The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-06-11
THE PEOPLE
OF MAURY
Turn Out En- MaSSp, and Give
Enthusiastic Support
To the Citizens Telephone Company
Interesting Facts and Figures
Are Presented.
Stirring and Patriotic Speeches-Rapid
Growth of the Home Company
Central Committee APP
pointed.

According to previous announce
ment in the local papers, a citizens
mass meeting was held in the Cir
cult Court room last Monday, to eX-
plain to the public at large the pur-
pose and general workings of the
Citizens Telephone Company, and,
to explain as well the purpose and
general workings of the Bell monop-
oily.
The meeting was called for II
O'Clock, but was delayed little, the
Leonidas Polk BivOuac of eX-Con-
federate soldiers being in session at
the time, and these patriots desiring,
almost to a man, to show their SYM
pathy, by their presence, with the
Citizens Company.
Mr.. f. ID. Lander stated the objects
of the meeting in a general way, and
suggested that the special business
tee, with whom any individual or
country neighborhood, desiring con-
nection with the Citizens Company,
might confer. For the Chairman
ship of this Central Committee, Mr..
Lander put in nomination e. HI.
Hatcher, Esq, who has already done
such effective work for the cause.
! The nomination was promptly
seconded by several, and was unani-
mously endorsed by vote of all
| present.
Mr.. Hatcher addressed the meet
ing with forceful presentation of
the issues involved. 1t was war,
he said, between a rich foreign
monopoly, and a cooperative citi-
zens' company. The one organized
for profit; tyrannical, oppressive,
dictatorial, grasping and greedy in
it's demands. The other, a co-opera-
tive home enterprise, whose officers
served without pay, whose capital
was the voluntary subscriptions of
its friends, and whose purpose was
to give the people of this town and
county the best possible service for
the least possible expense. The
Bell Telephone Company had sent a
walking delegate" from New York
10 take charge of the telephone af-
fairs of Maury County, and run them
according to their Eastern ideas.
This visiting statesman" entered
this field with the brazen declara-
ton that "every man has his price"
Mr.. Hatcher had told him that he
was not surprised to hear such a
sentiment expressed by Bell Tele-
phone employee, but when the gen.
tleman fixed the price of Maury
countians at 80 cents per head, and
had proceeded to make house to
house canvass for month, and sue
ceeded in placing only fifteen
phones, he supposed the "visiting
statesman" would either change his
mind about "every man." or else
raise his price. He desired to in
form the aforesaid agent of New
York's plutocratic class, that Maury
} County did not raise the kind of cat
tie he was looking for, and he was
proud that the history of the last
month had proven the patriotism OF
our own people.
But it was not alone to theil
patriotism, but to their business in
terests that he addressed himself
For twelve or fifteen years the Bel
monopoly had charged such eXtor'
,tionate rates as practically to pro
i, hibit vast majority of people from
using their phones at all. They had
found it more to their interest tC
confiue their lines to few place;
and mulct from those who were com
PEELED to have it, their enormous
profits on their watered stock. The
inducements in rates, offered here
to-day, were for temporary ad
vantage only; not only would they
promptly restore their old rates, bu
war indemnity would be charged
5 if ever the Bell should get the fielC
, to itself again. 1t was not only un
patriotic, but it was penny wise
and pound foolish business policy
for any man, by his patronage or his
influence, to aid and abet the Bel
in its effort to strangle its only com
petitor and the peoples only friend
the Citizens Company. The Citi
zens' Company would guarantee
never to charge more than the dol
lar rate, while the Bell, if it could
strangle competition, would i'm
mediately restore the three, foul
= and five dollar rate. No prudent
; intelligent, calculating, far-seein.
! business man-to say nothing o
patriotism-should assist them il
that effort.
3 When Mr.. Hatcher had finished
l.. p Padgett was called for and re
q sponded. He always makes goOC
speech, and on this occasion &C
= Quilted himself as usual. He tOlC
of his own personal experience; how
he had needed telephone connec
tion between Columbia and hi
. suburban home; how it was neces
sary in his business, and how h.
had begged the monopoly before tn
) Citizens came, to give him reas
enable rate, and how his right
were ignored and his wishes utterl!
disregarded. Now, he said, he ant
his partner, Mr.. Figures, were get
/ ting the service of three telephones