The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-09-12
WHY FIVE DOLLARS?
An Increase of One Dollar and Fifty
Cents for Monthly Service by the
Cumberland Telephone Company.


Cumberland Telephone Company
When a Caucasian representative
called at the Office of the Cumber-
land Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany to settle its monthly account
for service which has been $3.50, he
was informed that the amount due
was $500.
He demurred. but was informed
that notice of this advance had been
mailed, which he did not dispute. He
paid the amount demanded but pro-
tested verbally against an increase
of nearly 80 per cent.
This advance is an outrage and is
not justified by any reasonable plea.
Having paid the charge demanded,
an inquiry followed, which resulted
in the development that all tele-
phones of this company installed
for commercial purposes had been
advanced to five dollars.
A few of the subscribers inter-
viewed admitted that they had OBJ
jected mildly to this increase, but
others remarked:
whats the use of kicking?"
What would we gain by kicking?"
'lf we were to kick, the company
would answer, quit if you don't like
the service.
Have you not yet realized that
we are at the mercy of corpora
tions?"
Suppose | did kick and raise
sheol. who would help me? The
Chamber of Commerce or the COM
mission form of government? Not on
your life
Il paid because can't help it, and
must have the telephone service and
the company knows ill.,
From these answers to our queries
it is evident that the afflicted expect
no relief, and feeling helpless will
continue to meet the demands OF
this company.
When the company proposed to
enlarge its facilities and to improve
its service, ii was prOfuse in prom
lees. 1t may be conceded that the
service now being given to the pub
lie is somewhat an Improvement,
HUT it is not of the kind that justi-
ties an increase of fifty per cent over
The rates fixed for years at $3.50.
In the demand for such exorbi-
tant rates no one connected with the
LEGAL exchange management can be
J held blameable, as they are the en-
Iployes of a corporation whose or
lders must be ebeyed; but if this
company can demand and collect
their demand, which we repeat is
Outrageous, what is TO hinder an ad-
ditional charge for the service at
residences?
Perhaps the attempted justifica-
| tion for this increase of nearly fifty
| per cent may be explained on the
lplea that the telephone instruments
are all new and up-to-date and are
Cn the long-distance system, but
with all these explanations and 9th
ers, the increase of $3.50 per month
is not reasonable, either from q
common sense application nor from
a sense of equity.
This demand which is unreason-
able and arbitrary may be exacteC
because, as one of our friends said
the company can do it and we are in
a sense at their mercy, but we dc
mot subscribe to this view, and as
Ian American citizen we will protest
against this outrage.
But what are the people who are
Idireetly concerned going TO do abou
lit?
Are they going to submit tamely
and keep paying paying perhap
lfor the improvements which hav,
been made by this corporation t
better the service?
| We would suggest action by tn,
business men of the city.
/ Will the Commissioner of Public
/ Utilities take cognizance of this ex
faction by the Cumberland Telephon
land Tplapranh Cnmnany9