Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-19
SAY RAIES
ARE UNJUST
ACTIONS OF TELEPHONE COM
PANIEs CONDEMNED
DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE HOLDS
WEEKLY MEETING
Charges Made That Sunset and Home
Are Owned by Same Managers
and Have Same Board of
Control


In burning words the acts of City
Attorney Hewitt was arraigned at
the noon luncheon of the Democratic
league, held at the Hotel Westminster
yesterday. The criticisms came In con-
nection with a discussion regarding
the injustice done the city of Los An
geles by the two telephone companies,
as well as by the large lighting COM
panies.
IF the grand jury went to the bot
tom Of the case now" exclaimed A. ID
Warner, one of the speakers at the
banquet, they would find these tele-
phone companies, the Sunset and the
Home, were controlled by the same
board of control and their money went
into the same treasury.
"If the grand jury brings in less
than 108 indictments, they will be do
ing WELL" Mr.. Warner said at an
other time when speaking before the
members Of the league at the luncheon
yesterday. "If we unfold this rotten
ness we will be doing more for the
welfare of the community than any
other Democratic organization has
done for Los Angeles in the history
of the city. We ar not aiming at
squirrel now, gentlemen, but we are
turning the attention of our organiza-
ton to a franchise which will come up
next year.
Franchise Is Far Reaching
"And this franchise will affect the
welfare of 100000 people and $4,000
homes"
These remarks were greeted with
liberal applause by the audience. and
were the echo of the following words
of Robert Loucks, ct one time Demo-
cratic candidate for congress, and
known in Los Angeles as the adherent
in part;
1--WE must not deal in glittering gen.
eralities. There Is a situation in Los
Angeles demanding our attention.
The telephone situation, like the cleo
trio light situation, comes up once
year for public attention. Just as last
year l did my best to get new gas
ordinance passed, which l think you
feel relieved the situation to a great
extent, so now there is a new electric
light situation demanding our atten-
ton. To illustrate:
IF the owner of a subdivision goes
to on, of the big lighting or power
companies in Los Angeles and tells
them that he can put in his own pow
er and lighting plant in his establish
ment at cost of SO many kilowatts
per hour he will be attended to by the
company. He will be served juice
or power and light at the rate, say.
of from one to two cents a kilowatt
per hour, while we pay nine cents for
the same and others outside the city
pay twelve cents.
Discriminating Rates Cited
&C. on oc HE thaaa of ra,,L die.
elimination of rates. which are abso-
lutely illegal.
THE larger the city, the larger the
concentration, and the greater the in
justice resulting. In New York city,
for instance, they make you pay ten
cents for every telephone message.
ION the other hand, at Pomona, the
Pomona Home Telephone company
has no watered stocks or bonds but is
on a solid basis. They run their ex-
change to Lordsburg and San Dlmas.
taking in an area greater than that of
Los Angeles, at two dollar rate.
challenged the Sunset telephone COM
pany to explain to me why they
charged such rates as they do. You
know the rates we pay in Los Angeles.
Five separate companies were organ
lied for the purpose of stocks and
bonds, and the last is the Pacific Tele-
phone and Telegraph company. Where
is it's interest going to?
1T makes my blood boil to think of
it, Now, l ask nothing drastic to be
DONE Pay these men of the compan-
les in question, on fair basis. But
not cent more"
Resolutions. simply as recommends
lions to the hoard of directors, advis-
own appointing to Mayor Harper to
protest against unjust discrimination
in rates by the light and power COM
panies, were referred to the board of
directors without action.
Vice President Is Chairman
Vice President James G.. Scarbor-
ough, who acted as chairman in the
absence of the president of the league
It. e. Gibbon, who was unavoidably
detained, explained this action re-
garding the recommendations to the
board was necessary, inaSmuch as the
recommendations involved the policy
of the club, and any action is in a
measure an expression of the policy
of the club. Hence, he was compelled,
he said, as the presiding officer for
the time being, to refer this matter of
recommendations to the board of d.
rectors. The action met with the
heatry approval of the entire meeting,
A. ID. Warner explaining that his leav-
ing at that time, was necessary on ac-
count of business
Th. vice president also explained
the league had obtained permanent
quarters at room 40 Bradbury build
ing, Third and Broadway. The per-
manent fund is to be maintained by
monthly subscriptions for one year,
and the original plan is to be followed
out, that of organizing the city and
county and perhaps the entire south
ern section of the state, through the
efforts of an assistant secretary. while
the club is to be business organiza-
ton and not a social club by any
means. The lunches will continue
every Tuesday. A banquet will be
held the night of April IS, the ami
versary of the birthday of Thomas
Jefferson.
Harmony and enthusiasm marked
the luncheon throughout, and the idea
of the occasion being one for business
and not social gathering was shown
in the manner in which the speakers
handled their subjects President Glib
bon of the league was to have made
the address of the day, but In his abb
sence several speakers took the floor
in his place, there being about ten in
all.
The Jumping on Place
Recommendation tad me in ifs pra s,