National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-02-08

all charges to be to the sender only.
4 reply to this communication was received on
Thursday last, wherein, and without furnishing
any data whatever TO aid the committee in its re-
port the officers of this company criticize the
mitee and the subscribers it represents in its and
their action in the premises and closing their let
ter with the untruthful assertion that this commit
tee had declined to confer with the companys Off
GERS before preparing its schedule of rates. In
addition to this other statements appear i'll this
letter which are not correct.
As before stated, stenographic report was taken
of the conversation between the officers Ofthe
pany and the subcommittee of three at the confer
cnce mentioned. The officers attention was called
TO this circumstance by the committee at the time
with the statement that il would be expected that
this report would be equally accessible to both par
ties when desired. At meeting of the full COM
mittee held on the day and after the receipt of the
mentioned letter. the secretary was also in
structed to apply to the companys officers
for copy of the stenogcaphcrs report of this
verSation, so that the committee and the sub
scriberS might have the benefit thereof to which
Dany replied that the report mentioned is private
record of the company, which he did not feel at
liberty to furnish.
The ordinary avenues of information to ascer-
tain fair and reasonable price to pay for this
commodity are not open 20 the general public. No
competition exists. This importan Mt and now al
most indispensable medium of communication
and the dispatch of business is controlled and
operated at present by a formidable and wealthy
combination. The cost of plans" construction,
appa ratS and of service is almost entirely within
troll this great monopoly. In the District of Column
ba there is no law in many ofthe States creating
commissioners or other officers to examine, from
time to time, and to report on the operations and
general affairs of corporations and of their relations
TO the general public. Had this company not Of
fered through the public press of this city TO fur
niSh the facts stated it was and is bound in justice
TO its subscribers ana customers, and in eXplana-
ton and vindication of the charges contemplated
by its circular, to satisfy them by clear and
pFehensive statement in detail that such charges
are fair and reasonable.
We may also be permitted to state that the use
the telephone greatly. if not entirely,
sion of messages and the facilities 0Itfed Se=
Scribers TO converse promptly with each other
The individual expression OF the undersigned land
It Is almost universal cause of complainD is that
theseryice now rendered by this company is unsatis-
factory and operates to the greatiniuTy and embar-
raSSment Of the subscribers in its use Often during
the business hours of the day very little use of the
instrument can be obtained. owing to the oft-re-
Peated reply from the central Office, THAT line is
busy now. tits in the power of the company to
remedy this evil, and its attention is directed
thereto.
The company admits that the use and manage
ment of the telephone is now in its infancy: that
II Is such novelty that no one here or elsewhere
is Is yet experienced i'll the most economical mode
of managing it; nevertheless, and in the face of
these admissions, its officers ARBITRARILY without
consulting or furnishing any Information to its
subscribers. establishes a system of charges which
Will, If now allowed, place the subscribers here
after at the mercy of the company with a fair
prospect of further increased assessments in fine
future. Your committee is of the opinion that the
present affords favorable opportunity to test and
settle this issue.
Controlled by desire to obtain and receive from
the officers of this company the facts they have
stated through the press, they were not only will
ing, but anxious 10 furnish, with view to report
more lntelligently, schedule or system of rates
and charges for the Use of this commodity and TO
deal fairly and equftably with the subscribers and
the telephone company in adjusting the di fferences
now existing; and relying on and believing in the
good faith OF the promises of its officers the IN
designed have delayed, with perhaps considerable
Inconvenience and injury to many of the sub
scr1oers the preparation of this report in the hope
that the company officers would fulfill theirproln
lSeS. We have concluded that they do not intend
to do so. The schedule of charges proposed by this
committee Is based upon the beStnfornation it has
been able to command and acareful consideration
OF the whole subject.
In closing our report We do earnestly request
each and every subscriber to stand firm and
united IN this honorable effort to adjust the issues
involved in this controversy and to secure the OBJ
jeets of this association and we recommend
F1rst-That the schedule of rates and CHARGES
contained in this report be adopted;
Second-That permanent organization be
created under the name of ''The Telephone Sub
scrfber5 Protective Association of the District of
Columbia, aud that its officers be as at present
and
Third-That the executive committee among
other things, be especially charged with the dufy
of ascertaining and reporting at future meeting
the feasibility of establishing or organizing new
telephone company in this District
PLEDGED TO STAND by IT.
The reading of the report was frequently inter-
rupted by applause, but before vote was reached
Mr.. ]. L. Barbour submitted a resolution which
was adopted pledging each subscriber present TO
4 firm support of the action of the meeting and
directing the secretary to call the roll fora yea and
nay vote About DO subscribers then responded
IN favor of the adoption of the report Of the COM
nittee, the only may" being that of Mr.. WI.
Penney. of Georgetown. who had offered resolu-
ion as substitute which the chairman declared
,ut of order
Mr.w. ]. stephenson's thatall subscribers
o the telephone be requested to sign the list of
ates, was agreed to.
Mr.. Edwards offered q resolution, which was |