Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-01-22
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY %. 1906
A GHOST NO LONGER.

The Gazette has become possessed
of an unusual zeal for having the
telephone question aired. 1t pub
fishes more than column CT COM
ment, in which some most remark
able statements are made. We well
come this because it is an unmis-
taxable sign that some action re-
garding the franchise is coming,
and it is deemed necessary to be-
fiddle the public mind as to what
the issues are and what can be
done. The Gazette says first:
1T is understood that the matter
has been up for discussion before the
city council at different times, and
that the city attorney has made a
exhaustive study of the legal fea-
lures involved, and yet no solution
las developed. 1t is up to the
Tribune to throw on the light and
show the council and their attorney
how to settle this vexed question.
The editor might attend a council
meeting and let loose his wisdom.
He would be cordially welcomed,
no Doubt
And a little further down it says:
1.-The Tribune says: Let the
city begin an action to GUST the
company from its streets and the
matter would soon come to head
The city attorney is too intelligent
to make so farcical a move
Now, pray, what is the use of
offering advice, when it is received
in such spirit as that? The Ga
zette has no remedy to propose and
it ridicules any that is offered.
The Gazette admits that the COM
pany is operating without fran
chise. Now, if the company does
not show disposition to submit to
the control of the city, will the Ga
zette please tell US how to compel
it to do so without a suit?
The Gazette continues:
The telephone company, we I'M
derstand, is not using their old
franchise, and the rumor is current
that the Tribune itself is respons-
ible for providing them this easy
way of getting around what would
have been an expensive difficulty.
1t is said that the Tribune had at
one time in it's possession several
shares Of the local company's stock
left with it for safe keeping and
to be used for the city's good at
some indefinite time. But one day
a Northwestern agent appeared on
the scene. He wanted the stock
lin fact his company had to have
it,. he offered a fat price for it,
and he got it-and thus slipped
away the last chance for regulating
the company. If the Tribune is
not responsible for this state of
affairs, it can name the parties who
are
Such "rumors' and it is said"
are absolutely false. 1t is needless
to say that the Tribune never owned
or controlled any stock in the local
exchange and hence was not ap-
preached by any Northwestern
agent lettering a fat price, But
the Gazette is correct in the last
statement it makes. We believe
we can name the party who is re-
sponsible for the sale of the Local
exchange to the Northwestern Tele.
phone company. 1t is the same
party who sold out the Minnesota
Central, and made that stencil in
the nostrils of business men fol
hundreds of miles around. Isn't
the Gazette getting out on thin ice
when it brings up the question OF
responsibility for the foreign con.
troll Of the telephone company? Is
it fair, or even decent, to accuse
US of selling out a company ir
which we never owned or controlled
any interest whatever, when the &C.
cuser itself published the facts
when the sale was made. Don't &C.
cuse US of being actuated by i'll
will, when you would make such Ar
uncalled for fling as the above.
Again the Gazette says:
"At a recent meeting of the Com.
! mercial Club, the president, in {
brief address as to the work done
by the club in the past year, named
among other things a conference
on the telephone question as related
to farmers lines, ard how at {
meeting Of officials of the club with
representatives Of the lines it hac
been found that the rural companies
were exceedingly well treated anC