Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1902-08-13
THE PACIFIC CABLE.
President and Attorney General
Consider the Company'S Offer.
IL Is Resardei as Essential, However.
That the Conditions Agreed to
Must be Ratified BY Act
o. Congress.

Oyster Bay. y. Y. Aug. 9.-Friday
afternoon the conference between the
president and Attorney General Knox
developed into one OF the most i'm
portant that has been held at Saga
more Hill
Sevsral months ago the Pacific Com
marcial Cable Co. sought permission
from the executive branch OF the gov
eminent to lay a cable running from
San Francisco via Honolulu and Guam
TO China. there to connect with the
British cable to the Philippines. The
proposition Of the company was TO
assume all expense of laying and OPP
Grating the cable. For the conces-
sions of landings at San Francisco.
Honolulu and Guam the company pro-
posed TO grant TO the United States
government special rates and. il GER
tain conditions OF war. practically ab.
solute control of the cable. Inc con-
ditions, as presented by the company
to the president, were naturally such
as any corporation might make. They
had been drawn for the protection Of
the company's interests.
Mr.. Roosevelt referred the whole
subject TO Attorney General Knox with
request that he go carefully over the
proposed conditions, eliminating such
as he might regard as impracticable
and adding such others as he might
believe would subserve the interests
OF the government. The results Of
his investigation and his conclusions
Mr.. Knox presented to President
Roosevelt in verbal form, the papers
in the matter previously having been
laid before the president
AS President Roosevelt approved Of
the amended conditions and. so far as
the executive branch of the govern.
ment is concerned, the company now
may proceed with the work OF laying
the cable. II is regarded as essential.
however, that the conditions be raul.
ned by act OF congress, as some doubt
exists of the rights of the executive
branch OF the government alone to
grant such privileges as are included
in the proposition.
Inc conditions as approved by Mr..
| Roosevelt are regarded as particularly
favorable TO the government and il is
believed with cordial endorsement of
the president. which he will give the
proposition in his message next De-
cember, congress will ratify the condi.
tions without serious delay.
Attorney General Knox added sew.
eral important conditions to those pro.
posed by the company including
| these:
That the United States government
at all times shall have priority of serv.
Ice. That the government. through
the postmaster general as is custo.
mary in such contracts. shall have the
right to fix the rates to be charged by
the company. That in time Of war tn
| government shall have the right alb
| solutely to control the cable. That
In order to protect not only the govern.
ment. but also individual private Gus.
toners Of the company, the Pacific
| Commercial Cable Co. is required 70
lay distinct line Of cable from China
| to Manila. so that It will not be nee.
essary to depend upon the British com.
pany which now controls the only ca.
bic from HOng-Kong to Manila. And
| finally. that the United States at any
time after the completion of the "a.
bic. may purchase the line at an ap.
| praised valuation to be fixed by arbi.
traitors selected in the usual manner
by the two parties to the transaction.