The evening times., 1900-01-25

break down the present high tariff rates
IL is stated that Il is only by Government
control of the cable through a commission
whose management is open to the scrutiny
Of the people that free competition on
land can be accorded which shall apply
eduitably TO all American telegra bic cor
pOTatiOns and discriminate neither for nor
against any individual. association. or cor
puTaJiOn.
Should the proposed Pacific cable be es-
tablished by the Government opportunity
will be presented in this new and unOCcu-
pied field OF the Pacific, unfettered BY
precedent and obligations, 10 introduce
such radical changes in the policy and
business management of the enterprise as
viii operate advantageously to the people
directly concerned. and for whom the cable
is primarily built Cable rates throughout
the world are high and defeat in a great
measure the true international and inter
colonial objects for which such cables
should be established. IL is q matter Of
. statistics that in cabling throughout the
long distances involved in the East out
OF every one hundred messages sent ninety
nine are purely commercial in character
and but one OF private nature. Cabling
throughout the world is today so expensive
i that 81 is only resOrted 10 for urgent com
/ mercial purposes.
/ ble for the Government 10 construct a
/ cable line from san Francisco to Manila
l for s. 600 GO0 as provided in the Corliss bill
and that this amount would not be enough
| to purchase the material needed for the
construction of the cable alone 10 say
nothing of providing for cable ships. sta
tiOns, instruments, and a big sum for lay
| ing the line. Last year the Pacific Cable
| Company said that il would cost $1,000 10
construct each mile OF a deep-sea cable.
but the cost OF materials has since ad-
vanced One-third. so The estimated cost is
81 900 z mile.
The statement has been made on good
authority that the Government could not
find any responsible manufacturer who
would contract 10 build a cable 10 Honolulu
in one year.
The attack on the proposition that the
( Government shall extend its line TO Japan
| and China has been even more fierce. and
I il has been clearly and emphatically point
/ ed out that this Government could never
I secure permission to land its line on
/ foreign shores.
/ The President OF the Pacific cable Com
/ pany made this statement before the Sen
/ ate Committee on Naval Affairs last week:
/ Il have been actively engaged n laying
I cables for the last twenty-fve years for
/ nineteen different nationalities. and in
/ every instance that an American cable has
| been landed on foreign shores that Gov
/ ernment has insisted that I shall foregC
/ all diplomatic interference and that the
/ station and property OF the company shal
I be subject to the laws of the country in
/ which it has been landed. / spent last
winter in Japan. looking into cable mat
/ ters, and ! can state on the best authority
! that the United States Government coulC
l no more land a cable on the shores O
| Japan and operate il, unless il was backed
| by an American fleet. than ] could all
into the Treasury and help myself. Tn,
| President Of the United States. acting fol
I this Government. could no more do il thar
I he could erect a battery on the coast O.
| Japan"