The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-01-18
HOME COMPANY
IS CONFIDENT
OF GETTING IN

IT was plainly intimated at the third
public hearing last evening on the petit
tion OF the Home Telephone company of
Providence that the hackers OF that cor
poration expect the joint committee OF
the common council to grant their petit
tion for a franchise.
The arguments Of the petitioners were
made by Judge Albert l.. Smith of Buff
falo who told of the benefits conferred
by competition in Buffalo and other cities
and replied TO arguments by the oppo-
nents of competition.
Judge Smith served notice upon the
committee that the independents had
never yet failed when they sought entry
into any community, and declared that
refusal OF the present application might
delay but could not prevent their coming
TO Providence.
Thomas ". Lee, president OF the new
company, read requests from business
firms that their names be added 10 the
petition asking for a franchise.
The reasons why workngmen favor
telephone competition were presented by
George Il. Brady and President Thomas
Gamble OF the Musicians union.
ONlfl lOl Ah' tA"hA'hS W
the franchise were made by Max Mag
nus and Edward Shaw. I'd.
The council chamber was well filled
with listeners and more than once the
points made by speakers were greeted
with applause.
Judge Smith said: "1n Buffalo competi-
ton has reduced rates and improved
service There is no question or that. The
Bell company. IL memory serves me right.
now charges only 500 for an unlimited
service; where formerly the Bell COM
pany had 5000 instruments before the
coming OF competition, IL now has nearly
10000.
The independent telephone people are
no cutters. Having set themselves on
goal and that goal being "A franchise, We
have never failed Of its accomplishment.
We have been set back. but we have
never been defeated, l want TO say 10 you
now that whatever may be the action of
this committee. whatever may be the ac-
ton OF the body you represent, at most
you can only delay us. We are coming in
10 the city of Providence. maybe not this
year. but we are coming. Boston has re-
Gently come into the fold. as we'll as
other New England cities. and Proyl-
dence must come, too.
1T seems to me that this is a matter
between the people of Providence.
through It's representatives, and the Home
Telephone company should have no
standing i'm the case. The Home company
has 10 fight against Il; the fight has 0een
started by the Providence Telephone COM
pany'
In reply 10 the point that some men did
not waft two telephones he argued that
IL would he unnecessary for any man
whose interests did not make the use
OF two telephones an advantageous in
Nostment 10 have both. 1t had been found
elsewhere that men did not feel bound 10
put in both telephones simply because
there were two systems.
Quoting from the figures of tho num-
her of telephones i'm use i'm Providence,
Judge Smith went on: Isn't the man
who says v have all the telephone SER
vice I need selfish? There are thousands
OF men, skilled workingmen. who. II
there were competition. would not think
~ being without the telephone for min
ute. 1t seems to me that the selfishness
OF the man who has all he wants should
be rebuked'
As to tearing up the streets, Judge
Smith said that conditions i'm that respect
we're no different now from those when
the streets were torn up 10 lay gas mains.
water mains and conduts OF the Provi-
dence Telephone company. The work I'M
this instance would cause no greater in
convenience.
lie denied that the claim that the tele-
phone was 2 natural monopoly had any
foundation. or that owing to the pecu-
liar conditions OF the industry it should
he controlled by a single agency. The
city OF Providence, ne said, would have
been an excellent place for the develop
ment OF an ideal system under such con-
ditons. In the absence OF competition for
S years.
The question, docs an ideal condition
exist?' was answered by quoting statis-
tics showing the relative proportion Of
telephones in use in Providence and other
cities. declaring that situation like that
here existed nowhere west OF the Hudson
river.
IL was announced that today Vinton c.
Sears, a well-known telephone expert OF
Boston, will appear before the committee
and that the summing up OF the petition
ers' case would then be made by Walter
II. Barney. r,