Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-06-01

tnelr own lines Wlthln the city limits
In order to be in position to meet any
contingency that may arise.
We still think that the aldermen
who may vote aga :nst the proposition
OF admitting the competing company
will make sad mistake, and we hope
We may be permitted to express an
honest opinion without being charged
with attempts to dictate. Attempts
are being made to make them believe
that the granting of this permit would
be simply q personal favor without
any bearing on the public interests.
For that reason all possible prejudice
which is believed to exist against the
proprietors of this journal Is utilized
with the hope of it serving as q bug
a.boo to keep those who may be pre-
JUDGED in line. But we would beg
our aldermen to consider that it is no
personal matter, and what force the
TRIBUNE may have in the matter is
simply when it truly represents public
sentiment, which in this case is over.
whelmingly against the monopoly
The aldermen are accountable to no
private individual, but it the public
interests are disregarded they will be
accountable at the bar OF public opin-
ion, and it need take but little effort
to ascertain where the wishes OF the
general public lie in this instance.
Mr.. Tallman makes his main plea
for an exclusive monopoly of the tele-
phone business of this city on the
grounds that it is home institution,
representing local capital, and for
that reason deserves to be protected.
He asserts that there are twenty four
stockholders living in this city, and
that controlling interest, or S435, 900,
of the capitalization is held here. He
failed to state how many hundred
dollars of these thousands are dis
tributed among the larger number OF
these Willmar stockholders. We
have heard one of those stockholders
enumerated in the list at the last hear
ing, who is in favor of having a com.
peting line permitted to enter the city.
If the matter of granting an absolute
monopoly to Tallman were submitted
to the original stockholders of the
Minnesota Central, as individuals,
whose money and influence assisted
Mr.. Tallman in the first place to &C.
quire property worth while selling
out, he would be overwhelmingly de-
feated.
If q controlling interest in these
telephone lines is held At Willmar, by
Willmar parties, then q competing
long-distance toll line, which admit
teddy can get but little business, will
not injure the prestige of the home
company in any appreciable degree;
but if outside parties really control
the concern, when their purposes of
maintaining q branch here is con.
summated, they may eventually move
their Offices to which ever point is
most convenient to them.
The Office and business of the Will
mar Exchange will hardly be moved
away. Willmar patrons are paying
for everything they get in the way OF
service and are under no everlasting
debt of gratitude to Tallman. If he
doesn't want the business there ar.
others who would be glad to secure
the opportunity. Tallman has more
to thank Willmar for than vice versa.
Since how long ago have Tallman
and his little newspaper, the Willmar
Gazette, become so extremely sole.
itous for the protection of home c tpi-
tai invested In home enterprises? Did
they object to the organization of
new bank, new mercantile companies,
new stores, new lumber yards, new
racket stores, new furnishing stores,
meat markets., etc., etc., in each OF
which lines local capital was invested
before? Very properly, no. The field
has remained opened to all to come in
and try to secure the business. But
in this case Tallman's own OK is be-
ing gored, and he insists that the tele
phone business of Willmar Is his own
and that he must have absolute pro-
tectic n in o, der to live.
There is popularity possessed
about the local telephone business in
the matter of central connections which
distinguishes it from most ell other
lines of business. To be most highly
efficient, it Is desirable that there be but
one central flee or one exchange in
the city. No one would care for or
welcome q new exchange unless abso
lutely necessary to keep charges down
to q reasonable point. The local ex.
change is a public service monopoly
which should be a. nearly under pub
lie control as possible in order to in
sure equal rights to all and special
privileges to none. That is why we
believe In the ultimate municipal own.
ership OF the telephone exchange as
necessary public monopoly to be op.
Grated for the public benefit. A public
service monopoly in private hauds