Evening star., 1901-05-23
TELEPHONE SUBSCRIBERS
MASS MEETING TO BE HELD NEXT
TUESDAY NIGHT.
CO-OperatiOn Urged to Carry on the
Struggle Refore the United States
Supreme Court.

| In a quiet sort of fashion, but none the
| less heartily, the members of the Tele-
| phone Subscribers Association, at a meet
| ing last evening ut the Riggs House, re-
| jcfced over the recent telephone decision.
| The group of men who gathered in the
| hotel parlors were in great spirits over
! what they looked upon victory for
| the people. At the same time, they recog-
| niZed that the decision of the Court of
| Appeals OF the District, while sustaining
| the constitutionaIity of the law fixing the
| maximum rate for telephones at $50 per
| year, was only another stage in the great
| contest. The jubilation was therefore tenn
| pered with wise planning for the future.
| and arrangements were set going for a
| public meeting in the large dining room of
| the Riggs House Tuesday evening next. At
| that time a collation. will be served and
| brief speeches will be made, setting forth
| the facts, that the telephone subscribers
| of the city will appreciate clearly the sit
uation. For, as pointed out last evening
! at the meeting, the case is now to go be
! fore the final court. the Supreme Court OF
| the United States. and upon the decision
| of that body hangs the fate of the law
! fixing lower telephone rates.
1t was said that the telephone company
| will undoubtedly make the fight of its life
on that occasion, and of course the asso-
| citation will be expected to continue the
| struggle which it has maintained since the
/ REFUSAL or the company TO comply Win the
| law of 1S!fS fixing the telephone rates.
What was needed now, it was declared,
was the hearty cooperation of all tele-
| phone subscribers.
An Interesting Possibility.
| phase of the situation was brought out
| as showing the extreme Importance of the
matter to the telephone people. 1t was
| stated that if the law sustained then
| the company would be obliged to refund to
| each subscriber the difference between the
statutory rate and the rate charged for
! each year since the law was enacted. An
| estimate was made that this item alone
| would involve an outlay on the part of the
| company amounting to some 100000.
| In addition there would be the costs of
| the suit, which already reaches consider
| able figures. For these and other reasons
| the conclusion was reached that the tele-
| phone company would make the strongest
kind of an effort before the Supreme
| Court. and as the other side had all along
been defended by the representatives of
the association that duty would still de-
volve upon the association, and what was
needed now was the continued active and
earnest and substantial support of the citi
/ zeuS.
Mass Meeting Decided On.
On these grounds 1t was deemed best to
hold mass meeting of all those interested,
so that there will be no falling off In the
vigor in maintaining the contest which has
been so successful thus far.
Col. o. G. Staples the president of the
association, presided at the meeting last
evening and the secretary, H F. Woodard,
was in his place.
a committee to make arrangements for
the mass meeting. to be held Tuesday even
ing was appointed, consisting of w. w.
Danenhower, DIR. H. L. E Johnson and H.
F. Woodard, with the president ex-
officio chairman. committee speakers
was named to consist of the following: r.
7 Tlr b.1y,, II W
ner, w. S. Hoge and 'Thos. w. Smith. A
reception committee was appointed COM
posed of V. Baldwin johnson, Samuel Ross.
j. Louis Loose. j. NJ. Hoge, Frank Hop
LING .lr,Il IL