The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-26
Municipal

INDIANAPOLIS, March %, 1886.
Municipal Madness.
To the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal:
/ feel that I have q right, as a citizen of In
dianapolis for thirty years, as a taxpayer and
patron of the telephone, to protest against the
proposed savagery towards the telephone COM
pany. Nothing like it was ever before proposed
in our city legislature. Its spirit IS undisguised
malevolence and though ostensibly because we
cannot compel a company to serve us on terms
which, they allege, are insufficient to pay ex-
penses, yet really instigated and maken-
vered to crafty a personal revenge. The
law itself has a suggestive history. 1t was in
troduced by a man who had a private grudge
against the owner of the Vincennes exchange,
because he had been so disrespectful as to insist
on the payment of a debt of ten or more years
standing; but it would have had few friends If it
had not been backed up by our John E. Sullivan,
who, too, had a grievance and wished to "get
even" Some interesting correspondence of that
period will see the light at the proper time. re-
vealing methods all too common in securing leg
islation and duplicating some lobbyists who pose
as honest men.
But no matter how the law was obtained, or
from what motive, we are now brought face to
face with the stubborn fact that the COM
pany says it cannot transact business at
the prices fixed by law, and would pre-
fer to retire. The movement in Council is to
compel them to do business at a loss or to render
their plant worthless for all time by a summary
process of destruction. Will the moral senti-
ment Of the city permit this9 Dare we become
enough that the thousands who have been profit
ing by the telephone at q price that
they testify that they could afford to
pay, and which was daily becoming relatively
cheaper, shall suddenly be deprived of their
privilegesg Must they now be dragged into a bit
OF savagery heretofore unknown to our city2
When we granted a charter to the Street Rail
road Company we stipulated that every car
should have a conductor, and the charter was &C
cepted on that condition, but a few months ex-
perience showed that the expense Of conductors
was such that the road could not afford to en-
ploy them, and they were discontinued Did we
order the tracks taken up and the mules con-
fscafed2 Not q word of threat was ever
uttered; but the common sense of
the public held the law in abeyance, but
never repealed it, and the roads have
received favorable legislation from time to time,
Notwithstanding this practical multiplying of the
charter. We granted the telephone company a
charter when it's prices were known. We per-
mitted it to spend 1920, 900 in it's plant, and every
thing went on smoothly. and we had the best
service in the country until Mr.. Sullivan joined
with Mr.. Williams to "get even" and manipu-
lated the Legislature, and secured the Law. The
company says it cannot do business at the rates
fixed by the law; and now comes the City Coun-
Gil, and. instead of allowing it q reasonable time
to close business, or wait to see If another Legis-
lature NAV not repeal the law, it proposes to
strike it with the bosom of destruction at once.
The suggestion that If this company were of
another would take Its place. Is a delusion. The
Bell Telephone Company owns stock in this com.
pany. md at the same time owns every essen
tial patent used in operating telephones. In all
litigations heretofore for Infringement, 1t has
been successful. so that no company can take
the field in Indiana without the consent Of the
Bell company, and being driven out in one form
it will not return in another until the fatal law
has been repealed.
What shall we dot Better ask what can we
dot We may pass the proposed ordinance, but
no police force ever existed in Indianapolis that
can enforce it against the moral sense of the
community. We cannot let the street railroad
run without conductors, and allow the water
works, and the gas-works. and tho railroads
to violate city ordinances continually
and spend our strength on the tele-
phone to please Mr.. Sullivan or any half
dozen others who have grievances here or at
Vincennes. 1t is bad enough to have to do
without telephones to crafty a bit of personal
spite, but it will be much worse to attempt to
enforce such an ordinance as the one proposed,
against the moral sense of all honorable men.
In the midst of war civilization allows the van
pushed time and opportunity to carry off their
wounde and bury their dead. None but mobs
hang a man without giving him a reasonable time
for preparation. Let as not play the mob by
destroying a plant which was built by our con-
sent and without any intimation that we would
render it v~alueless by adverse legislation. It
VIII make our case no worse by allowing
the plant to remain until they see what the
Legislature will do, for no other company can
come, if it wants to. and none will want to. for,
encouraged by reducing from five to three, there
is no telling how soon it may reduce from three
to one.
protest, therefore, against any and all rash
ness. The case needs no legislation at all.
While suffering from want Of telephone service,
our sympathies should be with the company that
is a greater sufferer. We cannot make our case
better by attempting the impracticable. but we
may make our sufferings less by bearing them
cheerfully. If we cuss anybody, let it be those
who, to crafty their personal spite, have brought
upon us this great wrong. T. A. GOODWIN.