Okolona messenger., 1906-09-26
Card from the Cumberland Tel
ephOne Company.
NASHVILLE, TENN,
Sept. 10, 1906.

1t is with unfeigned regret tina
we are informed that there ID sons
antagoniam toward our Company
upon the part Of certain merchants
OF OkOlona.
We feel that such antagOnism
must be without sufficient ground
fret, from the fact that this
Company has spent 3 considerable
sum Of money to establish fret
class and up to.date telephone
service; and next, because this
Company has not been doing bust
ness in Okolona long enough
for the people to know it's
policy or plans, and we take this
occasion to mention this matter in
order that the people of OkOlona
may know what we contemplate
doing.
1t is the intention Of this Com
pany to so connect Okolona with
the outside world, over its magni.
ficent toll line system, as to make
it's service not only OF great value
but indispensable to the CONNER
cial interests OF Okolona. On &C
count of certain legal obstacles we
have been prevented from making
the connections with Okolona
which were originally contemplat-
ed; however, these obstacles will
be removed in the near future, and
we will then be in position to car
ry out our original plans.
As to the matter Of local service
rates in Okolona, we established
at the outset-but after we had
spent a considerable sum OF mon.
ey to put in a first. class service
our standard or usual rate for SER
vice. These rates have been made
as low as it is possible to make
them in order to secure a first
class service and obtain com
mensurate return upon the invest
ment; and further than this, the
fairness OF our rates is beyond
question.
On account Of a rather reckless,
and, we feel sure, ill'advised COM
petition - and a competition
which from the nature of things
can be hut tempOrary-we have
been constrained, in order to pro
tect our investment and our pres
tige, to MAKE reduction in the
residence rate.
Now, we are informed that some
Of the business men are opposed
to this reduction on the ground
that they might be compelled to
take two telephones. This Com.
pany can not advocate dual tele-
phone service, for it knows that
no community will long brook the
reign Of two telephone systems.
However, such matters inevitably
result in the survival Of the fittest.
We feel that we can say with par
dOnable pride that we are the fit
test, as the contrary has never
been shown, and since our rates in
the State Of Mississippi are regu-
lated by the railroad commission
Of said state, the people Of OkOlO'
ma have nothing to fear, and
should take no stock in the re-
ports that we will at some future
time charge extortionate rates in
order to recoup any losses which
may be the result Of the reduction
in the residence rate. We have q
standard and uniform rate for all
towns, according to the number o.
telephones in use In the various
exchanges; and, as stated, these
rates are limited by order Of the
railroad commission Of your state,
It is our purpose in this com
muniCation merely to point OuI
that we do not believe we deserve
the antagonism Of any Of the Citi
zens Of OkOlona.
It has been and is our desire 4
treat the people Of OkOlOna, ant
every other place in which We d
business, fairly, and to give then