The copper country evening news., 1897-11-06
Further Explanation
Arising From a Let
ter Signed BY
A Citizen Of Houghton County
ur Dee saysVhat sal. Company Never
Ob.erved - Public He Damned
Policy. as Was stated.

signed "A Citizen OF Houghton County
appeared in the Portage Lake column.
The language of which was, to say the
least. a little too strong. Shortly after
il appeared MIR. Dee called at the NEWS
Office and 10 reply to references which
were then made TO such letter by our as
sistant remarked
There is nothing much that can say
in addition TO what i have said in the
papers concerning opposition telephone
business or our position in the matter.
1t is not customary for people in the ser
vice OF the telephone company TO enter
into newspaper discussions. but amongst
our own people | think | may, in my
own behalf and IN behalf OF the company
represent, refer to communication
signed by citizen OF Houghton county,
which appeared 10 your paper lew days
ago. / do not care TO stand befors the
people OF my county as having aided any
company or concern in robbing my neigh
bors. The cost OF furnishing telephone
exchange service has regulated the price
charged for it by our company, not only
in this county, but throughout the entire
State. 1t costs more to maintain tele-
phone service here than it does in some
other parts OF the State. Our company
never observed public be damned pol
icy. Two or three years ago we had
reduction in rates of about 20 per cent.
There has not been general clamor for
further reduction since. and it seems now
that we are threatened with kind OF
warfare that appeals to the preiudices
and not the business instincts of business
men. There is not an instance where the
service of an opposition telephone COM
pany in Michigan dong profitable bus.
mess, and make this statement without
any hesitation and challenge any oppo-
sition company to display it's books to
three expert business men and account
ants to prove my statement is not cor
have over 100000 worth OF property in
this county at stake and we believe we
have right TO try TO protect it and not
because we are making too much money.
I'VE have no fault TO find with the pro-
motres OF the opposition. II they have
a good thing, people who know them
best will hardly give them credit for pro-
noting the good thing for somebody
elses benefit. They have the means, why
not make the necessary Investment and
take the same risks that any other bust
ness enterprise takes, letting the fellow
who sells the best goods for the lowest
price, survive If both do not. The worst
calamity that could befall the users of
telephone service would be success in
driving out the old company, for then
the insuiiciency OF the new service would
be brought out prominently, whereas
the old company's carrying the load
helps to cover the defects of the new one
Yes, | may say to the citizens OF this
county that this company intends to re-
main in business and the assurances to
this effect, are not due a TO spirit borne OF
and in exorable lnerciless and relentless
career in this field, or in any other field,
but simply for the reason that it believes
it has never charged EXCESSIVE rates, and
it is not now charging excessive rates
and anyone who undertakes to render
the service for less money as a p-rma-
nency will utterly fail. Either the quail
ity of the service would be reduced or
the prices charged for it would have to be-
advanced. Believing this. can we be
blam for any sacrifice we may make
while the people who think these state
ments are not true are experimenting in
the efforts to prove them 80. 1t has not
been cruel, it has been but just. 1t is
throttle the business indep ndence and
manhood OF the people OF Houghton
county as stated in the communication
referred to. Certainly the correspondent
has no assurance that the old company
will again reduce it's rates to make them
correspond with the cost OF material and
operating expenses, or is there any such
assurance from the people who, il some
DOOy cisc WU put up tuc mOucf. Will
build a competing exchange. That the
cost OF running telephone company
varies from year to year, should not be a
revelation to any man OF business exper-
ience, Does not the cost Of running any
business from year to year? How do
the projectors Of the opposition know
that the cost will not vary to such an
extent that their highest rate will not
come within Is per cent oi covering oper-
ating expenses, some years at least. The
threadbare reference to foreign corpo-
ration should hardly touch responsive
chord in the bosom OF Houghton county
people. iit we're not for foreign capital,
more foreign indeed than the capital in
vested In our company, what would
Houghton county amount to. The gen.
eraI Office Of the Michigan telephone CON-
papy does not b ippenf TO he in Houehton