Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-04-05

interested in the Northwestern
Telephone exchange Of this city and
their sympathizers would bitterly
oppose any move which promises
to give the general public Of Will
mar and neighboring communities
a popular telephone system and re-
lief from the exactions of the Bell
telephone monopoly. 1t shou d
therefore surprise no one that the
customary campaign has begun to
befog the issue in the minds of the
people when a rev danger threat
ems the Bell exchange. But it is
surprising how easily otherwise
good citizens may be persuaded to
help fight the battle against what
plainly appears to be the best in
terests Of the city of WiIlmar.
In 1905, six years ago, the fran
chise expired under which the pres
ent telephone exchange was erected.
No move was made by the compa-
ny to ask for renewal of such
franchise, but on the other hand it
was claimed that perpetual rights
had been acquired by reason of
cleverly drawn permits given long
distance lines in the early days of
telephone development Of the city.
The company has denied the right
of the city to exercise any control
over rates or connections. 1t has
used the streets as it saw fit, cut off
shade trees wherever they were in
the way for their wires and cables,
and has successfully resisted at law
every attempt made by the city
authorities to compel them to come
to terms of settlement that would
be consistent with the dignity of
the city. Moreover it has used
its power to grant or not grant
connections to independent lines as
a club for sitting competition with
it's long distance lines for many
miles adjacent to Willmar. To
cap the climax two years ago it
arbitrarily raised the rates for its
service in the city one-third of the
former price on the plea that it was
losing money under the old rates.
AS solution Of the trouble, the
question was brot out of a munich
pal telephone exchange to be erect
ed to drive the trust out of business,
and this plan met with the hearty
approval OF a majority of our
citizens. The trust, however, with
its powerful sympsthizers were not
idle, but have taken very active
interest in local politics. For the
past two years it has succeeded in
keeping pretty close control Of the
situation thru a friend in the city
attorneys Office. Some Well-mean-
ing citizens object to municipal
ownership of public utilities on the
plea that it takes them into politics.
How, we ask. could the telephone
plant be more in politics than it
has during the last six years? When
a foreign corporation with an usur-
ped franchise can for years success
fully defy city authority aud parti-
ally control elections thru it's local
rami6cations, could a plant directly
under public control be any worse
With the big sewer question con-
fronting the people and demanding
immediate solution, the telephone
question was crowded to the side.
Many citizens who desire to see
the trust control broken, felt that
it would be unwise to crowd the
question Of a new municipal ex-
change until the sewer problem had
been disposed of. Therefore the Bell
tcIcpuOAc oylHpoeA1A0Ao "SAN AhuNn
pleased with the situation.
But when the outlook was the
darkest new development suddenly
appeared. AS Mr.. Bowe says, the
Bell company can usually be depend
ed upon to do the wrong thing at
the right time" The arrogant
attitude of the trust in regard to
connections precipitated new deal.
3J r. ~ eI .
Mr.. Arthur G.. Bowe owns and
operates two exchanges at Olivia
and Bird Island. He is veteran
il the ranks of the builders Of in
dependent telephone lines. He res