Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1911-12-30

that when any patent granted By the
government 10 used to build up . trust
Or combination the patent shall b fef.
eeite1."
All telephone rates are now 0ub3o0l
70 revision svsfy I've yearA
The telephone company wants The
city 70 raise rates and abolish the pro
vision In the ordinance calling for ~
vision every I've years.
They want 70 keep the people wheeU
they have them % that they can't -
away.
The expert" on pages ios aAd 10
Of his report apparently feels much
sympathy for the company On this sub
3eoE
VIII the aldermen show any syn.
patty for the psopsst
The telephone company wants the
public 70 pay high rates because -
the improvements Il has put IN the
service. II this kind Of reasoning holds
good. thea Marshall Field 4 @. anl
The Fair should charge higher pricss
for the goods because Of the 1ne
buildings and other improvements
they have paid for. And on the same
like Of argument the Northwestern
Railroad should double the price Of
railroad fares because Il has erected
. S2S.ooo.ooo depot.
The telephone monopoly oblisss The
users Of nickel phones to guarantee s
, cents per day. u the monthly deposit
Of nickels falls short Of the guarantee
the company makes the phone renter
pay the difference. II there should
happen to be an excess Of nickels the
company gobbles them al. The phone
renter gets no credit for that excess.
That's the logic Of the monopoly.
The Telephone Trust doesn't want
much from the City Council.
1t only wants the phone rates raised
q triie. They are not high enough at
present to swell the dividends Of the
local and the parent company.
1t only wants permission to install
ruy.,u.uavaace slot machines all over
the city. because people are not losing
enough nickels already.
II wants the people to bear more OF
It's earning expenses than they do now.
1t wants them to deposit nickel
before they can get police or fire pro-
lection on an emergency call.
Il wants the city to give 1t free
rein to carry out its designs on the
public.
II wants a great deal more.
What aldermen will sell out theil
constituents to help this monopoly?
Mayor Harrison made Q popular
move whom he ordered q new report
on the telephone situation. The "ex
pert" whose report is now In the
hands Of the Council Committee fav
ored the raising Of rates and . gen
eral contribution to the necessities o.
the phone gang. His report stransel,
enough showed that the Chicago
sranch Of tho monopoly 10 owned
body, boots and breeches BY th'
American Telephone crowd who con
troll the telephone business Of tn
whole country. His report also show
that the Chicago branch OF the monop
oily Is obliged to buy all OF its equir
ment from notorious Electric Com
pany which Is also owned by tn
American Telephone Trust. This com
pany makes It's own prices for wha
II sells to the other concern and tn
people OF Chicago are expected to pa
for the profits OF both subsidiary inst
tutions of the Trust.
Talk about the Tobacco Trust, tn
Standard Oil Trust and every othe
trust. The trust that is the real thin
is the Telephone Trust. This Trus
hits over a quarter OF a million peopl
in Chicago. Recently 1t has grown 4
bold that II managed to grab on 10
the purchase OF its watered stock
big sum OF money donated by the gel
erous Chicago public for the immed
ate relief OF the widows and orphan
OF brave fremen who gave up thel
lives last December In the dischars
OF their duty. Any alderman wh
votes for an ordinance favoring III
Telephone Trust deserves the ignon
my which he will certainly receive.
~6
The telephone monopoly In Chicai
has grown to be an unbearabls nui
ance.
The service 10 rotten.
The scandal attendant on the pas
age OF the telephone ordinance BY Il
council ave years ago 10 not forge
ten.
Tho passage Of the present orc
nance will result in something mo
than scandal for the facts will
easier to get at.
Any alderman who votes for an !
crease OF rates will BE- branded -
ought 10 be.
The Chicago American Of June