Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-02-07
EXPECT HOUSE
TO ORDER PHONE
INQUIRY TONIGHT.
Special Meeting of Committee to
Consider Edge Resolution
Is Urged.
COUNCIL WILL ACT If
LEGISLATURE FAILS
City Fathers Ready to Make
Indererdent Fight to End
ExtortiOn Here.
TFrsm a stan correspondent.l

Fran Staf Correspondent
TRENTON. Feb Efforts will be
made tonight to have the Assembly
mur sripal corporations committee hold
sreeial meeting for its consideration
of the telephone abuses. To that com"
mittee the resolution OF Majority
Leader Walter E. Edge. directing an
inquiry into the discriminating rate
methods OF the Newark Telephone
Company was referred last Tuesday.
but the committee had already decided
TO hold its next meeting on Monday
afternoon. February IA. 1t was de-
cided to hold the committee meeting
on that date before the members knew
that they were to be called upon to
consider the telephone matters.
Henry r. Tatenl, chairman OF the
committee, mas been put in possess
sion of the rate cards of the telephone
companies in various cities showing
that Newark and other New Jersey
cities are being Disseminated against
by the telephone trust. Mr.. Tatem, in
his talk with an EVENING STAR
man. declared it was an outrage for
the telephone company to carry on its
extortionate schedules in New Jersey,
and especially in Newark and in view
of the fact that he has been sup
Piled with the large amount of docu-
nlentary evidence he will probably
bring the matter to the attention to
tho members of his committee tonight
and not wait week for the regular
meeting time of the committee
Besides Mr. Tatem there are other
members of tho committed who have
bee, maI,inp a studv of The te,enhone
{ ,,it,Iatioa
The object oe folona, Irdse,s raso,,,-
tios, fs 10 have tb, countries inyesti-
cate and report its conclusiolt to the.
Terisl,t,re In oll nrohalaiIitv tbe CON
rntftee viii, ,eeaxn,,,ene) to the.sH Ho,Iss. The
apnoirtment Of 4, 1speciai et,n1nittee 10
,)robe the discriminating methods of 4he.
New York TelepI1one CoYnnanv similar
ia tl1at which is now Investigating in
New York Stote. IfThe mass of evil
dence now In the hands of the munici
nal corporations COMMITTEES win direct
the future action. the committee will
recommend a thorough probe at once.
Separate and distinct from the lesis-
lative inquiry, the legislative committee
of the Common Council of Newark Is
making an investigation. Members of
this committee will 90 to Trenton to-
night to see how far the State authori-
ties have progressed and to offer their
assistance il needs be. If the House
committee does NOT show an ,nclinatlon
to sneedilv give RELIEF m the business
mar of Newark tbe civ authorities
viii act on their own accornt
Botei Overcharges.
IL developed at recent session of the
New York legislative telephone inquiry
that the big hotels where the calls are
charged for at the rate of ten cents
each nav three cents fiat to the com
nanv
IN tba case of the Waldorf astoria
, ~ thn Ia,vvers read a statement
sho,,,i,,e, tbat zoo o0o r,essa pes were con
,,,ooto8 ,bara for the vaar mak,ne
ets no, fo,, thot i+ero Tn addit;on there
. 49, ita,,,s. N-i,h, o,,orst,,rc
* IN. extensions installation. etc.
~ .eo zoo oo6 ,oessages az o0o Total
2s,7oo, oov,oVo ,a.t'sH,,e %'soo 80
T-9''1V' ne 80 80 -, o. -
sakss Weie si,Sii @e 'oi'o''' ",' 80
te:! .ueAils caeit' in@oo 81 -
sVo,lS I on lne eeIetiioi'e al 'i'e no'0t' VI
proht OF $-V,9li year :,
a prominent INe"arA iaWser' ~ olS-
cusslnS the teiephohe situatlon loday'
said:
A telephone company Is common
carrier of news, IN the sense IN wnlcn
the telegraph IS a common carrier. lts
relation with the public imposes upon
it well-defined ooligatlons OF puphc
character. All the instruments ana
appliances used by a telephone COM
pany in the prosecution OF Its business
are, in legal contemplation. devoted to
a public use.
1.-THE rule that requires u common
carrier to serve all, so far as aple, with
inpartiality is applicable to tele-
phone company engaged IN general
telephone business. Ine LEGISLATURE
has the power to regulate by statute
the maximum price which telephone
company. engaged IN general teie-
phone business may charge for the
use of its Instruments, services rem
dered and facilities anoroea, notwlth-