The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-12-31
THEY CONE ACROSS
TELEPHONE And TELEGRAPH Com.
PAkIES give In
Will DISSOLVE Trust
Attorney.General McReynolds Stops
Litigation When Big Corporation
Agrees to Dispose of Its Holdings
in Western Union-A Complete
Victory for the Government.

Victory for the Government.
Attorney-General McRes nolds Fri
day night made public details of an
agreement for reorganization of the
American Telephone and Telegraph
Company-the Telegraph Trust
which will prevent the litigation to
dissolve that corporation under the
Antitrust Act, and under which
competitive conditions will be restor-
ed in the telephone service Of the en-
tire country and the combine will dis
pose of it's holdings in. the Western
Union Telegraph Company.
The reorganization plan originated
with the company, although it follow
ed many reports that suit against it
might be filed. 1t was Friday night
regarded by department of justice Of
icials as the most striking indication
offered in a decade that "big busi-
ness" has come to the conclusion that
it is better tc conform to the Sher-
man law than fight it.
The plan met not only the approval
of the Attorney General and his chief
trust buster" G. c. Todd, and off.
cials of the subsidiaries Of the com.
bine, but was heartily approved b.
President Wilson. In a letter to Mr.
McReynolds the President expressed
his admiration for the attitude Of the
telephQne company and his conviction
that sIch conduct on the part of bus
mess rlen meant building up Of bus
mess m sound and permanent lines.
Coming on the heels of the an
noucenent that Postmaster Genera
Ruriason is seriously interested IL
Government ownership of telephone
lines, the action of the department O.
justice took on n added significance
and SOME officials went so far as t
express the opinion that it indicated
that legislation t. acquire the coun
try's telephone business would not b.
pressed by the Administration at th'
present session.
In brief the agreement provide
that:
The American Telephone and Tele
! graph company will dispose prompt,
.! it's holdings in the Western Uniol
Telegraph Company so that each con
Germ shall be under distinct manage
ment and SC that all shall be entirel
! independent.
; The company hereafter will not &C
uuire control Of other telephone com
panies, and where control Of tele
phone companies has been acquired
but no actual physical union has beel
effected, the American Telephone an
Telegraph Company will submit tn
course it is to pursue to the inter
state commerce commission and t.
the department Of justice.
The company promptly will max
arrangements by which all oth,r tel
ephone companies in the United Stae
| shall have access to its toll lines.
Department officials declared tina
the plan gave the Government every
thing and more that it could hav
hoped to obtain in Court. Official
were particularly pleased with tn
last part of the agreement, by whicI
the Bell company gives long distanc
service to subscribers Of other com
panies.
The agreement will not affect tn
suit entered several months ago t
dissolve the connection of the Bel
Company with the Pacific ielephon
and Telegraph Company, the Yves
coast branch.
President Wilson's letter, writtel
to the Attorney General Friday wa
one of the most interesting docu
ments made public in connection witt
the settlement. It reads:
"My Dear Mr.. Attorney General
Thank you for letting me see the let
ter from the American Telephone an
Telegraph Company. 1t is very graft
flying that the company should thu
volunteer to adjust its business to tn
conditions of competition.
I gain the impression more am
more from week to week that the bus
mess men of the country are sir rcere
ly desirious of conforming with tn
law, and it is very gratifying, indeed
10 have occasion, as in this instance
to deal with them in complete frank
ness and to be able to show them tina
all we desire is an opportunity to co
operate with them. So long as W,
are dealt with in this spirit we cal
help to build up the business of thu
country upon sound and permanen
lines.
"Cordially and sincerely yours,
woodrow Wilson"
Mr.. McReynolds, in accepting th'
American Telephone and Telegraph:
offer, wrote to N. C. kingsbury, vice
president Of the company, as follows
"Permit me to accept with appre
-. 20