The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-05-09

tscontinhed i rom; paEs one.Ii

Il ~ - Lgk4ky4A 4N4GM "a
Continued Ron; Iase cns., II
mentEand the III hWay method 5 the
old Smonopo by to Il rot tie and destroy:
Iitsf first attempt after having and fhar-
rasstng those 80 presumpti ousS as 4 to
Iengaged In building and operating tele.
phone exchange BY burning and de.
Estroying their telephones and equip
/ lnent: the wonderful growth OF the
Independent: T elephone Movement AMI
the marvellous duplication Of tele.
phones underline stimulus OF free and
4 popular competition; the springing up
OF numerous independent telephone
factories, supply houses and acces-
sorry concerns 10 meet the demands of
this new and popular system; the
scientific perfection OF telephone r.
paratus under competitive Influences
and the great diyerstfication and ex-
tension OF Its use: the 1: wasting. nf
millions OF Its stockholders; money By
the Bell Company in its unsuccessful
efforts to rule or ruin the Indepeni.
ents; the present supremacy OF the
Independent Telephone system anil
the splendid assistance rendered BY
n small coterie OF staunch and able
telephone Journals to that end. These
are but the leading chapters in the
story Of the telephone partially told
by many. but completely told by none.
Interesting as the story Is. I must
leave It. I regret my inability to take
the time to go more fully Into the
history OF telephone development, for.
absorbing as It may be; to the student
and historian. 1t is always necessary
to a clear understanding of the indie
pendent telephone movement; how
and why 1t came about< its present
condition and Its future possibilities.
By the light OF that history. too, are
we better able to nnnlyze and deter,
mine what the present attitude OF the
independent telephone movement is
and what It's future policy should be.
illegal Warfare of the Bell Company.
The Bell Telephone Company after
having Waged q relentless warfare
against the Independents for many
years In the operating field. by free
and unfair competition. by "a most vi.
ciors literary bureau and by other
lunscrupulous methods originated and
j'practicet only by that company, and
finding Its opposition along those
lines unsuccessful. then sought to
starve out or cripple the Independent
exchanges by buying up the 1ndepena-
emit telephone manufactures OF the
| country. In pursuance of this policy
the Bell company attempted to pur.
chase the controlling stock of the
stromberg- Carlson Telephone Manu-
featuring Company. OF Rochester, N.
", and Of the Kellogg Switchboard
and Supply Company, Illinois. two Of
the larger opposition manufacturing
concerns OF the United stntes. The
first attempt involved not only the
Stromberg-C CO.. but also the
controlling interest in the United
States Independent Telephone Co. of
/; New York State, embracing Buffalo.
Rochester, Syracuse and other import.
ant Independent exchanges in West.
ern New York.
It's purpose was completely thwart-
ed by the prompt action Of the Attor-
ney General OF New York through ef-
forts In the name OF the International
Independent Telephone Association.
This attempted purchase was clearly
in violation OF the Antitrust Laws
OF the State OF New York as tending
to destroy competition and create in
the American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company a monopoly in the tel.
ephone business and was therefore en-.
Joined by the court. These important
properties have thus been retained In
the independent system.
/ Tile second attempt, the purchase OF.
the Kellogg Switchboard and Supply
Company was. after long and persist
ent litigation. recently set aside by
the court. That the purpose OF the
Bell Company was to starve out COM
petition and regain monopoly of the
telephone business Of the United
States Is shown by the findings OF
the court as set out in its decree.
After describing the two great tele-
phone systems local and long distance
OF the American (BelD and Independ-
ents the court says. land in January
1902 (late of sale), and for long time
prior theerto, said system OF said
American company and It's licensee
prior thereto. said system OF said