Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-03
THURSDAY.....".""...JUNE3 o, lo9''
noN,r TAKE THE BACK TRACK.

The American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company is asking too much OF
Richmond. That it should wish to con-
,ect this city with its long-distance
'phone system is proper and desirable
That It should wish to have the right
IN do n local business here Is not I'M
reasonable for that might be necessary
20 enable It to protect itself against local
combinations. But if the American Com
pany be allowed to do local business
here how can it expect privileges greater
than those accorded the home company?
why grant 1t a favor that we have de-
MED TO our home folk?
why should we fix maximum rates for
the home company and then give
carte blanche to the American Company?
How could we excuse ourselves for doing
so?
The policy of Richmond with reference
10 telephone rates has been deliberately
fixed by the City Council, and now to
abandon that policy for the benefit of
a company which protests that it does
not desire to do n local business, would
be the height of folly.
The American Company ought to be
well satisfied if we give it a franchise equal
I'm all respects to that of the home COM
pany. but here we find 1t insisting that
1t ought to have a broader, better, and
freer franchise
Should the recommendations of the
Street Committee prevail, the American
Company may come here and crush out
oil opposition and then raise local rates
higher than they have ever been. Would
we be justified in giving them that
power? Certainly not. Outside of the
membership of the Street Committee we
know OF few, very few, citizens of
Richmond who are willing that Rich
mond's established policy should be an
Eulred and in its stead another adopted
which would invite the American Com
pany to annihilate all opposition and
make itself complete master of the stu
alton.
We use the word "nvite' advisedly
That's what the proposed action would
mean. Any company having abundant
capital, and having in prospect per-
petual harvest from an unlimited charter
would be tempted to sink great sums o.
money to crush a rival. Then. when 4
had the field to itself 1t could recover al
past losses and ensure itself ample divi
dends for the future.
The action OF the Street Committee 1:
condemned by public opinion and should
not be approved by the City Council
Richmond has adopted a wise and pru
dent policy as TO local telephone rates
and should stick to 1t. Valuable as would
be the connection of this city with tn
best long-distance phone system IN ex
istence, that connection could not com
pensate us for the risk of having loca
rates doubled or trebled. Yet that 4
the very danger TO which we should sub
ject ourselves should the City Council
adopt the astonishing recommendation
OF the Street Committee.
Let the City Council make clear
clsan-cut, and distinct issue with tn
American Company upon the question G
local rates. Let not the minds of mem
bers become befoggcd by other an
smaller issues. Let the community kno'
what eouncilmen favor reversing Rich
mond's policy. Let us know who favo
discriminating against home compan
in favor OF the American Compan,
Let's know who prefers trusting to IN
generosity of the American Compan
rather than to a city ordinance In in
matter OF prescribing local rates.
Yes; let the issue be made so plat
that the humblest of our citizens ma
have no difficulty In understanding II.
= Libby prison. which was purchased l
go CHICAGO SvudicatC torn down. n