The Indianapolis journal., 1885-07-02

Violate them, ' but asks us to % Dc
so, too. They have flooded the streets with
these scarlet letter-papers called new con-
tracts" The propositions made to us in these
contracts are ilsults-are they notl IApplause,
and cries of 'Yes u They deelare law enacted
by our Legislature presumptively invalid and
unconstitutional. They say that this statute
means nothing They, tell US that this law
means that they may charge So a month for a
magnetic telephone instrument, and in addition
may charge whatever they please for
wires. exchange service and the like.
The law limits the rental of telephones TO
SO a month. box nailed up on the wall is not
telephone. If you send to your livery man
for carriage, it is not expected that he will
bring to you the vehicle without horses or har-
ness. telephone instrument without exchange
service is of no use, just as carriage without
borses would be. If you should charter a
steamer on our river for a pleasure excursion, it
is understood that you are to be provided with
an engineer and the means of running the boat
1t Is eminently absurd to give TO this telephone
law the Interpretation placed upon it by this
company, and it strikes everybody So We are
here to-day feeling outraged at the course they
have pursued We are here to act, and let US
act.
Mr.. A. Burdsal thought that this was time
for action on the part of the tele-
phone patrons. If the company doubted the
consttutionality of the law the proper thing for
it to do would be to test the matter in the courts
and not assume to decide the question for the
public. The thing for the patrons to do is to
refuse to sign these contracts If they want to
take out our telephones let them do So
Mr.. BEACH TAKES HAND.
Although a suggestion after the resolutions
had been read, that the courtesy should be ex
tended Mr.. Beach, superintendent of the te.e-
phone company, allowing him to make any
statement before the meeting that he desired to,
was loudly cried down, it was afterwards de-
cided that it was but fair that he should be
given hearing, and he was therefore allowed
to speak. at is the intention of the company"
Superintendent Beach said, Ito comply
with the law according to its interpre
tation of it. We have explained to
YOU our Interpretation of this statute. You
have another Interpretation. This is the differ
ence between Us. submit to your own judg
ment that we could not accept a popular inter
probation. This contract for three months has
been prepared as an arrangement for carrying
the business through a brief period Of uneer-
tainty, and there has been no desire to take any
advantage of subscribers by means of it. The
Central Union Telephone Company stands ready
to indorse on each Of these contracts an agree
nent that it will refund all money as
rental which the courts may decide was
collected illegally. We will give bonds for the
fulfiilment of this agreement. l want to ask if
you think it reasonable TO expect the company
to charge what it believes is less than is due
until the courts decide the question which is now
a matter of doubt. 1t has never been stated
upon the authority of this company that we be-
lleyed this law to be unconstitutional. WedeSire
to act fairly, and we are ready to meet you in
that spirit. This is not time for intimidation.
want it tried u.s. If the courts
decide that we have charged too much
we will refund all that is due our subscribers.
You have the lowest tariff here in indianapolis
i'll the country, and you have the best service in
the country.
r.. o. Hawkins--I want to ask Mr. Beach a
question: Will the Central Union Telephone
Company sell out to any company that offers to
operate the business at a rental Of So for each
Instrument
operate at rental of So it would certainly have
no difficulty in getting all the subscribers
j. e. Sullivan-I want to ask Mr.. Beach a
question. Does he positively declare that no
officer OF this company ever claimed that the
telephone law was unconstitutional
Mr.. Beach-No officer or person employed by
the Central Union Telephone Company has ever
been authorized to say that the law was not con-
stitutional. This can prove.
Mr.. Sullivan-Did not an attorney in the en-
ploy OF the telephone company prepare written
opinion, which was sent to Governor Gray be-
fore he signed the bill declaring that the law
would be unconstitutional?
Mr.. Beach-That was simply the opinion of a
lawyer what he was employed to give. The COM
pany did not authorize him to say that the law
was unconstitutional
There were calls for speech from r. 0.
Hawkins and in response, he said that the com
pany had no one to fear but their patrons. There
are over thousand of the patrons The COM
pany is composed of a few men. They are or
ganiZed and they have capital Therefore they
can work effectively. The only thing to be
feared is that the people will not
hold together. The company is monopoly. 1t
bac &c Oh ohnlt oh fha ctr 4
over the buildings of the city, and it has the
field entirely to itself. 1t is endeavoring to coerce
the people into paying more Tor the use of tele-
phones than the Law says. shall be charged.
1t is only through organization that the people
can deal with mOnOpolitic corporation. This
company used to require its patrons to pay three
months in advance, and it was thus getting the
benefit Of the interest on the money. 1t was not
until after the people of the city,
through the power of its Common Council.
had demanded that this should not be DONE that
they ceased to enforce the collection of this
money in advance. The charges for telephone
service are higher in this city than anywhere
else in the State, and it is for no other reason
than that they think they can get the money
from us that they make these charges If we
resist the effort to continue these charges we
must organize. This is an enthusiastic meet
ing, but the danger is that this will be the last
of the agitation.
On Mr.. Hawkins's motion, it was decided to
one dollar to a fund for making an uncomprom-
ising fight against continuing the charge of FIVE
dollars month for rental, and l. S. Gordon was
elected treasurer of the fund It was decided,
however, to make no collection until after the
executive committee should learn whether or not
money would be needed.
Chairman Lilly said that he thought there
should be no compromise. The people
should adhere to the law, which was better than
any terms offered by the telephone company
As the executive committee which should repre-
sent the telephone patrons, he appointed John
". Murphy Judge John A. holman, L. S.
Ayres, John E. Sullivan and r. O. Hawkins
The meeting adjourned, after having been in
session over two hours, to meet at the call of the
executive committee.
POSITION OF THE TELEPHONE COMPANY
"The Central Union Telephone Company, +"
Mr.. F. G. Beach, the general superintendent