National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-28
MAYNARD RESIGNS.
NEW TELEPHONE DEVELOPMENTS.
Causes Which Induced Mr.. Maynard to Surrender
Els Onlce-No Compromise Yet Made with
the Subscribers-A Talk with One
of the Trustees.

At meeting of the board of trustees
Of the National Telephone Exchange held on Sat
urday last, George C. Maynard, esq, rendered his
resignation as trustee and general manager of the
exchange, which was accepted.
Promising that this action had some reference tc
the issue pending between the Telephone Company
and the Subscribers Association, representative
| of THE REPUBLICAN called last night upon ]. B
Edmonds, esq. one of the trustees, and asked him
if it was true that Mr.. Maynards resignation had
been accepted.
at il" answered Mr.. Edmonds. In rendering
his resignation Mr. Maynard stated that he had
learned with much surprise that certain COM
plants had been made by several subscribers re-
garding himself as the manager of the company,
and in order that there might be nothing to en-
| barrass the company in dealing with the issue
presented by the Subscribers Association he de-
sired to withdraw from the position of manager,
and also from that of trustee"
The question was then asked if there had been
any action taken by the company in regard to the
ultimatum established by the executive committee
of the Subscribers Association, fixing April 1 as
the date for seYering their connection with the
exchange and giving up their telephones.
NO." replied Mr. Edmonds, al don't think
there has been anything done; certainly not SO
far as we are concerned. While we are now and
have been for some time endeavoring to work out
an equitable readjustment of rates, the great diff
Guilty that meets us at the very outset is the lack Of
any accurate date upon which to base our calcula-
lions. For instance, while we know how many
calls are made per day or month from
the telephone of any given subscriber,
in a great many cases these calls are
made by outsiders who, under the rules of the
company and according TO the terms of our con-
tracts with such subscribers, not entitled to use
the telephone at all. You can see how MUST 1t
would be to any subscriber to include such calls in
our estimate of the extent to which he has used
his telephone, and how equally unjust it would be
to the company to continue to do the bust
ness of dozen or more people or a whole
neighborhood for single subscription of
S46 per annum 1t is our earnest desire to
popularize the telephone and extend its use to q
point where the investment will prove profitable
one. To this end the trustees, assisted by a COM
mittee of stockholders, are now endeavoring to
solve the problem of the lowest rate that
will yield a fair profit on the investment. 1t
has been urged that cheaper telephone can
be secured which will materially reduce the first
cost of the service to the company. Now we are
in no sense bound to the Bell Telephone Company
to use its instruments and it is well to credit
with fair common sense in conducting our own
affairs The question of telephone patents has been
very carefully Investigated by the best legal talent
ana we are Dell telcpDOne Is the
only one that we can legitimately use. This dis
poses of the question of cheaper instru-
ments. In fixing a rate we have en-
deavored to deal fairly and in a business
like way with the questions involved. We have
no desire to exact anything beyond fair return
for the service furnished, but at the same time we
do not propose to do business for glory alone.
We shall proceed upon this basis, and if any SUBJ
scriber concludes that he cannot afford to pay the
rates fixed for the service, and wishes it discon
tinued, we will take his telephone out"
What about the matter of removing wires from
the houses of those subscribers who give up their
telephone-those who are members of the Sub
scribers Association ?" asked THE REPUBLICAN,.
"Well,'' replied Mr.. Edmonds, 81 don't think
there will be any precipitate action in that direc
ton. Where man has given the company the
right to attach its wires to his house he will
find that when he desires them removed his legal
remedy does not consist in taking the matter in
his own hands and cutting them loose. In this. as
in all our dealings with the public, We shall en-
deavor to merit fair treatment by fair dealing"