The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-05-18
A PUBLIC BENEFAcToR.

phone Company OF COlumDla IL
Simply that, nothing more. 1t was
not organized to make money. 1t Is
not run to make money. 1t was or.
kanized to protect the people of
Maury county against the extortion
of Il greedy monopoly, and to save
them money, not to make money for
itself. How we'll it has performed
and Is performing its self imposed
task, the report submitted at the an.
nual meeting of its stockholders
yesterday, and a few deductions
therefrom, may show.
In this county this year 1t has had
net increase of 100 subscribers.
A net increase mind you; which
gives them at pre-, 1t an income OF
about $l20 per month more than
they had year ago. By-the-way,
the Bell people are very fond OF
talking about the number of new
phones they put 1t; but they never
have anything to say about the old
phones they take out.
Besides this increase at home, the
Citizens Co., has made connection
with the Citizens Co., of Lawrence
county which adds another hundred
to the list, and which is very valu
able connection to Columbia mer-
chants.
They have made this increase and
connection, ana at the same time
paid their way. Their report show
ing assets to equal their liabili-
ties, Despite the loss ! of four or
five hundred dollars by the Mt.
Pleasant fire few months ago. 1t
is a statement and condition entire
~ satisfac tory to the stockholders,
and highly credtable to the retir
ing President, Mr.. James A. Smiser
who has given much valuable
thought and time to the Company's
service.
But there ia something stronger
vet IN favor of this Citizens Co.
Have you ever estimated what 1t IL
saving the people Of this town and
county? 1t has not quite, but in
round numbers, four hundred sub
cribers in this county. These sub
scribers pay in the aggregate for the
service, $500 per month. What were
they paying the Bell people before
the Citizens Co. came? About one
hundred Of them were merchants
and they were paying about "a each
of them were offices, and they were
paying about So each per month
About two hundred of them were
residences, and they were payii G
about So 80 per month each. Make
these calculations for yourself, and
you will find that these four hun.
dred people were paying to the
Cumberland Telephone Co., before
the Citizens Co. was organized, fol
service not half as useful as they
are now getting, $1,000 per month
for what they are now getting To-
800. Three times as many dollars
for not half the service. Paying thu
monopoly $l4,40 a year, for which
the Citizens Co. now gives then
twice the service at 81 800 direc
saving to those who use the phone o
$4,000 every year.
Not only so, but the Citizens Co.
Is saving several hundred dollar
every month for the users of tn
Bell phone in this county. Th
Bell has perhaps 400 residence
phones in this county. Heretofore
where they would condescend t.
carry their service at all, the rat,
was So 30 per month. Now the Citi
zens' Co, compels them to give tn
rate of 81 per month; making a saw
ing to each subscriber of $3.50 pc
month; OF for 400 subscribers $50
per month, or $1,000 per year. $3.50
saved by the Citizen subscribers
$1,000 saved by the Citizens Co fo
the Bell subscribers; total SIG so
saved per year to the people O
Maury county by the Citizens Tele
phone Co.
Now people who will not be loya
and liberal towards a public bene
factor like that, deserve to be brow
beaten and tax ridden and dow
trodden by any and every old greed
corporation coming along. Policies
platforms may thunder against them
but unless the people are true
themselves, unless by their word
and example and influence and pat
ronage as we'll as their votes, the
help to strangle the giant CONNER
cial evil of the day, the Trust an
Combine Anaconda, they will 500
find themselves bound hand and foo
helpless and hopeless in its mercile'
coil.