Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-06-04
Convention of the Independent
Linest to Denounce Government
For "Bell' Fayoritism
MIDDLE WEST WILL NOMINATE
Plans for Merger of independent Lines
to be Taken UP and Perfected Out
side the Convention Questions to DO
Discussed-lovla Well Represented at
the Meetings.

Chicago, June 4.-Resolutions de-
nouncing the United States govern
ment as unfair in It's treatment of
$350,0O0,o00 invested capital have been
prepared for Introduction at the con-
vention of the International Iadepend-
ent Telephone Association, which con-
vened at the Auditorium hotel IN Chs
cago today. Demand is to be made for
notification of an order forbidding
postmasters all over the country to in
stall telephones lin their offices unless
the instruments have direct connection
with Washington. The rule is declared
by the 1000 delegates to the conYen-
ton to be working Injustice to 100000
telephone subscribers, patrons Of the
1000 Independent companies of the
United States Naild Canada.
The attack upon the government Is
led by Charles E. Sumner, of Port-
land, Ore. founder of telephone COM
panies in tweNy cities Of Oregon,
Washington. Idaho and Montana. Del-
egates from all the twenty nine other
states represented at the convention
are expected to join, in discussion Of
the situation at the national capital.
Next in interest to the executive
order held to be aiding the Bell
monopoly the convention will be in.
terested in confederation of govern
ment ownership Of telephone lines
Francis Dagger of Winnipeg, Man.,
expert of the Manitoba government IN
charge OF building that provinces i
0O0-fnile long distance system, COW
ering sixty towns, will tell OF the
campaign leading, to Manitoba's decis-
ion to construct the first government
owned telephone system on this con-
tinent. Mr.. Dagger has for years been
the telephone expert Of the Canadian
parliament at Ottawa.
This years convention will be DOM
mated by men from the central states,
who are expected to complete plans
for interconnection Of long distance
lines whose use will bring closer the
relations Of 1,S50000 telephone sub
scribers in Michigan, Illinois. Iowa.
wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri and
Kentucky. These arrangements are
to be made at private meetings OUT
side Of the convention hours.
H. D. Critchfield. of Milwaukee, pres
ident of the Wisconsin, Independent
Telephone association, responded to the
address of welcome to the convention
by Mayor .Busss. Mr.. Critchfield IS
building an independent exchange IN
Milwaukee, and as president OF an
outside company is completing plans
to construct long distance lines all
over Wisconsin,, connecting with the
Tri- State system of Minnesota at La
Crosse.
Dwight e. sapp, OF Mt Vernon, o.,
a lawyer, will speak of "Frenzied Fi-s
nance In the Telephone Field" He
will urge conservative telephone fipan-
cling. as will w, L. Moellering, of Ft.
Wayne, Ind, who will speak Of S"Tele-3
phone Securities, as an Investment"
The convention is to be urged by these
men to declare in favor Of telephone or
ganization on an enduring financial
basis. IS
Rural telephone situations are to be
considered in the convention following
a speech on the subject by G. H.
Schweizer, Of Lacrosse, Wis. Long
distance features Of d the telephone
work are to be covered in addresses by
w. J. Stadelman of Sioux City, and ].
NJ. Plaster of Fort Dodge.
7 Among the delegates to the conven-
ton from. Iowa are: w. II. Barker,
Sanborn; j. S. Isellamy, Knoxville; F.
C. Musson, Atlantic; G.. A. Peterson,
Manchester; J. III. Shoemaker, Water
loo; n. A. Douglas, Cedar Rapids; Fl.
A. Kinney, Wooflbine;; c. A. Laubach,
Council Bluffs; j. c. Thorne, Fairfield.