The Saint Paul globe., 1897-09-26
ST. PAUL AND THE LONG-DISTANCE
TELEPHONE.

|
The Glo b has taken pains to make
the first complete investigation into the
local situation with reference to the
exclusion of the long distance telephone
service from this city. In an article
published in our local columns this
morning will be found all the facts
bearing upon the case, and they are
sufficient to enable any one To form a
sober and intelligent Judgment. 1t
seems to us, as practical matter and
with reference to the best interests Of
the city as a whole, that the council
has been and is making mistake in
this matter, and that the sooner it re-
verses its policy the better. AS Mr..
Cleveland would say, it is a condition,
and not theory that confronts US.
On general principles the o b e is
strenuously opposed to the granting of
any more franchises in this city with
out compensation, and particularly to
any that are at all exclusive in their
terms. 1t has no disposition or lDcH-
nation to abandon this rule. If the is
sue were arising for the first time; if
no telephone franchise had been given
in st. Paul, or if the effects of acqui-
escence or refusal were purely local,
We should think it we'll to make stiff
stand for adequate compensation for
valuable privileges. But we have to
take all the elements of the problem
into account, and even then we do not
find that the opposition to permitting
the long distance people to enter st.
Paul is based upon broad general prin-
ciples, but upon certain demands ard
conditions that are rather nice than
wise.
For instance, when it comes to the
matter of compensation, what earthly
difference is it whether a company
pays the city two or three hundred dol
| lars or pays it nothing? That con1ro-
versy is not worth talking about
Again, under the circumstances, it does
not seem to us that the demand of the
long distance company for a local fran
chise is fraught with any danger 10 this
community. AS to the claim that it
contemplates monopoly, if there can
ever be any more complete monopoly
in the matter of telephone privileges
than exists at present, we cannot mag
inc it. If the new company is dis
tinct organization from the North
western Telephone exchange, then the
presence of two concerns in the same
business instead of one tends to break
up monopoly. If the new company is,
as is generally understood, Oh friendly
terms with the old, if not actually an
other apple on the same bough, then
the existing monopoly is IN no wise in
creased. Neither the contention that
the council has made for a few hun
dred dollars compensation nor it's mo-
nopoly argument seems to US to carry
particular weight
When we turn now to the other side
OF the question, it appears that the
interests of ST. Paul are at this rac-
ment being affected seriously and TN
favorably by our refusal to admit the
long distance company. AS is fully OK
planned in our news article the North
western Telephone exchange is author
lied to do business only in it's own ter
ritory-that is, between towns in Min
nesota. Between city in the STATE
and one outside of it it has no jurisdic-
ton, but that business belongs to the
American Telegraph and Telephone
company, the one that has sought en-
trance here. The most serious fact for
US is that this company has been adj
mitted to other cities in the West. in
Guiding Minneapolis. Their names ap-
pear in all its directories. We are eX-
GUIDED and it follows. as a conse-
quence, that the comparison is distinct
~ unfavorabie to us. A business man
in any of the cities covered by the
long distance people, which include
up the Minneapolis office and talk with
any business man there. st. Paul is as
effectually shut out from such COM
nunication as if it were blotted OFF the
map. 1t does not appear on the lists;
it has no long distance telephone con-
nesota, and is thus put on a footing of
a second-rate town with references to
one of the great Improvements of mod
ern times
Now it seems to Us thnt this
is a disadvantage too great to he
invited for the trivial reasons that
have found weight with the city coun-
Gil, and have kept the ordinance re-
lating to the long distance company for
q year or so in the pigeon hole of that
resting place for the dead and for Or
dinances afflicted with suspended ami
mation-the committee on streets. The
continued exclusion of this concern
will rot break any monopoly, nor put
us in any better position when any
competing. concern wishes to come here
It's admission viii not add to the al
ready existing monopoly, and Will net
be at war with any public interest, as
far as we can see. On the other hand
for long distance communication that
are possessed by every other city of it's
size and Importance in the country, IN
cluding Minneapolis is a serious re-
Election upon our progress and posi-
tive detriment to business interests. 1t
appears to US, therefore, that the Iong
distance company ought to De admit
ted, and that action in this direction