Show SUIISWIZIU lINES Ill port III Hit CoiiiinllK on iNml fllos Htm viiet iioinis iii the Sulijc WAUIIIKOTOV Dec llilho entire morn liiK session of tho House Committed on 1ostofllcoa and lost Jtoids was occupied in reading tile report of HcpicBenlntivo A I Warier of Ohio on tho ohllKntioim of Hab Hiili ed rnilrondu and telegraph lines the report Is laced UIKJII I im Invoaliuntlon or dcrnl bv the house I YI Stll year under n roso litton of inquiry of Iteprosentntivo Ander HUH of Ins It is I n very long document aId hllinR with II smntnnry of tho sovornl nets providiiiK for the ooustruolion of the 1nolno ic Hnilrond mid telefirnph item for which rants of lands mid bonds hnvo been lode After an oxhnustivo nrKumcnt tho conclusions of the sub committee on tho sovorul points nt issuo nro stated ns follows FirHtThnt 1 the obligation to construct mnintmn aid opernto n 1 telegraph line is tho Binio us tho obligatIon to construct maintain hid opornto n lino of rnilro id becoud Ihnt tho railroad oompnny cnn not roliovo itself of this obh < ntlon and tinnot transftr it to miy other company Ihird lliat ns public aid can ho Rrnntod bhons lhref g only for public purposes such telttfrnph hnoH ns well ns railroad lines munt ho op orntcd for thc equal benefit of nil persons companies or corporations without dis elimination In favor of or iiRaiust anyone Fourthui order Hint nil may enjoy oininl 1 fncilities privileges IIJn tie use of such linos I it is iiocossnry that the Baino cllrtlo terms and facilities as Hi to Lot reception nod transmission of messages should bo extended extend-ed to ono telegraph lino that nro granted to another Ihnt in this matter there should bo no discrimination Conceding that thc Biilisuliid raIlroad is under nn obligation to maintain I 1 aid opcrnto the telegraph line I for this hcnollt of all I it follows that it is hound to accept telegraph matter nt tho termini of nil linen from nil telogrnphcompnuics lifth llio committee ibid from tho evi deuce lieforo it that tho railioails are not maintaining nnd operating hy thomscheH and for tho public flee tho tUcgrnph lines ns ririuired I by the several acts of Congress tltl Rd under which they were authorised I i to build their lines It is hold that tho contracts entered into between tho railroad company nnd tho Western Union lolcgrnph Conunny hy winch tho rights nnd 1 privileges of tho railroad companies were transferred to tho Western Union are beyond the soono of law these IOI moy mo sustained by ninny rtferoncos to thc grnnting nets IInd decisions of tho United Stntes Supreme Court Hlxlh Ihe right of tho Western Union or nny other telegraph company to construct and 1 operate lines of itv > own to tho 1icific ConRt is not questioned hut it is held thnt thu construction of such lines cannot relieve railroad oomp uiios from thin obligations to maintain Inns themselves ns rcrmncil by the several acts Hy way of remedial legislation tho sul oomiuitteo proposes n bill which extends to telegraph lilies tho proviaions of tho act of Juno JOth 1871 relntmg to railroads nnd lunkes it thc duty of tho Attorney General to institute t proceedings m the Udernl I Courts to adjudicate t all rights of parties alleged to hold contracts to hao ruhtu I under any ngrooment entered into with the railroad companies and to annul and Not aside contracts unlawfully mndo hy which tho inilronds hive thought to roliovo them selves or their just obligations to maintain and operate independent telegraph lines Iho ienaltios prescribed by tho IICt of Juno JOth 1871 IM to rnilroads mo made npplici I 11 l WII sl iimnl1o i bio to telegraph lilies ns well Iho roimrt was ordered to bo printed and will bo tnktn up for discussion h > the full committee nt nn early date |