The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-07-31
THE TELEPHONE CASE
Special Telephone Commissions Re
port of VT. monopoly" Questioned


port of VT. monopoly" Questioned
This paper has not the slightest
sympathy with any gasping monopo-
listic corporation that is breaking
down competition by unfair means.
taking advantage of it's opportunity
to overcharge the public for the SER
vice it renders, or lodging its right
ful share of the tax burden. On the
other hand, it has not the slightest
sympathy with attempts to harass or
needlessly curtain the activities OF
public service corporations, to use
the laws club to force their charges
down below the point of justice to
the investors, or to rob such con-
Germs by excessive taxation Which
way out sympathies go in any parti-
cular case depends on the facts we
are able to make out and this is not
always or often easy. There is So
much suspicion of hiding the truth
and of misrepresentation on the one
hand and so much suspicion of Ill
terror design and political ambition
on the other that the truth is diff
cult to find. Corporations are prone
seekers have discovered that it is
popular to bait them; so there is at
present an era of banging anything
that resembles a monopoly; whether
with or without reason it is hard for
the citizen who has no prejudice
either way to discover.
Our Vermont statutes have estab-
lished a board known as the public
service commission whose duty il is
to investigate all complaints made
against such corporations and with
adequate power to regulate them for
the pubic good The present com
mission consists of a leading Demo
crat, the chairman named by the
present governor; one Republican,
also named by the present governor;
and one Republican hold-over. A
resignation gave the governor the
opportunity to name a majority of
the commission to his choice and
liking, SO that the presumption is he
made 1t up as he wanted it with due
regard to the public welfare.
Recently there came from Caledon-
| la county a complaint that the Pas
sumpsic Telephone company, one of
| the subsidiaries of the New England
| was charging excessively for it's ser
| vice and praying for relief The mat
| ter was put into the hands of the
| public service commission and was
| being investigated in the usual
| thorough manner. This. for some
| reason apparently didn't suit some
body and a petition was hurried to
| the governor asking him to take it
| up himself. II is said that the bust
| ness partner of one of the two spec
| ial commissioners later named to in
| yestigate was very active in promet
| ing this movement The governor.
| after a special trip to the locality,
| complied with the request and nam
ed committee of two, consisting of
one man of the immediate locality
| interested, who had been the COVER
| nor's counsel in his former move to
increase the railroad appraisal, and
whose selection. for other reasons.
| might be open TO some question on
the ground Of possible prejudice; the
| other member is said 10 be in equal
ly close touch with the governor.
| These two men proceeded to investi-
| gate the New England Telephone
company and in about a month we're
able to report that it was a wicked.
unlawful monopoly. grinding and op-
| pressing its patrons, evasive of its
duties. and that it's phone rates
should be reduced twenty per cent,
according to a table that the commit
tee of two kindly framed.
| The governor transmitted this re
port TO the public service commits
sion with the hint that it promptly
adopt it as its own, so that if any
additional legislation were required
TO enforce il the matter could be
handled at the coming special ses-
sion. The governor asserts that this
special investigation having found a
Drima facie case against the com
pany. it Is now up to the company to
prove that its rates should not be
iXed and its course and conduct
circumscribed. as therein directed.
In view of these circumstances
and to the end that the corporation,
It's patrons and the public may be
fairly treated. we seek enlighten-
ment on the following points
| Why was this mater taken out
Of the usual and legally established
channel for the settlement of such
| controversies?
,. What legal authority had his
eXcellcncy the governor TO name any
| beard of special investigation?
;. Whac legal authority had such
board TO act in the premises. to sum
| mon the company before it or com
plain If the company did not appear?
4. What binding force on the le
gally established public service com
mission has such a report.
3. Does not the whole proceeding
bear the appearance OF an attempt to
force the hands of an unwilling pub
| lie service commission OF the COVER
nor's own choosing and make il do
that which its own judgment did not
| decree?
8. What does II all mean-politi-
cally or otherwise Randolph Her