The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-05-08
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NllaS convent tion i 83ofS the West vir.
Etnia$ Ind eDende denta elephone Assocla.
tionF was called to order this morning
AT ten o.clock; The convention was
add dressed sbyg Mr. ! walter Barnes on
Sthe subj teet OF Unity of interest
Barnes spoke as follows:
4 Unity Of Interest. !:
In the early history tofS this country
hen ~ was occupied By the Indians
lespeo oples came across the mountains
anil the little settlements that were
formed had "a common enemy. i ami
they found III necessary to combine
gether for protection. Later it was
found when the settlements grew
that they should be connected for the
scotnmon purpose OF efense and ;devel.
opnnent. Later the settlements deyel-
sFoPed into colonies and the tcolonies
sfonnd common cause. for union 4 .
pp6se the tyranny Of the mother
ssconntrY g.l /. IN Is.
Tin stud wing the history OF the
fslep phone lin this country
we find That IN the early history of
ne movement the opposition company
Ssso,ild seek here and there an oppor-
stnnA to crush out the rising tide OF
tinae epsna aencas I'M the field OF : tele.
Rhpny So strong indeed becnme this
intlnence thnt I at first several small
1nlpan Les Joined toge ther4 by 4 con-
tract Later they organized them
selges: into State % associations AMI
stil Inter as the outgrowth of these
tate associations was organized the
ational Telep ephone Association out
iofE which grew the International Tele-
Phone Association. In the independ-
ent Held that ssy stem is for each com
Epany control its own, Affairs; TO
control Its own equipment; Issue its
sSpvn took, and exchange service by
sagree eement with connecting compa-
Anles. So rapid has been the. develop
tsment nee the movement started In
1896 that the average number Of tele-
kphones Installed per year is. 100000 $
The constitution OF the association
sayssthat the aim and purpose Is to ice-
sEmentS In a. flrmer union all the indie
sgpendent telephone Interests in the
United states. Some Of these uni.
Ties ofa Interest are: Il 81 4.
First TO ga ther information; ;rela.-
ling the business and furnishing the
gnecessarys sta tistics or the same.
Second to promote the development
inSnew#E Territory.
Thirtl To protect existing compa.
Snl1ies an their rights and privileges.
Fourth VI To increase interest in the
business for all z companies. q,
fth: To compel better service by
comp tition Z! = !,
n Sixth To give equal service to all
J SEfor5 the same kinds OF service. ~;
itsis Seventh To establish uniformity. IN
advertising and accounting
d Eighth: TO adopt some uniform
method OF. operating the toll business.
sss sss Ninth: To standardize construc-
finn 4. sS Z. % .si. & 4. n; e fji
enth: To formulate some stand.
sard rules of operation.
T1Ieventh To combat the opposi-
stipns Iand, to make common cause
ngninst the common enemy. &
eparately we could make small
prog oEress but ike the man who illus.
tratels stheSvalue OF union by the bun
die sticks which he exhibited to his
sons telling them that he would give
tn prize ttoS the one who broke the bun.
fdleEf first: Ill tried and failed. The
ssold tleman united the bundle ana
stnking the; sticks up one by. one broke
them into pieces. Thus 1t is that
several small companies unite into a
gsystam or association and become
strong: We hive not so much now
fear from the common nemy rs
rom the tlissensions among our.
selves: As the enemy seeks to secure.
Here and there a link in our chain.
The whole ain ] Is not stronger than
e its weakest link !as a whole. So we
find Stt is necessary to strengthen the
weak places, to help the small COM,
sspanies lin Sall ways we can by giving
them toll service so that In their res
Sapsctive sections heyS are able SSto
comp ete with the I. Opposition: The
small ailroad that runs between two, tss,,
points 10 Of very ~ tile value ifSitI ~ can.
1ft rfnfa ef,nn An