The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-19

am against any company he is interested
| in want to see the cable tutlt and op-
Grated by an American o0:7I.sny.'
THE COST OF THE CABLE.
Mr. Bennett, said the cost OF the cable
to Honolulu would be about s2.5oo.eeo, the
annual cost Of maintenance $4,000. but
provision must be made out OF the sur
plus earnings for repairs and renewal the
average life OF L cable icing about .
years The cost beyond honolulu would
| be about $500 mile for construction.
Mr. Shafroth CPop., COLI, asked why
bids were not advertised for and the con-
tract given TO the lowest bider.
Mr.. Bennett replied that the commit
tee thought best TO give the contract TO a
responsible company and had decided
upon the Pacific Cable company.
TO ENLIST AMERICAN CAPITAL.
Mr. Hepburn. in support OF the bill, said
the theory upon which twas framed was
to enlist American capital in this cable
enterprise. All the money the government
was now expending went TO foreign COM
panies To and from Manila We were pay
ing SIS a word TO one company and sllo
to another.
Mr.. Shafroth wanted 70 know what OBJ
lection there would be 10 allowing COM
petition.
Mr.. Hepburn said there was no other
American company which would accept
the terms OF this bill. He did not think
the government itself should embark on
this ENTERPRISE There was only one pro-
ject IN which he believed there should be
ha No N
canal That was a gigantic enterprise,
beyond the power of private enterprise.
Mr.. Corliss (Rep., Mich. who was
member Of the committee hat reported the
bill, opposed 1t vigorously. he charged
that the subsidy granted by the govern
ment made IL 81 900 900 In amout TO build
the whole cable. Mr.. Scrymser was not
at work trying to get a subsidy from
Japan. The company was gigantic mon
opoly. 1t had been seking subsidies from
congress for Is years He believed IN
government cable. One of the chief ele-
ments Of Englands strength. he said. was
the fact that she pushed her lines Of COM
munication around the world.
SCRYMSER'S MONOPOLY.
The government had already gone into
the business. Under the direction OF the
war department we were now engaged in
laying 200 miles OF cable in the Philippines.
He produced a contract which he said
was made between tn Hawaiian republic.
July q 1898. month gefore Hawaii was
annexed, and President Ssrymser, giving
the Pacific company an absolute mono
poly of landing cables in that island for
twenty years. ScrymSer. he said had
slipped over and obtained this contract
just before sovereignty was transferred.
But President ole. ne said, had insisted
upon a provision 10 the effect that this
contract should not be binding If the
American state department should within
six months express its disapproval of the
contract. Mr. Corliss said he had erson-
ally seen the secretary of state about the
matter and he announced hat prior TO
Jan. 2. 1883. Secretary Hay had declared
his disaproval and the contract was there
fore void Applause).
DEWEY'S CABLE CUTTING.
Speaking Of the necessity of the cable
communication in time OF war. he spoke
of the fact that Dewey had been obliged
as military act TO cut the Manila cable
1t was cut for months.
How much do you suppose we will have
to pay for interrupting cable communi-
cation" he asked.
Il dare not tell you. the sum Is so large,
but L Will say that we were paying dur
ing the war 5000 a day in cable tolls"
Mr.. Corliss said hewould offer a substi-
tute measure for the construction OF a
government cable TO Hawaii and the Phil
ipDines
Mr.. Hepburn replied briefly to some OF
Mr.. Corliss' statements. He thought the
provisions of the bill. guarded as they
were, better han embarkation upon the
untried field of government ownership
Without action, the committee rose. Mr.
Hepburn attepted to get unanimous con-
sent for resuming consideration OF the bill
next Tuesday. but Mr. Bailey objected.
Al 5.l15 the hOYlSa adjourned