of a telegraphic cable be-
tween the United States and Japan by
the way of Hawaii and the Midway
Islands. 1t is stipulated that the price
shall not exceed $4,000 to be paid year
ly for period of twenty years, during
which time and forever afterward the
company shall carry Government mes
sages free of all cost. This is practical
Iy the terms offered by the Scrymser
company.
The bill has the support of Senator
Morgan and all the Republican mem
bers of the committee. Gray, Turpie,
Daniel and Mills, Democrats, are op-
posed to the bill
Senator Frye reported the action of
the committee TO the Senate, and in the
accompanying report says that cable
20 Hawaii is demanded by the exfgen-
cles OF commerce. He recites the fact
that while other nations have been ac-
quiring islands in the Pacific. Hawaii.
F.v-r
the United States Reference is also
made to the Importance of Pearl Har-
Dor and the necessity OF having tele-
graphic communication with the Is
lands in case of war, to handle the Pa
ciic fleet.
1t is also said that this is favorable
opportunity to secure cable communi-
cation not only with Hawaii, but also
with Japan, whose system connects
with other countries of the Orient This
says the report, is brought within reach
upon terms that relieve the United
States from the cost and risk of main
tenance, as well as from the aspect of
a commercial venture.
The price is limited for private mes
sages to Japan to almost one-third of |
what is now charged, while communi- |
cation with Hawaii is provided at 10 !
cents per word more than the price |
which competition has established for |
messages crossing the Atlantic. This |
opportunity the committee credits to |
Colonel SpaIding's Hawaiian conces-
sion. The report dwells upon both the |
economic and strategic Importance of |
he cable
Referring to the latter point, it says:
fn 11yIi Z
he Nation as such are involved NAV be
seen by the fact that every teIegraphic
able now crossing the Atlantic from
North America has it's starting point in
Nova Scotia. In the event of any sever
ance of peaceful relations with Great
Britain, communication by that chan
lel would, of course, be immediately |
md, as it were automatically. closed |
md this country would be dependent |
or telegraphic communication upon the |
eables crossing the Atlantic from Bra
I'll to Portugal, with the contingencies
hat the situation would involve"
The committee says the cost of the |
,able would be SO, 400 900. and that the
interest on the expenditure would |
amount to $4,000. while the cost of |
would amount to 1886 900 |
Der year for the first five years. The |
committee says that the bill has been
made to provide that the arrangement
shall be by contract with the United /
States through the Postmaster General |
md the lowest bidder, and shall be
and continued under the su-
lervision of that officer. The contract
elation is believed to secure the United
states better control than a mere grant
would do while it is accepted by the
as giving to the grant an as
)ect Of stability.
ANOTHER CABLE SCHEME.