Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-08-20

1 81
telephone investigation. have caused
many Inquiries. Without taking up
anything going to the merits Of these
proceedings, it has seemed to us pro
per to state generally what has beer
our policy and purpose in the con
duct Of our business.
We have found, or thought that We
had. hat our interests were best scrv
ed when the public interests were
best served; and we believe that such
success as we have had has been be
cause our business has been conduct
ed tn these lines.
We believe that our company has
an interest as vital as that of the
public in the proper administration
Of the problems Of electrical inter
communication. The success and
prosperity of our company depend up.
On a solution of these problems which
shall be sound from both the stand
point of the company and the public
which it serves.
Following our W best judgment,
supplemented by the best Obtainable
advice. we have c~ndeavored to do
what would best serve the public in,
%terest: wherever possible our plans
have been disclosed to the public in
advance. and what has been done in
carrying them out has been along
ordinary business lincs, with the i'm
ed approval, authorization or consent
OF the municipal and state authorities
directly interested. Our effort has
been not only to obey the law. but to
avoid everything which might even
have the appearance of an attempt
at evasion.
Our business methods and policy,
and practically all of the details as to
the transaction of our business. are
matters of common knowledge and
are, and for many years have been,
we'll known to the government. We
will willingly furnish the government
any additional information which is
in our possession or under our con-
troll, and will cordially cooperate with
it in obtaining such further informa-
ton as it may require. Every posi-
bic assistance will be given by us
to the courts in their effort to deter
mine whether our policy is or has
been inimical to the public interest.
We desire that anything wrong be
corrected; we will voluntarily rectify
any wrong that may be pointed out
TO us; and. so far as it may be deter
mined that our policy or any act un-
der it is against the public interest.
we will promptly conform to such de-
termination.
We believe that If each of our G X
changes were made an independent
unit and il each connecting line were
put under a separate control, the eff.
feet upon the telephone service of the
country would be a condition so intol'
cradle that the public would refuse to
submit to it and would Immediately
require such physical connection and
common control CT these various units
rs would ~amalgamate them into 4
single system. Physical connection in
Hthe IS OF telephone or telegraph
does not mean transfer of messages
from one line to the other. It means
such a connection as will permit one
tperson to have the actual possession
OF the particular line of cOmmunica
tiOn from one end of it to the Other
and this can only be given efficiently
by exchange systems and connecting
lines under a common control; ant
that is what the Bell System is. T.
In this connection, and, for genera
information, We will restate the policy
which controlled the building up o
the Bell System. and our belief as t.
what a telephone system should be
and what are its relations to the pub
lie. ata.
We believe in and were the first tt
advocate state or government con
troll and regulation of public utilities,
that this control or regulation SHOULD
be by permanent qu%asi.judicial bod
les, acting after thorough investiga
ton and governed by the equities 0
each case; and that this control o.
regulation. beyond requiring thu
greatest efficiency and economy
should not interfere with manage
ment or operation. We believe tina
these bodies, it they are to be per
manent, effective and of public bene
TT, should he thoroughly representa-
tive; they should be Of such charactel
and should so conduct their investi
cations and deliberations as to com
mand such respect from both thu
public and the corporation. that boil
will without question accept conclus
ions.
We believe that the public woult
In this way get all the advantages
and avoid all the manifest disadvan
tages of public ownership.
We believe that centers of business
and population exist for the convent
eDce of the public as a whole, and
that no such center can prosper with
HOut sufficient and efficient means Of
intercourse with other centers and
tributary territories: that such means
can only be afforded by prosperous
! utility and service companies and that
/ fair rates arc essential to prosperous
companies. We do not believe that
any public either desires or can OBJ
tain, nor can am service or utility
furnish. permanent and efficient SCI
vice at less than cost, including CAPT
tai charges. We believe that ulti-
mately the public either directly or
indirectly pays the losses involved in
the efforts to furnish such service at
less than it's fair cost, either through
the loss of the capital involved. the