The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-08-17
Telephone
COMPETITION
,THe NENP4is TIMES DISCUS SID
INTERESTING ouEsTioN IN
AN E1IToRlA

within the past few years in fact.
since the advent of the independent
telephone companies throughout the
United States OF America there has
been more waste yes, actual waste ~
OF printers ink than occasioned /
through any other source OF course.
the places usually selected by the In
dependents were cities or villages in
which exchanges we're already being
operated by what Is termed the EEL
system" and which in most instances
were giving the highest degree of SAT-
|fsfacton, says the Memphise tTenn.)
Times. ag
Another thing, the Times seriously
doubts IL there has been any other
thing, corporation. firm, individual OF
what:ne on the entire face of the
earth that has been subjected to the
attacks that the Bell companies have
It has come not only from the indie
pendent companies starting up almost
everywhere. but from individual
firms, and although it has been of the
bitterest character, the Bell compa-
mics are still employing hello" girls.
The question naturally presents itself.
then, that II every one is condemning
the Bell companies, and the attacks
coming from every locality, that they
must undoubtedly deserve the censnre,
or else there would not be SO much
of it. In other words, that where
there was so much smoke, there must
be some fire.
This was readily explained The
writer is not in the employ of the
Bell people. knows only very few
people connected with the system, but
due to. the fact Of his having made thu
subject somewhat of a study. he feels
that he is in position to at least
speak intelligently of same. The CEN
sure, ridicule, attacks, blasphemy, etc.
is first originated against the Bell
companies by the independent CON
Germs DESTROYS of entering the field.
This talk they continue to carry on
and follow up. They not only contine
the attacks to personal conversations.
but through the press, through various
forms of advertising and by circulars
either distributed by hand or through
the United States mails, penal Of
Tense in itself. Notwithstanding the.
writer has failed to unearth any rec
ord wherein either of them, meaning
Neutrality-suspicious., have ever been ar
rested, or cited for trial before Fed
eral judge.
The attacks and censure once start
ed by the independent people Is pick
ed up by the inhabitants of the place
In which the new concern seeks to
obtain franchise for long number
of years. The people are enormously
led to actually believe that the Bell
companies are overcharging themi in
fact, charging them much more than
they are charging the people residing
in the adjoining village, and this nat
uralIy arouses Indignation. The re-
suit frequently is that the new con-
Germ obtains its franchise, reduces the
rates, cuts the very life out of the
business and not only the Bell, but
their own business, is operated at
loss. The Bell companies are well
fixed, financially speaking, and can
hold out as long as necessary, for OF
course they had to cut prices also, in
order to meet competition, although
absolutely ruination to their business.
The Independents possessing little
money. soon acknowledge defeat, sell
ont n the Bell companies, and the
people are the ones who have suffer
ed. And SO it goes,
Passing from this part of the stat
us of affairs we come to that of SER
vice. 1t certainly stands to the very
best OF reason that, due to their hav-
ing been in the field SO long, the Bell
people would undoubtedly have secur'
ed the right of exclusive use of the
best telephone instrument and general
APPARATUS on the market. The re.
suit is that the Independent compan-
les are forced to take what is left, and
the service between the two systems
may then be compared. That the gem
eral, local and toll line service II the
Bell companies is by far the better
we do not believe thsre can be the
least scfntilla of doubt. 1t has been
tried. tested and actually proven, and
those living in places where an indie
pendent exchange and a Bell ex-
change are operating will quickly sub
stantiate this contention Of the Times.
Cities, towns, villages and hamlets
anticipating the Construction of an
independent telephone exchange as
against. that of the Bell system would
do decidedly well to first investigate
and look into it deeply and properly
before launching such an enterprise.
I'D will nav. and pay well, to do SO.