The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-19
THE PACIFIC CABLE.
The Bills Stir Up an Animated Discussion
in the House,

on interstate and foreign commerce had
the right of way in the house to-day
and succeeded in passing quite num-
Der of bills of minor Importance. most
or which authorized the construction Of
light houses, fog signals, etc Then
the bill to grant the Pacific Gable COM
pany subsidy of 100000 year for
~ years for the construction and Gp-
eration or a cable, was called up and a
very spirited debate, which consumad
the remainder of the day, followed,
The opposition was headed by Corliss,
rep. Mich, who advocated the con-
struction of government cable. No
conclusion was reached at the hour of
adjournment and as the special order
under which the house was opera ting
to-day expired with the adjournment.
and as objection was made to fixing an
other day for its consideration, it goes
over indefinitely until the committee
can get another day, or until a special
order is adopted.
The house under the special order
adopted last week devoted to-day te
consideration of bills reported from the
committee on interstate and foreign
commerce. The first bills reported from
the committee on interstate light house
service
A bill was passed to establish de-
pot for the sixth light house district
| with an appropriation of $4,000 there
for.
Hemenway, rep, Ind made the point
of no quorum on the passage of a bill
to establish a light house and fog sig
nal at Point Argaella, Cal, at. a cost
not exceeding $4,000 On call Of the
house, the bill was passed, 1866
| Bills were passed for relief ship for
the fourth light house district to cost
not exceeding $s0,O0O and to construct
telephone and telegraph lines from Ts-
fp Snt,
county, Cal, to cost $1,000.
Hepburn then called up the Hawaiian
| cable bill. Upon the objection of Dock
| cry, DEM, Mo, the bill was considered
[ in committee Of the whole Evans, rep
| KY, in the chair
The bill authorizes the postmaster
| general to contract with the Pacific Ca
bic company of New York at the rate
of 100000 per year for 20 years for the
| transmission of government messages
! from San Francisco to Honolulu and
points on the Japanese and Chinese
| coasts. the company to deposit $3.50 600
| in government bonds with the postmas-
| ter general within Is days after the
| passage of the act as guarantee of
the construction of the cable. The bill
fixes the rates for private individuals
| at not to exceed $1.25 a word to China
| and Japan and 35 cents to Honolulu,
press rates not to exceed one-fourth Of
| the cable rates.
Bennett, rep, N. Y, in support of the
bill, reviewed the contest over the Pa
| ciHc cable. The committee, after long
| investigation. he said had decided that
the strongest company should con-
struct this much needed cable. The
Pacific Gable company will be incorpor-
| ated under the laws of New York, with
capital stock of $1O.OO0,0O0. The men
who We're behind it controlled the Mex
lean cable and other cable lines. They
had built $4,000 miles of cable Asked
who the directors of the company were.
he replied that they We're the presi-
dent of the Mexican Gable company,
Mr.. scrymser; Edward L. Bailey, ].
Plerpont Morgan, J. K. Todd and Geo
S. Baldwin He did not know the
| names of the stockholders.
Bailey asked if this company was not
seeking subsidy for the company from
Japan Bennett replied that it was,
but he denied the statement of Bailey
that the subsidy would pay the inter
est on enough money to construct the
cables. It's cost, he said, would be
10000, ,000
In reply. to questions, Bennett said
that neither the postmaster general, the
secretary of the treasury, the president
or the secretary of the navy had been
consulted about the bill.
1t seems to be a legislative contract
with few wealthy New York gentle
men, interrupted Dockery, dem, Mo.
"to give them a monopolv of the pa
cific cable business"
Bennett gave notice that at the prom
er time he intended to offer amend
ments to provide that the cable should
touch the Ladrones and the Philip-
pines.
Lewis. dem. Wash. asked if IT was
tfue that TINS company had contract
ed with the Great Northern Extension
company to build the cable and ia
have controlling interest in it on
condition that this company would Sc
cure enough votes in congress to pass
this bill.
of any such contract.
General SWayne is responsible for |
that statement said Lewis.
General Swayne has opposed this
company. replied Bennett He is !
more prejudiced against this COMPANY
than I am against any company he is
Interested i'll. l want to see the cable
built and operated by an American
company"
Bennett said the cost of the cable to
Honolulu would be about S. 500 900. the
annual cost of maintenance $50. 900 bllt
provision must be made out of the
surplus earnings for repairs and re-
neWals, the average life of a cable be-
ing about 20 years. The cost beyond
Honolulu would be about 81 900 a mile
for construction
Shafroth, sil. rep, Col, asked why
bids We're not advertised for, and the
contract given to the lowest bidder
Bennett replied that the committee
thought best to give the contract to
responsible company and had decided
upon the Pacific Gable company.
, Hepburn, in support of the bill, said
the theory upon which it was framed
was to enlist American capital in this
enterprise. All the money the govern
ment was now expending went to for
eign companies. To and from Manila
we were paying s1.S5 a word to one
company and a.10 to another.
Shaforth wanted 10 know what oh
lection there would be to allowing com
petition. Hepburn said there was no
other company in America that would
accept the terms of tho bill He did not
think the government itself should en-
bark in this enterprise. There was only
one nrOiarf in which bp bnItayoj tba,, |