The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-05
CONSTRUCTION OF CABLE
MARKED BY DIFFICULTIES
PHYSICAL AND POLITICAL

New York, July 1.-The construction Of
the new Pacific cable has been marked by
many difficulties, physical and political, and
the ultimate success of the enterprise can
justly be ascribed 10 the skill, sagacity and
courage of the late John w. Mackay, who
first projected the enterprise.
The permanent and vital union which had
been established between this country and
the far East made it in the last degree In
advisable that our Government should rest
satisfied with the means of communica ton
with that part of the world which 1t was
compelled to employ. 1t was universally
recognized that an all-American cable had
become an absolute necessity.
On February 10, 1899. President Mckinley
addressed message to Congress directing
attention to the necessity of establishing
Geographic communication with the Philip
pines via Hawaii and Guam.
THE p, esent conditions he said, should
not be allowed TO continue moment longer
than Is absolutely necessary
Congress resumed consideration of the
subject, and n series of hearings Were had
by committees of the Senate and House.
Expert opinion on every phase OF the sub
iect was elected. and many different plans
Tor bringing about the laying of cable were
submitted, discussed and passed upon. AS
1t may be stated that several years before
President Mckinley addressed himself to
the subject. between September 20, 1895. and
December Il. 1896. twelve bills had been in
troduced to the Senate and the House. all
relating TO the construction of cable
across the Pacific. Some bills were in favor
of one promoting company and some in
favor of another. and still others in favor
of the construction of the cable by the Gov
o Bills r were IT d. and
The project received the strongest sup
port in the Senate. which successfully
passed bills both to subsidize private COM
nd rho cOp StrIrfiOn Of tho hla
by the Government, the main object being
to secure action which would be ratified by
bill favoring private cons ructton. the House
wanted Government ownership. and when
the Senate passed bill for Government
construction, the House wanted a private
company to build 1t.
MACKAY'S OFFER.
This kind of experience continued until
the winter of 1901. and would probably not
yet have been exhausted but for the timely
Intervention of the late John w. Mackay.
who offered to lay the cable without subsidy
or guarantee of any kind. and s2iely as I;
private business enterprise. This offer lifteo
the whole subject out Of the maze OF dis
cussion of pros and cons OF Government
ownership. and might he supposed TO have
promptly ended the conflict Of congressional
doubts and deliberations. But. notwitn-
standing MIR. Mackay's liberal offer which
involved the expenditure of millions OF dol
lars without risk to the Government. sew
OF Congress in favor of Government con-
struction. and apparently endless obstacles
We're thrown IN the way of the new enter
prise. The sentiment of the country. how
ever, as evidenced by the many commend
atofy resolutions OF chambers of commerce
and other commercial bodies. was most en-
phatically in favor of private cable. Con-
gress was at length brought to recognize
this fact. and even in the House. where the
obstructionists were most numerous. when
the bill favoring Government ownership
came to vote II was rejected by ll6 to a..
Meanwhile the Commercial Pacific Cable
Company was Incorporated under the laws
of the State Of New York on September 3.
1891. with a charter authorizing 1t to lay
and operate submarine cable from Cali
fornia to the Philippine Islands by way of
the Hawaiian Islands. Some years previous
the NAVY Department had aiken soundings
across the Pacific ocean for the purpose OF
determining a suitable route for subrnarie
cable. and after n careful survey that de-
partment had recommended the route from
San Francisco to the Hawaiian Islands.
thence TO the Midway Island. Island of
Guam and the Philippines.
SoUNDINGS ALL READY.
After Congress had decided against a Gov
eminent cable. and an amicahle understand
ing had been arrived at between the cable
company and the Government. these sound.