Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-25

al will meet 10 consider the report Oh
tho street Committee. recommending ''
a franchise be given the American LOU
phone and Telegraph Company 70 "
rate a long-d!stance telephone s'S''
here. A.,
The. company asks not only TOT INC
right 20 conduct iong-distanee pnone
business. but 10 do a local business. bu'
this latter right. II given them. they say
they would not exercise. unless ~.
should find Themselves unable 70 manu-
business arrangements with loc'i
change here. They are understood now
ever. as asserting that they could ho'
r,oke use OF the home companys eN-
change. and as for the Bell COMPANY
our readers VIII remember that us li""-
cbise has expired. II continues 10 ope-
rate here, not by consent OF the Guy Dus
IN defiance OF the city. and by reason Oh
an Injunction OF United states Court
Among our people there are some WIN
are utterly opposed to granting the Aihe,-
lean company any local FRANCHISE "Ha'
ever. They would give 1t fun aulhoIi'S
70 conduct a long-dlstance phone DUST
ness. but would not consent TO nave II
enter the local field in opposition 10 the
home company.
There are many others who thinK 'na'
circumstances may arise when may
render # impossible for the American
company to do business here WITHOUT
establishing a local exchange. Inc DIS
match IS OF this number. II the Aiiiei'-
can company is willing to take such
charter for local business as mas p|eH
given the home company, we say let them
have II. The home company Is "orh'hs
under an ordinance which fixes us maxi
mum rate Of charges. IL the American
company wishes to do local business
here. we say let them agree 10 submit
70 the same maximum rates. we 90
not care to go into details now, or 10
review the proposed ordinance at length
but we may say that we hold TO the
opinion that as for its local business
the American company should nave no
more liberal franchise than that Which
has been given the home company.
Let it be remembered that the Dis
match makes no suggestion as 10 re-
stricting rates for the long-distance BUS
mess. II the City Council wished to do
that Il has not the power; but, even II
If had the power we doubt II such
regulation would be advisable or neceS-
sary. But the local situation is different
There Is only one company operating mere
bv leave Of the city Of Richmond anu
that company cannot exact or our ciu-
zenq any greater rate OF charges than is
fixed by ordinance.
But IL is said that these maximum
rates are rates which the home com
pany itself proposed. No matter. 1hefe
uyos connection for that franchise, ana
tbe home company framed such a pro-
nositlon as It believed would enable 1t
tn secure the charter, and it succeedeu'
Now. IL the American Company be gwen
a franchise allowing 1t TO exact local
rates as high as it pleases, all that IL
will have 10 do will be to rid itself OF
ito rival I'm the home company when IL
will have tho field to itself. And hence
as a safeguard against any such occur
renee. we propose that as TO It's locai
bre,ness-if il should conclude to do a
local business-the American Company
shall have no right 70 make greater
charges than are now made by the
home company. As for its rates for tee
nbone messages to Washington, New
York Chicago, etc, we repeat, we would
make no restriction whatever. We DO
not propose TO put the slightest restr'c-
fion upon the American Company
coming here to do long-distance tele-
nbone business. it is only upon its local
exchange that we would put conditions
and restrictions. And there we would
mt It upon the same footing as the
home company.
The Dispatch understands and appre-
ciatos the value Of the American Com
pany's excellent long-distance telephone
system. We should like to see Richmond
have the advantage OF IT, But to secure
tbis we cannot afford to sacrifice the
vantage ground that we have gained in
tho local business.
In short the people Of Richmond would
better do without the long-distance
phone for some time to come and con-
tinue to use the telegraphic wires for
their business messages, than put them
selves in position where the old phone
rates may be exacted Of them again.