Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-07-07

Standard OIL in tho amount OF Its
capital and judging future from the
past action OF the telephone trust.
augurs Ill for the independent move
ment On this country, as we'll as for
telephone users turnout the coun-
try.
Public- is Blamed.
Many reasons have been given FOR
the sale OF the Independent companies
to the trust, but the ono most gener-
ally given is that the public does not,
appreciate the work of independent
and mutual companies in reducing
rates and extending service. that the
concern can not be made to pay be-
cause the public will not patronize
them, hence when the big stockhold-
ers get the opportunity to sell out
they jump at the chance. especially II
there is neat little profit in 1t for
them. The thing that has hurt most
In the sale o fthe Dubuque and Stand
ard companies was the method in
which the deals were put thru and
the fact that a small coterie in each
concern got all the pie. and the little
stockholders, the laboring people who
have invested their meager savings.
were left in the cold to suffer the
loss. 1t is this fact, together with the
raise in rates which has always fol-
lowed such a sale. that has aroused
the independents and their friends to
strenuous efforts to prevent the trust
from grabbing all the independent
companies of the state.
Demand Rate Wars.
Wherever there has been two tele-
phone companies the public has in
sisted on a rate war and this has
been Improbable to both concerns,
with the result that the men higher
up, those who have the most money
involved. have been forced to combine
in order to protect their investments.
During the last legislature the indie
pendents made a determined effort to
have passed a law regulating tele
phone rates in iowa, but they were
unsuccessful and this left the tele-
phone field so that the trust coul
discriminate at will and ruin the in
dependent movement in this state
This, with the fact that the public
will not as rule support the home
company but constantly play the trust
against the independent in order to
get cheaper rates, has caused many
of the Independents to lose heart and
they are selling to the trust whenever
they get chance.
New Coup Expected.
This is particularly true in this
section Of the state and leads to the
belief that few of the larger stock
holders in one or two independent
companies in northeastern Iowa are
planning to sell to the Bell. The min
GRITTY stockholders are the ones who
are holding secret meetings to devise
ways and means to prevent the sale of
either company Local independent
men, who are determined to fight the
Bell to the last ditch, are watching
every move that is being made in the
game to gain control Of the Iowa tele-
phone field and 1t now looks as
tho it would be a short time until
the final struggle for the control OF
the field takes place. II the Bell in
terests gain control of a few more in
dependent companies in this state
they will be in a position to absolute
ly control the field and Iowa will
once again be in the grip of the tele-
phone trust.
Failure of the public to support in
dependent companies is the prime
cause for the strength Of the trust In
this state today.