Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-10
TO STOP THE FIGHT
TELEPHONE SUBSCRIBERS WILL
WITHDRAW ALL SUITS.
Agreement Reached at q Hearing Be-
fore Senate Subcommittee
This Afternoon.

At the hearing this afternoon before a
subcommittee of the Senate District COM
mittee an agreement was reached between
the Telephone Subscribers Association of
the District Of Columbia and the Chesa-
peake and Potomac Telephone Company.
President Bethel of the telephone company
announced the offer of the company to pay
to the Telephone Subscribers Association
money it has spent In litigation and to re-
bate telephone users one-half Of the differ
ence between the statutory rates provided
in the act of Congress and the contract
rates of the company.
He said that in view of this proposition
the Telephone Subscribers Association
agreed to withdraw all suits and also oppo-
sitfon to the proposed amendment by which
the law fixing rates for telephones in the
District is to be repealed.
Attitude of Telephone Subscribers.
The following statement was submitted:
1--WE are directed by the Telephone Sub
scribers' Association to state to the COM
mittee its attitude upon the pending ques-
ton. This association was formed early in
1898, with the purpose to secure, if possible,
fair rates and fair service from the tele-
phone company. AS a result Of its agitation
of the subject the proviso now proposed to
be repealed was enacted. Afterward the
assume the labor and cost OF compelling
compliance with that statute.
This, in our opinion, should have been
undertaken by the legal department Of the
government, since the government was
financially much more interested In sup
porting the law than any limited number
of citizens could be. For more than four
years this expensive effort has continued,
and we now find ourselves not advanced
beyond the starting point, so far as the
final determination OF the legal questions is
involved. No questions in the case have
been finally determined, and II litigation
continue several years must pass before
they can be determined by the court OF last
resort.
The act Of 1893 was never satisfactory
to any one. Its author did not intend that
it should become a law in the form in
which it was presented by him to the House
Of Representatives. and 1t has been al
ways regarded by the associations attor-
neys as wholly inadequate to the situation.
1t does not at all cover the ground, and
IL 1t is to stand 1t. should be added to by
further provisions.
1.-THE association also recognizes that
since the passage Of this act of 1898 local
conditions have greatly changed. Improve
ments in methods have been introduced and
rates OF charges have been lessened. In
view Of these changes the act of 1898 Is yet
more unsatisfactory, and In the light OF
information not accessible in 1898 the justice
of the act has become more doubtful. The
association also finds that many of its sup
porters in 1898 are now satisfied with the
treatment accorded them by the telephone
company and are unwilling to give further
financial or moral support to the contin-
uance of litigation.
1.-The association has never wished to do
injustice to this company, and under exist
ing circumstances is willing to withdraw
it's opposition to the proposed act Of repeal
and rely upon the sense of justice Of Con-
gress to see to 1t hereafter that a proper
inquiry be made into what are fair rates,
and to compel them, Arthur A. Btrney,
Henry F. Woodland, John j. Hemphill, at
torneys for association"