The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-11-29
Independents Plan al on
The Big BelI Wire Merger
Will InUoke
Aid Of 7aH
And Courts

q j
NEW YORK, Dec. 29.-Decliring
counts in the land wtH be Invoked 10
check t:le monopoly of communicates
that Is threatened by the bl4liop-dci-
lar combine, recently announced 4y:
the Bell telephone TRUST. representa-
tives of the independent telephone In
terests throughout the country are
planning In this city to-day nation
al fight for the principle OF open conn
petition. With $400 .000. 900 of the saw
ings 0f the people of almost every lo-
callty invested In the independent tel
ephone plants ttit the new wire trust
Is determined to rule or ruin, leaders
in this movement assert, the interests
ol the public fenand that the govern
ment take Immediate action against
the giant merger. AT convention CT
The independent Telephone Assocta-
tion that has been called in Chicago
for December q, representative OF the
10000 companies, that with 4,O0O.00f'
subscribers i!re-to-day competing with
the telephone trust. w!N make FOR
mai protest to Washington AGAINST
the restraint Of tunSfe that they be
Heya will be effected by the absorp-
tioa OF every telegraph Interest by
the Bell system.
To the Attorney General of every
one OF the many States In whicn fney
assert We'll street money is now be
ins srsed to fIlegaHy force a Bell mo-
ncDoly. the independent telephous
forccs are to-day proposing to fppeaa
for protection. Suits to prevent the
ACQUISITION by the telephone trust OF
Important systems built by the peo-
ole of Ohio, IndfaIha, Missouri, Iowa
md Michigan, have Ilready hcen IN
stttrted in St Louis and cleveland,
and the independent leaders declare
eeyry similar move To throttle c0npe:
tit'cn will be fought 10 the last ditch.
Unless the new wire trust IS o. plis1.
rrereEsad from n:rfying out -
schamoes to fHeaIly aihsorb all com
pet3ors throughout the continent the
Ifndependent telephone men prophesy,
| the neople or the country Will soon be
fotred into the power OF q MONOPOLY
greater and more arbitrary than that
81 either the oil, beef or sugar tttst
As a possible rival to the Dillon
dollar cornmnmhatton trust u the
telegraph and long distance telephone
feIjIs independent forces are 0-day
prFH ring to tbutl6 a trunk wire sys-
tenn that win reach from the Ailantpc
seaboard to tine Missouri river. tcr. the
benefit OF tine people who use the tel.
ephone exchanges they have 0uilt m
tIfnendert1y at home, as well as Tor
rtnsral telegraph business. unlfse
fha BeH system, fnfs enterprise VIII
see, NOT 10 kill competition but TO
ncster and Increase it, 1t Is declared.
Already 100000, 900 have ben stIbscl4P.
ali towards this plan for preYentinS
the proposed monopoly OF the wire
trust.
nhat the cost of both telephone tsnd
telavrarsh service will DE increased u
tie new wire trust obtains monopoly
Is proved already by the past history
ofits proanoters, the Independent tele-
phCae u1ren declare.
Excrbitant rates uHd either poor
service or none at ell were otfered by
! fhe Bel1 combine IN an the years of
| its tormer monopoly through patent
rifhts. st is pointed out. AS these con-
dHicns brousl1t about the birth OF the
independent telephone movement. they
must resume on the instant OF Its
Death, it IS lsrglleSlt
we feel that we owe moral as
we'll as business obligation to the
aimy of Americans throlghout the
country who have placed $4O10Oe,0Oo
of their cummings in the home tele'
Thone plants. built to rid Them Of tle
Ben 4nonnpoly," sold q. III. Mouhon,
prssident OF the Independent Tele,
Thone Association, In this city today
eve shall exert ourselves in every
possible way to chow the government
that il too, 1iss an obItgation to pro
feet d1hese investors as we'll as ths 90.
600 600 consumers In independent tel
entone systems We shall mot gtor
our fiaht for the rlafnt OF comPetfton
even with an the Wall street captta
OF g1is new b1llton dollar TRUST arrayed
oeainet us; but will push u V the
nanest courts and adm nistrauye au
thOrIty."