The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1909-06-04
An Independent Telephone.

A large number Of citizens met at the
courthouse last Saturday to organize an
independent telephone line in Obion
County and adjoining territory with pro-
ceedings rs stated in another column.
We want to discuss this matter a lit
tie, but we want to talk business with
out any string attachments. We be-
lege thoroughly and heartily in the
system which has governed in this coun-
try since the foundation of the govern
ment, the system which recognizes legit-
innate competition in all lines of bust
ness, upon which the United States has
achieved her commercial greatness. We
do not take stock in the enforcement of
sentiment that great corporations should
own and control the various lines of
business. These organizations, many
of them, undertake to assume all the
virtues of a guardian bonded with the
ties of tilial relationship and the further
security of financial backing.
We do not believe in the theory nor
the practice Of trusts, neither do we be-
lieve in the control of general utilities
10y private combinations.
A healthy, legitimate business com
petition must prevail, or there will be
ultimately decentralization of business
and perhaps greater evils attending the
violation of popular rights.
What we mean, therefore, is that no
one company or combination under
one head and ownership should control
the telephone business Many of the
cities have had two systems with sue
cess, and perhaps some of the rural
lines have succeeded, but in the main
the rural lines have been failure.
But in establishing rural line there
must be some other method besides a
desire to secure the best possible advanta-
ges with the least possible expense. No
community can maintain rural tele-
phone system nor any other general
utility without a financial head and
practical management. We might go
further and say with a good deal of Sc
surity that the concern which has no
idea of making it a business can sue
coed financially, and if not financially,
how can it otherwise be a success.
What is everybody's business is no
body's business, and unless some man
is at the head of the rural telephone as
manager, who is financially interested
and expects to make it a business, he
can not very well steer the enterprise
successfully. 1t would be infinitely
better if the manager were a practical
telephone man.
We say these things, not through any
opposition to the enterprise. On the
contrary we say so because if the enter
prise is started we positively want to see
it succeed. But there is no good rea-
son undefs Me sun why people should
waste their gergy and time in an UNI
dertaking that is not well founded.
That time might be turned to some
thing of more account as a public en-
terprise.
We are optimists and believe in pub
Tic enterprise; we want to see public
improvements of every kind and be-
lieve the citizens should 60 to some
length in making them. But every
thing Of the kind must have some
well executed and approved system or
method, or that enterprise viii be a
failure and the last estate of failure
is worse than the first, and the oppo-
sition will secure a firnner hold
Therefore, gentlemen, be sure that
the Union City Telephone company is