Connecticut western news., 1907-04-04
TELEPHONE MONOPLY.
PLAYED BY SALISBURY LAWYER

He Says the Bell Telephone Company
 is the Monoply of Monoplies and
 Controls 50 per cent of Southern
 New England Stock. te
 Last week the judiciary committee of the state legislature held hearing on the telephone question with regard to which there is deep interest in all parts of the state at the present time.
 Among the speakers was state's attor- ney Donald T. Warner of Salisbury who heartily fayors the amendment that will make it possible for independent com panies to operate everywhere in the state instead of being restricted po the towns in which they are at present do- ing business. He went into details in explaining the history of the Southern New England Telephone Co.,, saying that at the time of the granting of its charter there was nothing in it which could be construed to mean that the field was not open. An amendment to its charter was granted later which per mitted it to increase its capital stock. 1tIn 1899. however, continued the speaker ia law was grafted, and I do not use the term opprobiously, whereby the open field was closed"
 MT. Warner said he had nothing to say of the personnel of the Southern New England Telephone Co.,, no man could say anything against these men, but the controlling influence, the influ- ence which controlled 50 per cent. of its stock, was the Bell Telephone Co.,, monoply of monoplies. Over all these subsidiary companies is the quieting hand of the Bell Telephone Go. The Southern New England Telephone Go. had covered the whole state and pros pered, but in 1899, like Saul on his road to Damascus, they saw great light. They saw rival company could enter the field against them, and so law was passed which reversed the policy of this state. It created the rankest monoply of monopolies. Up to 1899 the legislature had sad that telephones were a public necessity and convenience, but in that year the legislature closed the open door to all but those who were in the lodge of the Southern New England company or the American Bell Telephone Go. He quoted President Tyler of the company as saying before an association ''that the law which formerly existed was obsoete and an agreement was made before the new law was enacted" Who made that agreement Was it made in conclave at Boston, the headquarters of the Ameri- can Bell Go? Continuing, he said that under the law it was incumbent to come before the legislature and establish that 1t is public necessity and convenience before charter is granted, and then you must get dow on your knees in every town and hamlet and get a majority to say it is a public necessity and conven- fence. He insisted that the law was absolute prohibition. President Tyler has said that no man has dared to make for a charter. "Of course pot, because he would have to tackle Judge Stoddard and the coterie that surrounds the operating company.
 MT. Warner then ikened the South ern New England Go. to the old saying, None but the elect of God shall serve.' and said the position of the company was we are the elect of God" MT. Warner than described the advantages of the independent company in the mat ter of mechanism and secretive service over the Southern New England Go.
 "The people of this state," he said "could not take advantage of these i'm provements, because they were barred out. The greatest argument adduced against the independent company was the matter of. competition. In the town of Sharon there were 300 independent tele- phones and the Southern New England Co.,, after IT years of protection, had only nine telephones in that place. Don't let the good old state put up the bars and forbid competition; give us our God given rights, our constitutional rights; special privileges to none, fair play for all. Write it ip the bond, if you will that we shall not sell to other companies. Let us try it out and let us win or fail. Throw open the door to a company that will give better service and cheaper rates"