The Washington times., 1902-01-12
HEARING ON THE PACIFIC CABLE
BILL BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE.

trouble in connection with his expert
men;s on the Newfoundland shore.
lie said the Pacific cable project might
have been abandoned had Marconi's dem
ons ration occurred earlier. According
to Mr. Ward, message al present from
Manila to Washington had to ,-avel by
way OF Portugal Gibraltar, Egypt, India,
and China, and was repeated fifteen times.
Mr.. Sccrymser, who had bill which
failed before the last Congress for the
laying of Pacific cable. carrying a sub
sidy of $i0o.CG0 year, now appeared as
an earnest advocate of a Government
cable.
1t is the only way for the Government
to prevent foreign interference" he said
The interests of the flag demand it, as
well as the protection of our army and
navy"
A Discriminating Rate.
Mr. Bayliss. who followed. declared the
English cable companies employed a dis
eliminating rate against the American
companies. the knowledge of which fact
had caused his company to abandon its eff
forts to make a contract with the Eng
lish companies.
And yet" he said. I'VE find the Com
mercia' Cable Company going ahead and
making arrangements Win the EhsIiSh
lines.
1t was brought out that Mr.. Bayliss
has formerly opposed Government cable
as ardently as he now advocates it. He re-
luctantly admitted that such WAS the
fact.
Abstract principles. however" he
said, must yield to concrete facts
Especially" interrupted Representa-
tive Adamson, drily. when they affect
a mans pocket
Mr.. Cook opened with cut at Mr..
SCrymSer.
Mr.. Cooks Comment.
I'VE get a great deal CT talk" lie said,
about monopolies, and yet Mr.. Scrymser
holds more telegraph monopolies than
any man in the world
Then he ought to be albe to talk on
that subject" said Representative Mann
of Illinois, quietly.
Mr.. Cook argued that his company
should be allowed to proceed with its
cable, and after it was completed, the
Government was at liberty to purchase it.
viii that not take you out of the cable
business" suggested Representative Cor
liss Of Michigan.
There is nothing in law to prevent
us laying another cable" replied Cook,
"and that is what We are going 10 do.
Would Cost Twenty Millions.
Mr.. Thurber spoke briefly in support OF
the Commercial Cable Company's propo-
sition. Thomas E. Hughes, of Pittsburg,
said the construction of Pacific cable
meant the expenditure in round numbers
of s2O,00O0OO.
1T is a doubtful investment" he said.
Business and necessity demand the lay
ing of second cable, and still these
millions go to a foreign country for the
benefit of its laboring classes, who re-
ceive a large percentage of the money.
want to ask the committee if they de-
sire to go on record as diverting S20OOO,-
COO from the manufacturers and laborers
of the United States"
This is new phase of the situation, and
struck the committee forcibly.
Il wish to announce for my company
that whether we get the contract or not
we will aid our competitors in procuring
it SO long as the money is spent in this
country"
American Concerns Capable.
Mr.. Cook constantly interrupted Mr..
Hughes with questions asked for the pur-
pose of showing the impossibility Of con-
structing u cable in this country. Mr..
H. L. Satterlee said cable could be con-
structed in this country as well as in Eng
land.
When American enterprise is set to
task" he declared, sit is always ac-
complished, and accomplished better than
abroad"
He added that there had been no i'm
provements in English cables in the past
twenty-five years.
]. W. Henry. civil engineer for Mr.
Satterlee's company, said his company
could furnish the Government with a
cable at $1,Gn0 a mile, which, to Hawaii,
would be about s2,200,000, considerably
less than foreign made cable.
Representatives Corliss and Mann dur
ing the hearing put such searching ques-
tions to Messrs. Ward and Cook that the
latter were frequently embarrassed in re-
plying. This examination demonstrated
the intention of the members of the COM
mittee to favor, as far as possible. the
Corliss bill. which provides for the lay
ing of a Government cable.
Adjournment to Friday.
The committee adjourned to meet next
Friday morning, when the hearing will
be continued, and Messrs. Hughes and
Satterlee will appear with estimates as to
the cost of manufacturing and laying the
cable.
There was a rather good joke circulated
among the committee members by Repre-
sentative Mann regarding Mr.. Sattsrlee.
who is son-in-law of ]. Pierpont Nor
gan. 1t appears Mr.. Satterlee became a
papa some days ago and II is said that the
baby will receive from its grandfather
settlement OF 81 ,000, 900.
Talk about your infant industries"
laughed Mr.. Mann, alluding to Mr.. Satter-
lees venture into cable manufacturing
But what do you think of an infant in
dustry that brings in cool million? II
Satterlee has another baby he need not
worry about cable contracts"