Year: 1870

Congressional Committee mt n Stand-StiIl-
Curious Revelations.


During the last session of Congress Mr.. Cyrus w.


Field and other gentlemen OF this city interested in


telegraphy appeared before Congress and made


complaints against the International Ocean Tele-


graph Company, to the eject that their charges


for messages were exorbitant and oppressive


to the people, and that they Disseminated


unfavOrably against dispatches coming from Eu-


rope over the lines OF the Atlantic Cable Company


The International Ocean Telegraph Company was
chartered by Congress 1885, the act granting them
the exclusive privilege Of laying cable from the
coast OF Flora to the island OF Cuba. The act how


ever reserved TO Congress the power, should 1t at
any time ne deemed advisable or necessary, to
change or modify the terms OF the charter Upon the
presentation OF the complaints of Mr. Field the mat
ter was referred to the Committee on Commerce
for investigation and was by that committee re-
ferred to subcommittee. consisting Of Mr.. In
gersoll, Of Illinois; Mr. Conger, OF Mic higan; MIR.
Sheldon, OF louisiana Mr.. Stark weather. OF Connec-
ticut. and Mr.. Bennett of New York. Several
hearings were had before the subcommittee. Mr..
Field, on one side, expatated on the injustice and
extortion which the company had practised upon
the public glancing incidentally at the unfair
treatment OF the Atlantic Gable Company, the latter
charge Of being preferred solely in the sacred
interests OF abstract right and justice and not at all
from selfish considerations. The impugned COM
pany were represented by General w. F. Smith and
Judge Hughes, of Washington who, while rather
backward in denying the charges Of extortion and
injustice. were loud and emphatic in challenging the
competency Of the committee to Try the Issue ana In
assailing the motives by which Mr. Field had been
actuated In demanding the investigation. Indeed.
they did not hesitate to assert that the influences
controlling Mr.. Fields action were purely personal
selfish and, In ract mercenary They tnsnuated that
the crime OF the International Ocean Telegraph Com
pany was not that they neeced the public but that
they did not make the rhetorical exception which
proves the rule where the personal and pecuniary
interests OF MI. Field were concerned Previous to
the adjournment OF Congress the committee was
authorized to continue the investigation during the
their arguments whenever notifed The resolution
OF Congress authorizing the committee to pursue
the investigation contained fatal defect inasmuch
1t did not confer the power send for papers
compel the attendance OF Witnesses The 10th
instant was liked by the committee for
their first meeting and New York city selected as the
most appropriate and convenient place. But, mean
while. the mOnopolists and their assailants had
come to satisfactory understanding and, it Is to
he presumed, entered into arrangements mutually
satisfactory. The International Ocean Telegraph
Company agreed for the future to discriminate in
pany and MIR. Field, not to be outdone In gene
rosity by q sOuess corporation, promised to let up
on the company. What, meanwhile, had become OF
Mr.. Fields sympathy with defrauded public
must be left to conjecture. Perhaps he
had sent 1t by cable to Europe-gratls.
formed by letters addressed to them individually by
MIR. Field and. consequently, found themselves
poweress for the present to take any action in the
promises, as they had not the power to compel the
attendance OF witnesses. But the matter Is not to
end here. The committee will undoubtedly report in
favor OF having the investigation pushed and justice
done. 1t appears that the company charges for
sending dispatches over the cable five dollars for
every ten words, including date, address and sigma
lure, and this while as nearly as can be ascertaned,
the earnings have been more than sufficient
to pay all the expenses OF laying the cable
and running it. While $500000 would cover the
expenses incurred in laying the cable already stock
has been issued to the amount OF $l50O,00O 1t is
stated, on reliable authority, that the receipts OF
the company at the Havana end OF the line averaged
during the past year $1,000 a day. significant
circumstance III relation 10 the whole matter is that,
previous TO the LIST OF January, the company charged
seven dollars for every ten words, suggesting
the uncharitable idea that perhaps the threat OF
Congressional investigation had something to do
with the subsequent reduction. For the interest OF
the public 1t is to be hoped that the committee
VIII do their whole duty and not pause in their ef-
forts until the rest OF his fellow citizens share in the
satisfaction with which MIR. Cyrus w. Field now re-
CARDS the AFFAIRS OF the International Ocean Tee-
graph Company.