Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-10
Half 81 Loaf.

The local telephone company will commit
serious +lunder if 1t fails refuses 10
learn the lesson of the Legislative expert
cree through which it has just passed
The District appropriation bill contains a
positive and to a reasonable understand
ing. clear command lowering the rates that
may be legally charged for telephone serv
ice within the District OF Columbia here
after. The company will be only storing
up legislative wrath against itself IL it
seeks by technicalities to evade the re-
quirements of the law. or by a deteriora-
ton OF the service to regain some of the
lost fina Icial ground. Congress has plainly
shown that it is persuaded that the pres
ent rates for the present service too
high and that the telephone business can
be conducted in Il city like Washington on
the present basis at fair profit for a much
lower scale of prices. If the present COM
pany. already deeply in debt to Congress
ard the community for the free enjoyment,
of a monopoly of the streets and alleys for
many years, demonstrates it's unwillingness
to accept the changed conditions it is plain
that Congress, according to the record just
Eade. will he disposed promptly to substi-
tute for the old corporation some other
concern. one CT the several now anxious fo-
an opportunity to enter the local field anil
give frst-class telephone service at even
lower rates than the new law provides.
The 2roverb, half loaf is better than
rcne' applies excellently to illustrate the
position in which the company, therefore.
now finds itself. The corporation has no
mortgage on the field. 1t has no perpetual
or even long-term franchise. 1t has 10
legislation from Congress upon which 1t
can base claim of vested rights. Under
such circumstances, 1t is the part of wis
dom for it to accept the new order of
things with the purpose of holding what
has been left to it. The suggestion is ex-
tended in good faith. 1t cannot be denied
that there are many applicants eager to
succeed to the privileges of this company
or even to compete with it for the patron
age OF the people. The Star is printing
from day to day statistics and facts reIat-
ing TO the telephone conditions in other
cities. especially where competition has
been permitted In practically every case,
II has been SHOWN, competition las caused
material reduction in rates and improve
ment of the service. Thus it is demon
strated that low rates and bad service do
net necessarily go together. 1t shows, too,
that there is profit in the telephone bus
mess when conducted upon a fair margain
on individual contracts, and that the lower
rates invite patronage from thousands who
are prevented from participation in the
comforts of telephone connection as long
as the rates are preserved at high point
In view of these disclosures it will be the
height of folly for the local company to
take the position that good service cannot
be given for the rates prescribed by the
new law The commit nifty does not wish to
undergo the annoyance of the removal of
one telephone company end the installation
o. another, unlesc the existing company in
eHect abandons the business by declaring
It's 1ncapacity to rer der first-class service
al the legal rate