The evening world., 1913-12-20
President Vail Says Plan Will
Be to Give Telegraph Stotk-
holders First Option.
MACkAY ALSO PLEASED.
President Of Postal Declares
Efforts to Stifle Competition
Had to Be Stopped.

Speski,.g to-day over tb> long dis-
tancs taisphone from his country home
In LynAonviiie. VI. Theodore N. Vail
and Telegraph Company and the West.
tern Union Telegraph Company. said "a
The Evening w~ld:
''0caSorsnaAS 70 he tsrzus OF on,
Agreement Win tAs oevss1msnt, the
Deu ssasDhsas System VIII eRsr every
sD1ossraity fos osAsr ssisphens oom.
Dealso - soaAses w1th ~ ioAS distance
linss. We shaa saeoussgs The inas-
Ds.AaS - seas Z. ess uass. % thst
~ vsS1le nay hsvS fsis opportunity
o: asalAAn6 vAlaA sssvaes sAsy wans.
Shs Dsu sysssn ssa.As o. tAs quality
q ~ sssvisA
"As for Government ownership. it the
people will only measure the service
they Get from the Post-Offics Depart
msnt by the same standard they apply
TO telephone service. I am not afraid
Of tho decision. Ny attitude toward
| Government ownsrship 10 merely to
point out the quality OF operation and
service 70 let the public judge for
Itself.
NO FEAR THAT GOVERNMENT
WILL ACQUIRE LINES.
"we have no fear Of such . step being
| taken by tho Government. Even 3f Il
should eventually a,e done II would be
. good thing for telephone stockholders.
Tbcir property 10 actually worth con-
7 sSdcfably more than II Ia capitalized for,
asade from the company's large surplus.
and any purchase would net them well.
No dehnito arrangements have been
made yet for dispos!ng Of tho Western
Uhlon stock. That subject will be taken
up soon after the hrst Of the now year.
II 10 probable that the stock will be
offered drst to Western Union stock
holders 70 take up themselves
As for Western Union. the property
10 In far better condition to-day than
when Nhs telephone company took Il
over II 10 In excellent shape to stand
on its own legs and compete with it,
rival without any assistance from the
Dell systen. Western Union was never
In better condition than II Is to-day.
II the Postal Telegraph Company can
stand alone. most assuredly Western
Union can. too.
WILL NOT START RIVAL rELE.
GRAPH sYSrEM.
Reports that the American relexrapa
! and Telephone Company will enter tho
telegraph field after dlsposing Of its
Western Union interests are without
founsAton. TIE Bell system will No,
90 into the telegraph bunness for a
variety Of reasons. II any one reason
predon,instss II In that tho company
has all It can DO 70 take care Of It's
own telephone business.
"Bssidss. We have IN the Bell system
no organisation to handle and take
care Of the telegraph tusinsss II
would b years before We could build
up the necessary organization.
That u just my contention Of the
! futiiity Of the Government attempting
to 20 into tho telegraph business. It
has An organisation adapted to
handing the postal service. but II has
no system to handle q telegraph busl-
ness OrsaMsation takes timo to build
w and snacisncy 10 only attained
through perfected systsm and orsanixa.
| tion.
But Il 10 enough TO say that tile COM
pany does not wish 10 20 into the tels-
graph business. II has enough busines,
Of ~ own kind on hand.
RGoULT 10 GRATIFYING, SAYS
cLARENcE MAckAV.
Clarence Mackay. President Of the
Maekay Companies owning the postal
telegraph System. discussing the Govern
msnt's tction In splitting tho telephone
Western Union combination. said:
IT he's besn bitterly fought con-
test Tho result 10 gratifying solu-
ton OF the whole trouble. We hope and
believe II will work out so that no fur.
thor cause Tor complaint may exist
either on the part Of the public or on
eur part.
"AAySoAy With any psrspsesavs
81 Ill could have essn, luyi1S the
PAST few ysAss, that there would
~ ~ saa 70 . hsSs eenbinstioa
whose ehlsl purDoss wss 70 tAsottls
eoapstataoa In osdsr 70 ooatsol saa
| As1oyolAse.
We feel grateful to the sdininlstra-
ton and particularly to Attorney Gem
erAl MeReynoids for the result. The
Department Of Justice took the niAtter
UP on its own initiative and without any
attempt to shift or evade responsibility
the Attorney General has brought about
this complete solution"
Vssl Out Vt UostOn snd Maine.
HOSTON, DEC. D.--Theodors y. Vail
President Of the American Telephone
and Telegraph Company. resigned to-
day from the directorate of the Bostor
and Maine Railroad. II was stated thai