Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-11
Effort to Put It on District
Appropriation Bill.
DOUBT OF PASSAGE
Senators Want to Know It's Effect as
to Government Contracts and
Subscribers.

The Senate committee on the District Of
Columbia has decided upon q favorable
report upon the resolution providing for
the repeal of the provisions Of the act OF
Congress Of June 30, 1893. fixing charges
for the use of single or ground-wire tele-
phones in the District of Columbia.
AS the District Of Columbia appropriation
bill Is still pending before the Senate this
proposed amendment to 1t will be sub
ject for consideration when 1t is reported
and a proposition Is made to add 1t to the
District bill. This may be done some time
this afternoon. but there will be divided
opinion as to the propriety Of adopting the
amendment
Many senator's especially members OF the
Senate committee on appropriations. which
considered and placed upon the District
bill in 1898 the provision for lowering tele-
phone rates, consider the proposition to re-
peal that law one that is too serious to be
adopted without very careful consideration
and more full knowledge Of all facts con-
corning it than is now in possession Of the
committee on appropriations For this
reason it is likely that when the amend
ment is voted upon point of order may be
made against II.
Effect of Compromise.
There is a lack of exact understanding on
the part Of many senators in respect to the
exact terms and the effect Of the comprO-
mise arraI ed yesterday, afternoon between
the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company and the Telephone Subscribers
Association of the District of Columbia. In
a general way it Is understood that this
agreement provides that the telephone COM
pany shall give rebate equal to the diff
ference between the contract price of tele-
phones insisted upon by the company and
the lower rates established by Congress in
1885, the enforcement of which has never
been secured and in relation to which there
has been constant litigation.
One-half of this rebate is to go the tele-
phone subscribers individually and the other
half to the Telephone Subscribers Associa-
ton to pay the expenses incurred In litiga
ton and to settle bills contracted by that
association. The amount, it is understood.
which will go to the association. is about
$4,000 which. it is estimated, will be suf-
ficient to pay the expense the association
has been subjected to and to pay It's attor-
neys, who, 1t is understood, have not been
paid up to the present time.
One question that has arisen and has
caused comment among senators relates to
the number Of telephone subscribers who
are to receive rebate. Under the terms OF
the agreement. as stated by the president
OF the telephone company, Mr.. Bethel. 1t Is
understood that only the subscribers in the
association will receive this rebate. When
the legislation was enacted in 1898 there
were 2.0GO subscribers to telephones and at
that time the association was formed with
about 100 members, which number is now
greatly reduced.
Comment Is made by some senators on
the prOpriety of any agreement for a pay
ment OF rebate only to members OF the as
sociation while the law for a reduction of
rates provided that the lower rate should
be given to all of the subscribers. Some
senators believe that If the rebate Is given
at all 1t should be given to every one of the
subscribers from the time Of the enact
ment of the law.
On the part of the Telephone Subscribers
Association an agreement was made to
withdraw litigation and to withdraw their
objection to the proposed amendment re-
pealing the law in relation to telephone
rates.
Government Contracts.
Another important matter that Is involved
in the proposed amendment is in relation to
its effect on government contracts. It is
understood that it will change In some i'm
portant ways the power of the government
to provide itself with telephones under its
present system even at existing rates.
While these objections to the adoption of
the amendment have been discussed by
senator's the objection to the amendment
as a whole goes much further Some
senators comment upon the suggestion to
repeal the law in compliance with a COM
promise arranged by an association with
the telephone company. In all events they
see serious objection to acting on the
amendment before it's effect has been fully
discussed and not only before the appro-
priations committee. which enacted the law
in 1885, but also before the Senate.
Senators are inclined to think that If the
telephone question is raised 1t will pro-
duce an extended debate not only in the