Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1913-09-10

either through the loss OF the capita
involved, the losses incident to poor
; service or the necessary increase il
the charges required to pay for dup!i-
cation of capital.
We believe that the higher com
mercial value of the telephone serv-
ice depends on its comprehensive
the extent and cOmprehensiveness OF
the facilities for INSTRUMENTATION,
not only between individuals but be-
tween centers of population: that no
isolated section can be considered in
dependently of any other section or
o fthe whole; that rates must be so
adjusted as to make it possible 20
, obtain the maximum development by
making it possible for everyone to be
connected who will add to the value
of the system. thus giving the great
est value to the greatest number;
that the independence of the tele-
| phone service and the value OF ON
| plete and universal intercommunica-
ton justify and require some serv-
ices partly at the expense of the
whole for the benefit of the whole.
, We believe that this highest COM
mercial value can only be attained by
II system under one con-
, troll and that it cannot be given by
independent systems unless they are
! operated under agreements which re-
suit in n common control and one
common interest, i'll effect making
them a single system.
We believe that rates should be
so adjusted as to afford the company
sufficient revenue to pay such wages
and compensation as will secure the
most efficient service; to maintain the
very highest and most advanced
standards OF plant and apparatus, to
carry on such scientific and expert
mental research and inventions as to
apparatus and methods as to insure
the highest Standards, and to carry
to reserve and depreciation such
amounts as will enable the company
at any time to replace old plant and
old methods with new plant and new
methods as fast as they may
be developed and found to be
to the advantage of the service.
We believe that in addition,
such lair charges should be paid up
on the investment in plant as will
enable the company at any time TO
obtain money necessary to provide
the plant required to meet the con-
tinuing demands of the public; and
in order that waste and duplication
of effort may be avoided and unifor-
nifty of purpose and control
be enforced, that that there should
be a centralized general administra-
ton in close communication with
and having general authority over
the whole on matters common to all
or matters of generally policy.
We believe that any surplus be-
yond that necessary to equallze divi-
dendS on a fair basis should be used
by the company for the benefit of
the public and should be inalienable
for any other purpose, and should be
either invested in revenue-earnlng
plant until necessary to substitute
plan which may become inadequate
or obsolete, or should be used to
make the service cheaper or better.
We believe that under proper gov
ernmental control and regulation the
profits from promotion or operation
allowed to be distributed should not
be so large as to warrant or tempt
complete duplication of plant and or
Sanitation, with its duplication of its
capital charges and its organization,
operating, maintenance and depreCia-
ton expenses; and we do not believe
that utilities giving at fair rates an
eeficient and sufficiently comprehen-
sive universal service should be SUD
ject to limited competition, not Civ
ing such service. Competition which
ignores the obligation to furnish a
complete and comprehensive service
" 900. o-, " not for tho
benefit of the public in that 1t does
not reach the whole public interested.
ii, therefore, complete duplication,
with its dual exchange connection
ana dual bills for service, is a prere-
quisite to complete competition, gov
ernment control and regulation can
not &c hand in hand with competl-
ton.
We believe that the record of the
Bel, System will be accepted by the
public as fully in accord with these
declarations. Consistent adherence
to this policy has given the public
OF the United States the best, most
comprehensive and cheapest tele-
phone service in the world and made
the Bell standards the standards of
al nations.
To remove any possible excuse tor
misapprehension on account of the
many misleading statements which
| have been circulated as to the alleg-
ed unnecessary and overcapltallza-
tor and excessive charges of the
Bel, System. the following statistics
are given. Except where stated, the
figures are for the Bell System; that
is, the American Telephone and Tel
egraph and its Associated Companies.
The entire Bell System on June 80,
1913, had Outstanding in the hands OF
the public obligations Il. e., notes,
| open accounts, bonds and shares) 20
the par value of S776,OOO,OOO.
: The book value of the total tangi-
| bic assets, which is considerably less
than their replacement value, amount
F.. ed TO S969,000,O00. Many appraisals
| OF property included in these assets
! have been made, and most of them
! under the direction of public authori-