The record-union., 1896-03-06


Eds. Record Union: That portion of
your editorial in yesterday morning $
''Record-Union' entitled Some Local
| Matters in which you take up the
telephone situation, and more particu-
larly the resolution introduced in the
Board of Trustees-relative to the re-
moval of the old company's telephones
from the fire department and some Of
the city offices-does not state the cir
cumstances clearly and in order that the
public may have a correct understand
ing of the matter, / ask small space in
your columns. The Capital Telephone
and Telegraph Company of Sacra-
mento is furnishing to the city twelve
telephones, with the use of their lines
and exchange free of charge. said ex-
change affording telephone communi-
cation with nearly 600 stores and resi-
dences located in every part of town.
The old company has for many years
past received a handsome revenue from
the rental of telephones, located in the
same places where the new company 5
instruments are situated, and further
more, this foreign company is now re-
ceiving a rental for these same in
struments, as they hang on the wall
side by side with the free telephones of
the home company. Under these Cir
cumstances, who can say that a Trustee
in supporting the resolution is prosti-
tuting his official position? In all these
years have you heard them say any
thing about giving the city telephones
free? / think not. The proposition is,
1 believe, one that will appear to most
people as a clear question of economy,
and not, as stated, one of discrimina-
ton. I am yours truly,
M. j. DILLfMAN,
Vice-President and Manager Capital
Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany.
Sacramento, March 5, 1896.
(The one and only argument" in Mr..
Dillman's letter is that of Economy"
to the city But that is not at all the
question. 1t is one of discrimination
and of the right of the citizen to be free
from official bulldozing. Now, we wish
to be distinctly understood as not max
ing war on one company, nor as advo-
eating the other. We stand perfectly
free from any such suggestion in this
discussion. Nor are we saying that
any Trustee who favors the resolution
of removal willfully prostitutes his Of
flee to private ends. But we do say
that the effect is the same, however
conscientious the Trustee may be. AS
to the matter of the resolution itself,
the Trustees did not solicit the Capital
Company to give the city free use OF
telephone boxes, or engage in promo
ton of municipal economy. To have
done so would have been serious error,
TO put it mildly What the Capital
Company did do was of its own free
will as matter of private business and
assuredly with an eye to it's own inter-
ests, since it is an axiom that there is
no sentiment in business. Now when
this company-and it would be the same
were it the old company promoting
such a resolution against the Capital
| Company-asks the city to cut off all
subscribers to the old company from tel
| ephonic communication with the fire
It does just this thing, and there is no
escape from it, namely, it asks the city
TO say to such citizens If you wish to
be telephonicaIly related to these city
offices and fire department stations,
you must become subscribers to the
Capital Company" Whip about it as
you please, and this is, simply and fatty
| discrimination and intimidation. No
reasonable man can look upon it in any
other light except by self-interest his
Judgment is biased That one com
pany by giving use of its instruments
to the city free. while the other charges