Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-03-04
TWO SIDES Of A QUESTION.

TWO SIDES OF a pubSItON'
The city Council IL asked to grant q
franchise to company not set incor-
porated which proposes TO establish
home telephone system and guarantee
good and efficient service at half the
rates now charged By the Rocky Noun
laln Hell Telephone Company, This Is
Il matter that Requires very careful con-
aIderaion by the city authorities, There
are many things to be well weighed
The chief aim 10 be kept In view IL
the public benefit II Is pleasant to say
yes when people ask for a favor II
requires courage as well az good iudg-
ment, often, 10 say no. II there were
no other interests at stake than those
Of the proposed association. the risk
being thers II might seem churlish TO
refuse the application But before a
decision Is reached Il WIN be necessary
70 see how It viii affect other interests.
First. how win II affect the munich
patty, and what benefits VIII result to
the cltlaens2 Nest, what bearing will
It have upon the present telephone sys-
iom, the company that owns II and the
home capitalists who are pecunlarily
interested In it2 So far az We have in
vsstlgated the matter 1t appears to US
that the proposed company offers SIM
liar accommodation to the city to those
now derived from The established ar
rangement IL there would be any ad-
vantage from having double set Of
lines and instruments which the city
could use for its public business over
that Of the present service, the change
should be weighed IN the scale Of exam
nation. II Is claimed ON one side that
the city would have that much more
accommodation, and Is pointed out ON
the other side that this would only cree
ate confusion without increased BEN
ont.
Il Is further urged that II must be for
Tie public welfare to secure a telephone
oHtylCe at half the cost OF the establish
I'd rates. Against this II Is argued, that
1Ai,ss the new system should become
rs universal as the old one, II would not
answer the purpose Of business and
professional men and firms, and II it
succeeded 80 far as to force the Bell
company to cut its rates In two, still,
unless the latter was pushed out Of the
business, those patrons would be COM
PEELED still to Use the BELL as wen as
the Home service, and thus no peouni-
airy advantage would be gained hut
confuslon would probably
II the general public could be in
duced to adopt the new system and
reject the old. the matter would be
very much sImpliled but that is hardly
10 be expected. II the project should
be received with such favor as to war
rant It's establishment It's growth must
necessarily be gradual and while It is
extending, the Inconvenience and diff
culties now IN the way would continue,
until connections were established both
IN the city and elsewhere, throughout
the State and In the surrounding re-
glons such as now exist under the
operations OF the Bell company
1t Is claimed that the Independent
telephone movement il In operation In
various parts Of the United states, and
with pronounced success. That Is quite
possible and yet II might not be add
visable here. These companies are not
generally associated Each stands on
its own basis. The Rocky Mountain
Hell Telephone Company is associated
with the American Bell Telephone
Company and It's connections are very
extensive, spreading out in this region
even to remote places, which we reach
by the long distance instrument The
Home company Intends to spread out
In the same way as fast as possible
but il must be admitted that for some
time at least this viii be impossible,
and therefore those who need the dis.
tant service win have 10 continue IT,
even II they patronize the new COM
pany for home use. Here then would
come in the double service again.
For ordinary house 90 house use, the
Bell company furnishes a very service
able connection FOR 81 a month. which
gives twenty messages from each
phone TO any other IN the city for that
sum, and unrestricted reception Of mes
saGes without further cost The Home
company proposes to DO this for half
the amount which Is very liberal Of
fer bat until the system becomes as
well established RS the old. the same
OBJ ions could be offered as those al
ready mentioned. There would be no
advantage in having two phones IN a
house. one for each system even II the
Bell company met the half rate, be-
cause of the confusion that would GER
lalnly arise
One advantage offered by the pro-
iec,ars Of the Home company Is that
arerylbdy who chooses can take stock
IN e. placed as low as 81 per share
lh.' would put the capital In the hands
" 'iah people and thus the profits, II
ny would benefit this community
Another thing; II is quite linely that
With the cheap rates offered, people In
owns and villages where there Is now
slther no telephone service at all or
simply one toll room for the whole set