Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-19
TO CUT DOWN THE EXPENSE.
Senator Morgan on the Cost Of Tele-
phones for the Government.

He did it with an amendment to the deficiency
bill which prohibited the United States from
paving more than $50 per annum or $3.50 per
quarter for the use of any telephone instru-
ment The present rate is $50 per annuri.
The possibility that the telephone company
might refuse to accept such figures as full COM
pensation was also provided for in the amend
mcnt for there it was stated that if such COM
pensation was refused then the company would
be prohibited from running its lines G wires
on or within any government building, over or
through any government reservation or along
any public street or alley bordering on such
reservations.
TO RELIEVE THE PEOPLE.
After stating that gentleman of intelligence
and large information about telephone matters
had brought the matter of telephones to his at
tention, Mr. Morgan went on: Efforts have
been made in various parts of the United States
TO relieve the people of the burdensome and
excessive charges made by corporate monop-
olies for the necessaries of life and such other
elements as enter into the daily transactions of
the business of the country, and which have.
to greater or lesser extent, also become
nscessar les. in most instances monopolles
have triumphed There seems to have been
but little relief except where the strong arm OF
the general government could intervene, and
nowhere can this giant monopoly OF the tele-
phone company be met anu combated except
ing in the District of Columbia. where the fed
eral government has complete jurisdiction.
While il may not be possible or practicable to
prevent the mulcting of private citizens, GER
tainIy 1t Is meet and proper that the govern
meEt should protect itself and make at least an
effort to secure reasonable service in the trans
action of its business
This is true so far as .he human machine is
concerned. the government in n majority of in
stances requiring the greatest amount OF brains
Il Co. n NJ nfnV GQf
Yet it passively submits 10 the e1orbitant
charges of giant corporations, after having first
commissioned them by franchise or patent to
commit robbery.
congress has seen fit to authorize the Post
master General to fix the rate for government
teIegraphic business. Then why not fix rates
for telephone business. especially within the
small area of the District of Columbia"
Mr.. Morgan read list of the government
and local offices using telephones. with the
number in each. and showed that the total was
zoo STANDARDIZATION year from the gov
eminent alone.
THE RATES.
Then Mr. Morgan went on:
81 challenge any proof to show that the rate
charged Is reasonable or justified by any
amount involved in cost and maintenance of
the plant unless it be based upon a fictitious
valuation of the patents issued by the govern
ment. The remedy should be applied here.
10
Should this proposed enactment become law.
and probably before 1t is passed upon. we will
be met without doubt with the threat that the
instruments will be taken out and the govern
ment offices be left without telephone service.
Is It not worth while to try the experiment?
We are not yet without telegraph service. not
outstanding the Postmaster Generals order
making the rate l mill word for government
business. If there is no relief let US not
submit without at least making an effort
IN no VIC not rata
$50 per annum, is but One-haf that now paid,
and If. IN the opinion of the Senate,
the reduction is too great let some
other sum be named. if only some reduction be
made; but in my opinion the rate should be
fixed at less sum than so rather than a
greater one, say S25. These are the opinions
OF these well-lnformed gentlemen as to what
ought to be proper charge for telephone in
struments. / do not myself know the cost OF a
telephone instrument, but suppose one would
hardly cost more than $40 or Sl2.
Mr.. Plumb think the Senator is entirely
extravagant in his estimate OF the cost, for
doubt if the cost of an instrument is more than
"a.
Mr.. Morgan-I have no information except
such as / have gathered on the subject. |
suppose the very best and most complete in
strument would not cost to exceed $40 under
any circumstances. II is too much. therefore,
10 pay $50 per year Of profit to this company
In the District of Columbia, when the instru-
say the least. L suppose there is very little
wear to them They would probably last at
least four or five years. i think that profit is
too great upon an investment OF, say. about
$40 for each instrument. especially when We
grant them the privilege of running their wires
over the houses, through the streets. &c. A
profit OF $50 year on an investment of only
$40 Is too much to pay for this patent.
i am friend of patent rights and in favor of
them, but whore they simply constitute the
progress of the country unless the people paw
enormous bountles / think We cannot favor
them. at least to the extent of sustaining them
IN these outrageous charges. l should say that
$50 would be very high price per instrument
fog these two hundred instruments used in the
different departments of the United States
government
More than that, scandal is growing up Men
are saying on the streets that government Off
GERS are having telephones put in their houses
free OF charge Whether that is or not, do
not know. l merely refer to the fact The
great amount that is being paid to this CON-
pany tor the use of these instruments would
naturally lead one to try TO account for it upon
some other basis really than principles of econ
omy. suppose that ID what leads to this talk
upon the streets
think the amendment ought 10 be adopted,
although perhaps il is not precisely legitimate
subject to be put upon q deficiency APP
preparation bill. AT the same time il is
which have occurred in the use of telephones
and telegraphs within the District of Columbia.
Therefore. offered it to see what the Senate
would do about it.
Mr.. Plumb had, while Mr. Morgan continued
been talking with Mr.. Hawley, and when Mr..
Morgan closed he said: Mr. President do no,
care about going into the merits of the question
except to say that If the Senator from Alabama
desires to be fair he should state not only the
cost OF an instrument, but the length of time i,
can be used l think these instruments are
practically indestructlbie, and that with rea-
sonable care IN use they will last for fifty years.
subject OF course, to such changes as may be
made necessary by reason Of other inventions
that are improvements in the arts
Il have been told that ~ was the outside cost
OF one OF these instruments, by Senator who
knows more about their cost than do GER
tainly, for do not know. and he has had very
large means OF information. / believe that II
would be very hard even by the exercise OF
IMAGINATION to make them cost over g."
Then the amendment was agreed to.
Manors and Manners at Newport.
Newport Correspondence.
observe that the people who guessed righ
on the prices of wheat and railroad stocks ant
their children, are growing more and more un
willing to have people who guessed wrong O,
who never guessed at all come within recoyniz
able distance of them unless they como in tn,
capacity OF servants. Along the cliffs is a wall