The Portland daily press., 1901-02-14
Eastern Co. Granted
Charter 95 to %.
Majority of Portland Delegation
For the New England.
BPEcrAL 20 TIE IREssI

Augusta, February u The State
House rang with the cry of Monopoly this
forenoon, that slogan being raised in
behalf of ths Eastern Telephone company
and directed against the New England.
1t was the first extended debate Of the
Legislative session and the orators took
advantage of 1t. The Eastern Telephone
comrany's bill gives 1t the right 60 do
business anywhere In Maine, and after
debate the House passed the bill by the
decisive vote Of SO TO 90 The bill came
from the committee on railroads with
the majority report, signed by six MEM
bers, against 1t.
Mr. Beal Of Bangor set the ball rolling
when he moved to substitute the mi
nority report for the majority report In
doing so he said he would briefly ex-
plain his reasons. Twenty years ago.a
powerful organization, the Bell Tele-
phone company, came mere protected in
3 monopoly by letters patent which, in
accordance with the wise policy OF the
government, have now expired. While
they have been doing business In Maine
they have Dssn asked time and time
again 10 extend their service to towns
which wauted communication with the
outside world. / have In mind a COM
munity which thus sought the Bell COM
pany and was told that the lines would
be extended to the town for $40, 600 and
guarantee OF $1,000 year. Thess terms
were prohibitive and the people OF the
town applied 10 Maine men who gave
them a service at an expense OF s., 600
instead OF $1,000, and the 81. 900 annual
Income. Then this company began to
extend its lines and under acts of the
Legislature did SO until 1t reached Au.
burn. Then 1t was discovered that an
error existed In the charter and an ap-
neal was made to the courts by the op-
ponents OF the company. That cass is
pending ana 1t Ia said that we should
not intsrfers with the judicial proceed
ing. l disclaim any such Intention on
the part of the Legislature. This action
proposed is to correct an error which
orept into charter through somebody q
inadvertencs.
Now. gentlemen, claim that the New
England Telephone company is a gi-
gantic monopoly. a trust OF the frat
water, the rich mans luxury, while L
regard the Eastern Telephone company
as the poor mans friend.
MIR. Harris of Auburn said that he dis
agreed with the gentleman from Bangor
when he declared the Eastern Telephone
company to be the poor mans friend.
To MIR. Harris 1t seemed that the gentle-
men .Acomprising the Eastern Telephone
company were relying on their respect
ability to get something to which they
were mot entitled. In one respect they
have. failed in their duty for they have
neglected to Tile the annual returns re-
quired by law, while every academy
that asks the aid of the state must file
statement OF facts. Mr.. Harris said
that from the facts he had ascertained
about the holding of the stock In ths
company 1t looked to-him as II 1t was
speculative venture and that those in
terested really desired to get valuable
franchise for the purposes of sale The
Eastern company was chartered In 1895
as purely local concern. In 1897, they
secured an amendment to this charter.
the amendment which they now claim
was intended TO give them broad rights,
hut In that act they reduced the capital
stock from $50, ,OcO to SIS. 900, with the
remarkable provision that they might
Issue capital stock to any amount,
privilege not included in the general
law. can only account for 1t on the
superstition that the legislature supposed
this to be local company and SO did not
consider this unlimited power to issue
stock In 1899, the company secured