Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-24
All the Independent Companies
In the State Will Hold a
Convention
TO CHANGE THE TOLL SYSTEM
Method Now in Use in Dividing the
Tolls for Long Distance Service Not
Exactly satisfactory-short Lines
May Object to the Proposed New
System.

Des Moines, Feb. 24.-The Independ-
ent Telephone Companies Association
of Iowa Will hold q convention in Des
| Moines Tuesday and Wednesday,
March 10 and IL, at the Slavery hotel.
| An effort will be made to change the
system of dividing tolls for messages
which pass thru the lines of several
companies The concerns which have
| long lines will ask that the arrangement
| be placed on mileage basis. The other
companies are expected to resist this.
AT present the division of tolls is ar
ranged after this fashion:
When one company transmits a mes
sage 70 the lines of another and it does
not pass to a third the company on
whose lines the message originated gets
go per cent of the charge and the second
company 40 per cent
When the message passes over the
lines of three companies, the first gets
so per cent and the other two % per
cent each.
When the message passes over the
lines of four companies, the first gets 40
per cent and each OF the others 20 per
cent
This method of dividing the tolls has
been in use among the Independent.
lines in the association ever since the
organization of the association, that is,
for five or six years. Some of the most
prominent men in the different compa-
MES believe that 1t should be changed
The proposition will be that the tolls
be distributed to companies in proper
ton to mileage. If a message passes
over the line of a company having ten
miles of line used and originates on one
having 10 miles, then the latter should
get ten times as much for handling the
message as the former. This, with var
iations to suit peculiar cases, will be
the offer of the companies having ex-
tensive mileage.
Those concerns having shorter mile
age will object and will argue that it
costs as much in wages to handle a
message over ten miles as over 100, that
the investment is rot much larger In
the latter case, and no larger except for
wire and poles; that the larger compa-
MES get much more business, in any
event, because they are larger; and that
a division based on mileage will be
ruinous to the income of many of the
little concerns.
1t is said that a rather spirited fight
on this question is expected to mater
ialize. 1t was with difficulty that the
present system of division was estab-
lished originally, many desir-
ing the division of tolls to be by reason
of mileage. With reference to the or
igin of messages. 1t is argued on one
side that a message for toll line hand
ling, will not originate at all on 4 line
except for the fact that the message
can be carried on the second line to
the destina tion. that is, If it We're. not
for the second line, there could be no
message at all.
There are now about 800 members
of the Iowa Telephone Association. as
this organization of the independent
lines is called. There are about 500 of
these companies in Iowa. Officers Of
the association believe that the mem
the meeting to be held week after next.
the association.
.. S. Alderman, of Nevada, is pres
ident, Henry S. Herr, of Ottumwa,
vice president, Charles c. Deering, of
the Mutual Telephone Company, of
Des Moines, Is secretary. Mr.. Deering
has just issued the notices of the meet
ing The program has not yet been
arranged. 1t is said that the presen-
tation of addresses will be largely in
the hands of the new members Of the
organization.
Charles Kirk, OF Charlton. George
N. Bandy, of Des Moines, j. S. Bellamy,
of Knoxville. and H. c. Raney. of Fair
field, are the members of the executive
council. This committee is also the
legislative committee and has watched
after the telephone legislation in the
sessions of the assembly for several
years.
The effect of the recent supreme
court decision on the telephone business
will be discussed by the independent
companies association at this meet
ing and probably definite action will
be taken with respect to the policy of
the independent companies on the prop
osition which will come before the next
general assembly to enact law Civ
ing cities the power to fax telephone
rentals. The legislative committee of
the association was largely instrument
al in giving the state the present
Blanchard telephone tax law. but its
position on the Sweeley rental law
last winter was not we'll defined.
Mr. Deering and Mr.. Bandy will ar
range very interesting program for
the session. this week. Important tel
ephone subjects will be considered, in
advantageous franchises.
CUBAN TAX PLAN OPPOSED.
Claim Made That Calculations of Rev