The Wilmingtonian., 1885-04-18

1t is the duty Of the state to protect the
pockets of its citizens against thieves of. all
kinds, and those who make unwaranted tax
for material that is, in relation to it's actual
value, shamefully excessive, and this under
the fallacy of business enterprise, are moth
ing less than pilferers
The Telephone company here, is all the
same as the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany. They are in combination to drain our
pockets.
To-day at Dover the managers of this
monopoly are whimpering because the repre-
sentatives of the citizens of the State demand
a reduction in the charges of the telephone
service. They assert their business will
collapse.
1t Is to be hoped that our representatives
will discriminate between 'crocodile tears"
and genuine commercial lachrimosity. 1t is
deeply affecting to bring tears to the eyes of
ever, this is of the nature of an 'rrepress-
BILE conflict"
Let us say there are 400 telephone instru
ments working in Wilmington. At $65 a
year this yields s26, 900 year paid by Will
mington merchants as tax, as slight evil
dence of our affection for dear Jay Gould
The plea Of inability to keep up business
should any reduction or modification be or.
dered in their excessive tolls is only the
usual cry heard on all such occasions from
rings and monopolies.
Powers & Weightmap, the leading quinine
man egsi5ry5 made that
outcry three yeais ago, when the reduction
upon quinine was introduced Under the
tariff it cost $3.50 per ounce. Now it sells
for 81 1.05 for the same quantity, and yet this
company is doing thriving business in that
drug,
When Senator Bayard was pleading so
touchingly three years ago, for the mainten-
ance of the match tax stamp he drew an
affecting picture of the probable collapse of
the leading industry of Delaware-the Dia-
mond Match Co.-but, strange to say, the
Senator's doleful jcremaids were not pro-
phetic Of truth. On the contrary, we are
paying five-cents to-day for the same guam
tity of matches that we paid sixteen cents
for under the Bayard match stamp admins
tration, and the Diamond Match Company
still flourishes ''the glory of the land"
1t is possible that modification of Tele
phone charges, by state enactment, would
not result in closing that business, but would
be decided advantage to our business men
in Wilmington and the rate, about $36,
amply recoup the sorrowing Telephone com.
pany. Their ma ady is they want the world.
Section 1. That on and after the first day
of June, 1885, it shall not be lawful for a:.y
person. firm or corporation engaged in leas
ing telephones or furnishing in any way tel
ephonic service in this State, to charge
rental exceeding So per month for any such
telephone, telephone service or set of instru-
ments and wires as may go to make up
what is commonly described as a telephone,
which rental shall guarantee a continuous
service Of telephone communication to any
renter or user of telephone requiring or de-
manding the same whose place of business
is located within radius of TWO miles from
any central Office or exchange of the person,
firm or corporation engaged in the business
Of furnishing such telephones or elephonic
service.
Section 2. To any person, firm or colpur-
alton doing business within radius of two
miles from such central Office or exchange as
aforesaid, who may require and use two OF
more telephones furnished by the same party
or parties, che rental shall not exceed O.. so
per month for each instrument or set of in
struments as hereinbefoie described.
Section 8. On telephones to private resi-
denoes within radius Of two miles from
such central office or exchange, as aforesaid,
the rental shall not exceed 50 per month for
each instrument or set of Instruments as
hereinbeiore described.
Section A. 1t shall not be lawful for any
such telephone fpm or corporation to dis
criminate against any individual firm, Sor-
poration or line of business in the rental of
telephones, and all telephones ordered shall
be placed in position and kept in good run
ming order at the earliest practicable mo-
ment and at the expense of said telephone
firm or corporation
Section 5. The rentals of all telephone
instruments shall be paid monthly and in
advance, and, upon the failure of any renter
to comply with the requirement after thirty
days notice to do SO, has been given, it shall
be lawful for the firm or corporation fur
nishing such telephone facilities or service
to such delinquent renter to discontinue the
same and remove such instrument or instru-
lnents.