Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-03-11
THE TELEPHONE ISSUE.


The Willmar Gazette published
an article on the telephone question
last week, Of which the following
is the main part:
about ten years ago a telephone
company was organized in Willmar
which became known as the Mime
sofa Central. An exchange with
long distance connections has been
maintained here ever since and at
the present time the service is
equal, if not superior, to any given
lsewhere in the state. Some time
ago the exchange became the prop
erty of the Northwestern company
who claim to be operating under
long lease, or the lease given the
Minnesota Central by the city when
that company started. However,
there have been several animated
city elections in Willmar in late
years and a little booming crew
who claim to always have the inter-
est of the city at heart have used
the telephone franchise for cam
paign purposes. They advance the
claim that no franchise exists and
that the company is operating in
Willmar unlawfully. A short time
ago the matter was brought before
the council and a resolution was
passed for the immediate removal
of the company's phones, poles and
equipment from the city, these re-
Communications being for the pur-
pose of bringing the matter to a
speedy decision and to test the
claims of both sides. So far the
company has refused to bulge and
the crew who are back of the move
ment for confiscation realize the err
ror Of plunging the city into a long
and perhaps disastrous litigation
and thus increase the already bur-
de.,some taxes. A new movement
has appeared during the past few
weeks in the shape Of municipal
ownership talk or the creation of
another and independent company
in Willmar. AS it is a we'll known
business principle that anything in
the commercial market can be pur-
chased with money those who are
pushing the fortunes of another
telephone company hope to saddle
the expense Of the telephone system
upon the tax payers, or to force
the users of phones to use two sys-
TENS. The Willmar Tribune is the
principal agitator for either Of
these mercenary moves but has not
advanced a single meritorious mo-
tive. That the motive is to 'get
even' for real or fancied wrongs
has not been charged directly but
it is generally suspected.
In view Of existing disturbances
which the Tribune and Mr.. Lawson
revive annually at spring election
but forget the rest of the year, and
in view of the Objectionable fea-
lures of having two telephone sys-
TENS in Willmar or that the taxpay-
ers be saddled with the burden of
maintaining the telephone for the
benefit of those who use them, a
large number of citizens suggested
the matter to the Commercial Club
and have asked it's unbiased influ-
ence to help settle the matter.
Acting upon these suggestions the
matter was taken up. Mr.. Lawson
was on hand with resolution in
jecting partisan politics and asking
that the Commercial Club at once
use it's influence to crush the North
western and to prevent it's use of
the streets and of doing business in
Willmar. This resolution was sup
plemented with a fiery socialistic,
if not anarchistic, speech, but when
the vote was taken the adoption of
the resolution was overwhelmingly
lost. Instead the members voted
for the appointment of committee
to confer with the Northwestern and
to ascertain more clearly the exist
ing conditions and the company's
intentions for the future. Also to
determine what methods the city
might profitably use in arriving at
a satisfactory settlement if there is
indeed any settlement to be had of
the matter claimed to exist
The above article seems to be a
deliberate attempt to deceive the
people of Willmar. 1t is brazen-
faced attempt to still maintain that
there is no telephone question in
this city, and to denounce any one
who dares suggest that the city has
any rights that the telephone COM
pany need respect. While appar-
emily aimed at the editor Of the
Tribune, the above comments strike
the council with full force. In the