National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-22
SPUNKY SUBSCRIBERS
MAKING WAR AGAINsTTHE COMPANY.
Three Hundred and Forty-five Men Pledged to Cut
on Their Telephones IL the Company
Does Not Yield-The Meet
ing Last Night.

Every business man in the District IN
terested in the present telephone war was IN his
seat in Lincoln Hall last evening when Chairman
Hine called the meeting of tine Telephone Sub
scribers' Protective Association to order. 1t was
stated that the executive committee had met ear
lier in the day and prepared report on the sub
ject which was to be presented for adoption and.
when Mr.. J. S. Edwards advanced to the front OF
the platform and announced the report ready for
consideration, all present became deeply inter-
| ested.
THE REPORT,
which covers all the points at issue, was as fol-
lows:
| On the adoption of the report submitted to the
general meeting held at Lincoln Hall on the
| 18th of February last, permanent organization
was created under the name of THE Telephone
Subscribers Protective Association of the District
| of Columbia" and the undersigned were consti-
| tuted its officers and executive committee, and
thereupon we assumed the charge of the interests
ofits members in the premises and agreed upon
and adopted the following written declaration and
pledge:
The undersigned declare ourselves to be mem
bers of the Telephone Subscribers Protective AsSo
citation of TIE District of Columbia, and hereby
pledge ourselves to sustain the action of the general
meeting of said association held this day, at Lin
coin Hail. and any other action concerning the
rates to be paid by US for the of the telephone
and our interests as such members, that the execu
| tive committee may recommend and be adopted
| or approved at a general meeting of the aSs0-
citation.
Also, notice to be signed and served on the
| company's Offices in the following form:
| WASHINGTON. D. c.. Feb. Z, 1881.
| George c. Maynard, esq, Manager NdtiOndl Capital
Telephone Company:
SIR: As member of the Telephone Sub.
Columbia, - hereby notify you that - de-
cline to continue the use of the telephone at the
rates proposed in your circular of January 90 1881
| after the expiration of - present contract
Respectfully. --.
| The above declaration, pledge, and notice was
signed by 2S4 subscribers prior to the 18th ultimo
on which date notices equal to that number were
left with the manager of the company. Since
then twenty-five additional subscribers have
signed such pledge and notice, thereby creating
present membership of 305, representing 327 tele
phones, and comprising very large portion Of the
business and professional men and firms in this
District
About, or during the first week of the present
month, our attention was called to the fact that
the company had removed the telephone from the
place of business of number of the members of
this association, because of their fidelity to their
pledge in refusing to accede to the rates and sys
TEN of charges proposed in its schedule of the
Doth of January last, whereupon we held meet
ing to consider what course was best to pursue in
the matter.
The contracts between the subscribers and the
company oftwo classes, one being, in effect,
absolute lease for one year. Under this class the
company is bound to furnish, and the subscriber
or lessee to pay for telephone service for year.
The other is a conditional lease for the same
period with the right rescrred to the companyo only
to change the rate of compensation, and, if not
agreed to by the subscriber to terminate the lease
at the end of a calendar month, on thirty days
written notice. Both classes terminate at irregular
periods, and the members whose contracts have
expired, or about to expire, by limitation, in
carrying out their pledge to the association, and in
refusing to make any terms arrangements what
ever for the further of the telephone, individu
all OF the members.
To obviate and correct this condition Of affairs,
and recognizing the fair and equitable principle
on which this association is founded, viz, equality
of burdens as well as benefits the following pream
bic and resolution were unanimously adopted by
US at a meeting held on the 10th instant:
Whereas the National Capital Telephone Com
pany has removed the telephone from the places
of business OF several members of this association
because of their refusal to accede to the schedule
of rates proposed in the circular of said company
of date January %, 1881: Therefore
Be resOEred, That, unless on or before the 18th
day of the current month, the said company notify
this committee of the acceptance of the schedule
rates adopted by this association at its meeting at
Lincoln Hall, on the evening Of the It'll day of
February last, submit such other system of
charges as shall be approved by this committee,
then they will call meeting of the association
and recommend the discontinuance of the use of
the telephone by all of its members OH and after
the LIST day of April next.
A copy of this preamble and resolution was i'm
mcdiately left with the manager of the company
by special messenger.
On the adoption of this resolution we adjourned
ts meet the 10th instant, to receive the answer
of the company thereto; but no response, or even
an acknowledgment of its receipt, having been
received by us on or before the time limited
for reply, and being, also, reliably informed
that the officers of the Telephone Company
mad been. and were, industriously engaged in
trying to persuade the members of the asso-
citation, individually, to make terms or arrange
ments with the company for the Use of
its instrument outside of the executive
committee and the straightforward this notwith-
standing the knowledge to such officers of the
written declaration and pledge before mentioned
we concluded and determined that prompt and
decisive action in the premises was necessary to
maintain the dignity of the association, and to
carry out its objects and purposes we unanimously
adopted the following resolutions the date last
aforesaid and directed them to be presented, with
this report to general meeting of the association
for its approval, to wit:
Resolyed That each and every member of this
association discontinue the use of The Bell tee-
phone on and after the 1st day of April next and
until system or schedule of charges for its use
be agreed upon between the company and this
association on the recommendation of its execu-
tive committee.
Reso'red That each and every member of this
thereof in writing. of the number of the COM
panys wires attached to or passing over his prem
iSes, with its location, and whether with or with
out permission, to the company, and that the
president of the association call general meeting
of the members for Monday evening next, the 2lst
instant, at halfpaSt seven o'clock at Lincoln Hall.
The monopoly controlling the use of the Bell
telephone in this District is solely responsible for
the difficulties it is now involved in and the pres
ent condition of affairs. The National Capital |
Company precipitated the action of its
subscribers which led to permanent organization
and united action for self protection. The system
of charges for connection with the telephone ex-
change, and rates for communications, were !
adopted and promulgated by the company |
without previous consultation or explana- |
ton, and was SO arbitrary, and, to its !
patrons, appeared so unreasonable and |
unjust that they resolved not to submit to the pro-
posed charges until, through a regularly cousti-
tuted committee, appointed at public general |
meeting of those using the instrument d report be
received based upon intelligent facts and data justi-
flying the system and rates contemplated by the |
company. To that end and as was supposed in |
good faith. such committee met the officers and
certain of the stockholders of the company, and !
under tender of willingness and anxiety by |
them, as expressed through the public press |
of this city. published by the admitted |
authority Of one more Of the company's officers
The result of this meeting appears in our former
report and is probably fresh in the mind of every
member of this association; the attitude at this