The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-05-21

James Brothers, jewelers., spoke
very warmly in favor of the Citizens
movement.
Mr.. j. l.. Hutton, cashier of the
Phoenix Bank said, "Our Citizens
Company is making good fight,
and we are gaining many friends
every dav, as the people begin to
realize the real nature of the situa-
ton Everybody is beginning to
understand that the Citizens Com
pany is mutual association of the
citizens to establish telephone
system for their mutual benefit and
at reasonable cost, and that they
were driven to this by the extor-
tiOnate rates of the Bell monopoly,
and by its Indifference to public
wants. Everybody likewise under
stands that the drop which the Bell
Company has recently made in its
rates, from three and four dollars a
month to fifty cents and twenty-five
cents month, is for no other pur-
pose than to drive the New Company
out of the field, and that when this
is accomplished the Bell rates will
go up to high water mark and the
people will be made to suffer for their
independence. But from present in
dications the Bell monopoly will
never have another chance at us,
for the Citizens Company is here to
stay"
Chaffin Brothers, wholesale and
retail grocerymen, were watching
the fight of the people against the
monopoly with great interest, and
believed that the only hope for
reasonable rates was for the people
to stick together.
Mr.. j. A. Titcomb, the druggist, is
a warm friend of the Citizens Com
pany, land" said he, "if the citi-
zens do not stand by one another in
their fight, and the people fall again
into the power Of the Bell monopoly,
they will suffer the consequences of
more outrageous eXtortion than ever
before"
Yes" said Mr.. E. w. Grmble,
President of the E. w. Gamble
Grocery Co., II have ordered out
the Bell phone and have put in the
Citizens. L have always looked
with favor upon the Citizens move
ment, but, on account of the Bell
connections at distant points
throughout the county and State,
where my business required such
connections, L felt compelled to use
it. But since the Bell is making the
fight to drive the Citizens from the
field, / am willing to sacrifice my
convenience, and my interest even,
in order to give the Citizens my
undivided support and encourage
ment. | did not think until recent
ly that the use of one Bell telephone
under my circumstances, would be
Of any special advantage to the Bell
Company, or of any disadvantage to
the Citizens; but am now satisfied
that any one using the Bell phone
gives very material aid to that COM
pany in its efforts to crush out the
Citizens Company, which would be
great calamity to this town and
county; because the only hope of
reasonable telephone rates is in the
successful establishment of the
home company"
Messrs Satterfield & Dodson, hard
ware merchants: 1--WE are for the
Citizens Company; it is a home
enterprise and we hope every man
in the county will take Citizens
telephone"
w. p. Woodbridge, of the firm of
Woodbridge & Irvine, druggists, was
very enthusiastic about the Citi-
zens' Company. at will save us
some money and the people of the
county great deal of money every
year. The service is splendid, and
we wish every farmer in the county
had Citizens telephone"
II am for the people ip this fight
against the monopoly corporation,
said A. J. Nichols, the clothier, and
the Mayor of the city.
II am using a Citizens phone, .
said NJ. d. King, the groceryman,
land will never give the Bell Com
pany any aid or comfort while this
fight is on"
Put us down for the Citizens
Telephone Company" said G. A.
Parker, Cashier of the Maury
National Bank.
1--WE are with the Citizens heart
and soul in this fight" said J. p
Brownlow, Cashier of the Farmers
and Merchants Bank.
1t would require more space than
we have to spare to quote all who
gave their unqualified endorsement
of the Citizens Telephone Company
But everywhere the universal sen
timent prevailed that this was the
time and occasion for every citizer
to exert his influence to support the
Citizens Company in the tight
which it is making for the people.