Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1912-01-13

antitrust law. One Of them provided
that when any patent granted By the
government 10 used to build up trust |
or combination the patent shan - Ief' |
feited."
All telephone rates are now 0ub3ess
70 revision svsry I've yearA
The telephone company wants ne
city 70 raise rates and abolish the pro
vision In the ordnance calling Tor ~
vision every i've years.
They want 70 keep the people Wheee
they have them % that they can't -
away.
The expert" on pages los ana 10
Of his report apparently feels much
sympathy for the company On THE see
jsst
VIII the aldermen show any syn
pathy for the pseuasf
The telephone company wants the
public to pay high rates because .
the improvements Il has put In the
service. II this kind Of reasoning holds
sood, then Marshall Field 4 CO. anl
The Fair should charge higher prices
Tor the goods because Of the me
buildings and other inpfOvomsats
they have paid for. And on the same
like Of argument the NoftAwootor1
Railroad should double the price Of
railroad fares because Il has erected
. 12s.ooo.ooo depot.
The telephone monopoly oolisss ne
users Of nickel phones to guarantee
cents Per day. II the monthly deposN
Of nicksls falls short Of ths guarantee
the company makes the phone rsntef
nay the difference. II there should
happen % bo IN excess q aiekels he
company gobbles them Ill. 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.
Il only wants the phone rates raised
q trifie. They are not high enough at
present to swell the dividends OF the
local and the parent company.
It only wants permission to install
pay.in.advance slot machines all over
the city. because people are not losing
enough nickels already.
II wants the people to bear more Of
Its earning expenses than they do now.
II wants them to deposit q 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 their
constituents to help this monopoly?
Mayor Harrison made . popular
move when hs ordered . new report
On the telephone situation. The "sx'
psrt" whose report 10 now In the
hands OF the Council Committee fav'
orsd the raising OF rates and . gen
sral contribution TO the necessities oi
the phone gang. His report strangely
enough showed that the Chicago
Sranch Of the monopoly 10 owned
Body, boots and breeches By the
American Telephone crowd who con
troll the telephone business Of the
whole country. His report also shows
that the Chicago branch Of the monop
oily is obliged to buy all Of Its equip
ment from a notorious Electric Com
pany which is also owned by th'
American Telephone Trust. This com
pany makes It's own prices for wha
II sells TO the other concern and thu
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 million peopl
In Chicago. Recently It has grown d
bold that II managed to grab on 10
the purchase OF its watered stock
big sum OF money donated by the gen
erous Chicago public for the immed'
ate relief Of the widows and orphan
OF brave nremen who gave up thei
lives last December In the discharg
OF their duty. Amy alderman VIII
votes for an ordinance favoring tn
Telephone Trust deserves the ignom
my which he will certainly receive.
The telephone monopoly In Chicag
has grown to be an unbearable null
ance.
The service 10 rotten.
The scandal attendant On the pasi
age OF the telephone ordinance by tn
council Eve years ago is not forgo
ten.
The passage OF the present ord