Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-05-29
yrRF.s PURE. RICH GALL.


The Intelligencer. which on munich
nal questions it is usually safe to look
for nm the side opposed to the interests
Of the people and the city, is naturally
highly dissatisfied with the fair ana
eminentlv satisfactory telephone ordl-
nance reported by the Council COM
mitree. and it INDUCES IN some grossly
unfair and insulting abuse of the COM
,,i,tae accusing it of serving the Bell
Telephone Company" being under the
thumb" of that company, etc, and stat
ing in so many words that the new
ordinance must be the work of counsel
for that corporation" To prove this
latter accusation the Intelligencer says;
The ordinance Of the Peoples Telephone
r,6n1Dany was submitted 10 committee
of which Mr.. List IS member. IhsleiJ ~, -
reoorting on that ordinance or an! lLlltS
me- N Mr. List came forward win an vi
JinarCa Intended 10 make Impossible the
Corstr1;ction OF a competing plant by the
PeODle's Telephone Company, OF al!
other company
In other words the Intelligencer is
angry with Mr.. List for not reporting
the ordinance Of its (the Intelligencer s)
particular corporation and in spirit
of malice and revenge accuses MIN Oh
reporting that Of another corporation!
What consummate gall this! Here we
have the corporation mouth-piece false
" accusing the Committee of upright
eouslv favoring the Bell Company, and
in the same howl complaining because
il does not unrighteously favor the 9TH
er company and give it something for
nothing.
Our neighbor fails to show how the
Bell Telephone Company is to be ben
Gifted by the proposed ordinance, al
though il claims to believe that the Ordi-
nance is designed 10 keep out all other
companies in the interest of the Bell
a point which it utterly fails to make
clear. What is wrong with the ordl-
nance? 1t provides that the company
taking advantage of it shall pay the
city a small percentage on its business
nave the streets it uses and give bond
guaranteeing the city against loss by
law suits. Is not this fair? 1t is GER
tainly in line with the best and most
advanced municipal ideas on this high
" important subject of franchise grant
ing. If the city's franchise is worth
something the company receiving 1t
certainly should be made TO pay a
trifie for the benefits it confers upon 1t.
Yet this eminently just arrangement is
precisely what the organ of the COM
pany that wants something for moth
ing COMPLAINS of. And we'll the public
know the why and wherefore of the
bitterness Of this particular plant.
The talk of our neighbor about the
benefits of competition is the veriest
balderdash. Let him take a look at
the cities now enjoying this competi-
ton. and he will find anything but
beneficent arrangement He Will ma
a hopelessly entangled telephone system
and so unsatisfactory condition that
a person to get anything ike thorough
service is compelled to take both SER
vices and thus to pay double price, and
all for the privilege of enjoying compe-
tition which is theoretically so beau
tiful and cheap and practically so I'M
satisfactory and costly. Still, if any
telephone company desires to engage in
this competition in this city, this ordi-
nance throws open the way.
The complaint of the Intelligencer'
by the way, comes with infinitely bad
grace from that source.
-O--