The evening times., 1896-05-16
REpELAGtINsr ExroRr1oN.


All Washington at least that portion OF it
which usesteiephones lis up in arms against
the squeeze which President Bryan OF the
Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Con-
pany proposes to put into efrcc. on July 1.
The interviews pablshe in The Times yes
terday and today give a fair idea of how
the public. and especially the present Gus
toners of the Company, view the exorbi-
tant charges with which they are threat
ened. In many instances business men
keep phones in their places more for the
convenience Of their customers or for the
sake OF inducing people To patronize their
stores than because of any personal use
they make OF them. The scale of charges
indicated by President Bryan would work
a great hardship to them, because il
either viii increase their expenses be-
yond all reason or they will be forced to
discontinue using the instruments. In the
one case their profits will suffer seri-
ously, in the other their patronage.
III every place where telephone is now
house. a real estate brokers' office, a drug
store or private residence, the new scale
is regarded rs an eXtortion. all the more
uniustirahle because the price the com
pany now gets for its phones is already
far too high. So far from the company's
charges being increased. they ought to be
reduced. In the course Of the hearing
given him by the Senate District Commit
tee President Bryan stated. in reply to p
question, that he would Iather Congress
would grant Il charter to competing COM
pany than reduce the prevailing rates.
Congress ought To take him at his word
and grant such IA charter; but in order to
provide against all possible contingencies
it should also fix scale of charges for
the existing monopoly, reducing them, of
course. very much below the present rate.
Apart from any action that Congress
might take in the matter. the customers of
the company have a remedy in their own
hands. If they, or majority OF them,
would agree to discontinue the use of the
phones on July l in ease President Bryan
carries his threat into effect, he would
probably conclude that second thought is
best thought and consider it good policy to
let well enough alone. Some of those most
seriously affected 10y the proposed change
ought to take the initiative and seek to
secure something like concerted action on
the part OF all of the company's customers.
with view to oppose a determined front
to the IN onopoiy's greed.
ANOTHER on CHAMBERLAIN.
President Kruger has again impla nted a
snckdologer on the fair diplomatic brow
Of Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain, for he has curtly
Cabled TO the British colonial secretary
reform committee would neither be can
celled nor Commuted until Cecil Rhodes has
left Africa. Thisis serving emphatic notice
upon Great Britain that the South Africa
Company must be so subcrdilatcd to the
home government and its activity and in
nucncc in South Africa so limited and
circumsCribcd that il Will mol be a constant
disturDer of the peace OF the Bocr republic
nor n menace to its security and that OF
the other free states in that ne ghborhood.
How Mr. Chamberlain Will rel lish this i'm
pcrious declaration Of sturdy old Dom
Paul" following So soon his refusal to
come to London TO be talked to. II is not
difficult to conjecture; but lie Will have
to swallow the bitter pill with wha grace
he NAV be bic 10 command and without
cutting too much Of a grimlce.