New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-24
FOR A LOCAL TELEPHONE COMMISSION
ARGUMENTS MADE BY SIMON STERNE C. c.
sHAYNE AND OTHERS AT IMPORTANT
HLARINGS IN Albany.

Albany. March % (SpeciaD.-Two great hearings
were given today upon the highly important bill
creating Board OF Telephone Commissioners in New
York These hearings were given by the Senate Com
mittce General Laws and the Assembly Committee
on Gas and Electricity. At the conclusion OF the
hearing by the Senate Committee, that body voted
unanimously TO report the ill favoraly. The other
committee took no action. There appeared before
both committees Simon sterne, G.. Waldo Smith, G. G.
shaync. Frank G.. Gardner Thomas +. Main and a
large rubber Of other persons The bodies represented
were the NewYok Board Of Trade and Transportation.
the TcephOie Subscribers Association, the StaOners'
Board Of Trade the Retail Coal Exchange the United
Grocers' Association. the Lumber Trade Association
and the TIuckmcn's Association. simon Sternc made
the chief argument. lie said in part
This IS The greatest monopoly IN existence (.
greater than the gas, the railroad the telegraph
monopoly, because II Is the sole company. If any
new corporation takes the field, it cannot compete.
Ii is also business subject 10 legislative control
because it cannot its franchise without using the
streets. II IS subject to the police control Of tho
State. 1t has partnership with the public. One
argument made against this bill is that II woul limit
the profits made upon United States patent. Every
takes out patent subject TO the condition that II
shall be subject public control The suggestion has
also been made that we affect inventive talent by thus
ciicumscribing its profits Mr.. Bell himself was
shown six years ago to have made SlO,o0ooo0 BY his
when you gentlemen compare the charges In
New-YOrk Of $3.50 and S2fo with those OF other
cities, you will how extortionate these charges
are My professional duty calls me to Chicago,
Cleveland, Galveston and other cities al some time
every year. / observe there that tho telephone
charges less although the service Is done better
Depend upon IL, gentlemen, New York did not lose
the Worlds Fair by accident, nor did Chicago get
by accident one OF the great political conventions OF the
year II WAS people IN those Western cities
are not oveftaxed. The Western people will not stand
monopoles. Such telephone charges must seriously
affect business in NewYork. We believe that the
bill is conservatively drawn, and not unjust TO the
companies
c. G.. Shame said in part Three years ago. In com
pany with other business OF the city OF New York.
telephone subscribers, appeared before committee
OF which Robert Ray Hamilton was chairman. ana
asked that the legislators relieve us OF the burden I'm
posed upon us By the telephone monopoly. Three
wears have passed and nothing has been done by the
legislature TO secure justice for the NcwYork business
men. ] appear before you today with another dele
cation OF New York business men, representing nearly
every branch Of trade. to ask you to report favoialy
10 tie LEGISLATURE the Telephone Commission bill i'll
troduced by senator Aspinall and Assclnbymar Ma
lana