Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-12
WANT RATE INQUIRY
Demands Upon the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
COMBINATION is ALLEGED
Facts Sought About Telegraph and
Telephone Companies.
ASSERTIONS OF PETITIONERS
Claimed That the Public Is Suffering
From Efforts to Restrain
Trade.
COMBINATION is ALLEGED
ASSERTIONS OF PETITIONERS

\ thorough investigation OF existing
telegraph and telephone rates is believed
to be foreshadowed b. demands which
have been filed with the Interstate COM
merce commission in the form of petit
tions, directing the attention of the COM
mission TO the apparent purpose of the
American Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany to monopolize all facilities for wire
communication
The movement to compel action on the
part of the commission, which was given
jurisdiction over telegraph and telephone
lines under the last act amendatory Of
the interstate commerce law. is concert
ed one. The petitions. Identical in form,
profess to set forth the desires OF indi-
viduals in several western states.
Although no action has been taken thus
far the commission. IL Is said. fully real
lies that 1t is only a matter of a short
time before the question of rates must be
reviewed. When the commission issued
its order assuming jurisdiction over COM
panieS engaged In interstate business as
common carriers of messages by wire 1t
Was noted that the order did not under
take to fix or adjust the rates to be ex-
acted. Referring to the rate and certain
other sections of the law. the order re-
cited that the commission at that time
withheld expression of its views with re-
spect to the amenability of these car
rierS."
In the petitions it is urged that quick,
reliable and economical intercommunica-
ton is SO essential to the commercial and
social interests of the citizens of the
various states that Geographic service
and the charges therefor more vitality
concern the welfare and prosperity of all
classes than do the service and rates of
the express companies.
Belief of Petitioners.
Continuing the petitioners say. I've be-
lieve your investigation of telegraph con-
ditions would disclose the fact that the
people are now. and ,or a long time have
been deliberately deprived of the advan-
tages. benefits and economies OF low
uniform service rates by systematized
violations of the laws designed for their
protection and betterment. That exor-
bitant rates for unimproved service have
been maintained either by actual COM
bination or by 'genelemen's agreements.
and that strenuous efforts have been en-
ployed to prevent their introduction or
cheap tolls, whether by competition or
legislative measures, seems obvious to
your petitioners.
Restraint of Trade.
Your attention is invited TO the ap-
and Telephone Company to monopolize
all facilities for wire communication to
tho destruction of competition and the
possibility of low charges for the use Of
wire service. The rapidity with which
formerly independent telephone compan-
les are being absorbed and the efforts to
induce those still left to enter into agree
ments for the maintenance of extortion-
ate rates seem to us to admit OF no
other Interpretation than that of COM
bination for the restraint of trade di-
rected against Independent and compel
ing companies.
"If Geographic service at the rate Of
| cent or less per word for any distance
Is a possibility of the modern telegraphic
art. the public is entitled to that sort of
service"
The petitioners declare their belief that
carefully deliberated efforts are being
made by the Geographic trust to prevent
the progress of Independent enterprises"
and they. therefore. urge the commission
to Investigate the operations, business
and policies of all the telegraph COM
panies Of the United States