Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-02-08
TALK OVER THE TELEPHONE
Morning Paper Reopens Subject With IL
logical Deductions.

4 loklCA1 DCuuCl1Onss
Obvious as is the pacifying purpose
of the article appearing in this morn
ing's Union in reopening the discus
sion of the telephone subject, it can
| not be said that all that has been Of
fered in that connection will meet
with popular approvalin Rock Island.
The assumption that the action of
last Monday nights council meeting
on the subject, seems to afford a
great deal more satisfaction in town
than out OF town" does not properly
express it. The statement that there
is more dissatisfaction out of town
than in town might be what was in
tended to be said, and vet such
an expression would not in the
fullest sense portray the situa-
ton. The farmers in the south
end of the county may be more dem
onstrative in their expressions of dis
appreciation than the townspeOple.
but they are not more pronounced.
THE ARGUS has for its own part vet
to hear word of approval or entire
satisfaction with the rates that the
the lowest that can be secured in
hOCh 1SldIlu MAJ Tue ScIIIdI 1 uIOu
rates, which have been accepted as the
best that Rock Island can have under
the circumstances, are as low as those
offered by the company whose franchise
was rejected cannot be commended. The
statement that the reduced rate Of the
Central Union company of 500 for the
best service would stand with the
addition of the $50 offered by the re-
jected proposition for the same SER
vice in the event of two companies,
does not appeal to Intelligence. The
assertion is not sustained by the re-
port of the committee after its inves-
LEGATION of the conditions prevailing
in other cities where two systems are
in vogue. And the Central Union
would not, if appealed to direct, at
tempt to show that its lighting rate
is anything to he compared with what
is maintained in cities where it ENJOYS
exclusive sway. The question Of the
two companies, as has heretofore been
stated in THE ARGUS. is one that al
fects convenience, and the people of
Rock Island are to consider whether
the exclusive service is worth the diff
ference in price between the rates the
council has prescribed and the lower
rates that have been rejected. That
is all there is to the proposition.
The ARGUS has expressed its disap
proval of the manner of the investiga-
ton. and the withholding of the same
until the moment it was acted upon.
Had the committee made its Observa-
tions and convictions a subject of pub
lie discussion in advance of action by
the council the public, which is TO pay
for the investigation, might have
had opportunity TO communicate to
the council its impressions with ref
erence thereto. If the SUBJECT war
ranted an investigation, AT the eX-
pense of the people, there was no
reason why the fruits of that investi-
cation should be treated a. exclusive
property until the council had sampled
the same.
As far as the farmers petition
is concerned there is no excuse
that can be- offered for its treat
ment. Either the interests of the
farmers are of no concern to the
council of Rock Island or they are of
concern. If they are of no concern
their petition was entitled to at least
IeS E)eClluI COHSlCtIdIlOu. II lleN are Ol
concern the council owed to the city
as well as to the farmers to consider
the full significance of their petition.
The talk which the Union INDUCES in
about the proposition of the Cen
trail Union to the farmers is not rele-
want to the subject. The farm
ers appealed to the council and not
to the Central Union, and there is no
reason why the one should speak for
the other. 1t is not a REASONABLE
proposition that 1000 farmers
should discard their independ-
ent phones, and accept free use of the
Central Union instruments for year,
and thereafter either pay So year
or have them taken out.
The suggestion of the Union "a TO
the effect and present influence of the
Mutual company on the stu
alton is mere rot-and it does not take |
a telephone man to see it in that light. |