The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-08-20
MUTUAL RELATIONS AND INTERESTS
Of THE BELL SYSTEM AND THE PUBLIC


les without taking up anything so-
ing To- the merits Of these proceedings
II has seemed To- us proper Ia state
generally what has been our policy
and purpose in the conduct at our
business.
We rave found, or thought that we
had, that our interests were best serr-
ed when the public interests were best
served; and we believe that such sue
IS as We have had has been because
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 nter-communi-
cation. The success and prosperity of
our company depend upon a solution
of these problems which shall he sound
from both the standpoint of the COM
pany and the public which it serves.
Following our own best Judgment
supplemented by the best obtainablc
advice. we have endeavored To do what
would best serve the public interest:
wherever possible our plans have been
disclosed To the public i'm advance, and
ont has been along ordinary business
lines. with the implied, ard generally.
with the expressed approval, mthori-
cation on consent of the municipal and
state authorities directly interested.
our effort has been not only Ia 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
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 control,
and will cordially corporate with ii i'm
such further information rs
ii may require. Every possible assist
IN their effort To determine whether
our policy is or has been inimical 10
the public interest. We desire that
anything wrong be corrected; we will
voluntarily rectify any wrong that MAJ
he pointed on. to us, and, so far as
ii may be determined that our policy
~ amy act under it is against the pub
lie interest, we will promptly conform
90 such determination.
We believe that # each of our ex-
changes were made an independent
unit and IL each connecting line were
put under a separate control, the tf-
feet upon the telephone service of the
would be- "A condition 50 intOl-
'rable that the public would refuse To
submit To il and would Immediately
require such physical connection and
common control of these various units
rs would amalgamate them into Il
single system. Physical connection i'm
he ease OF telephone or telegraph does
not mean transfer of messages from
one line To the other. Ii means such
a connection as will permit one person
10 have the actual possession of the
line of communication from
ine end of il to the other ana this
IAN only hc given efficiently 10y eX-
change system and connecting lines
under common control; and that is
what the Bell system is.
In this connection, and for general
we will rcstatc the policy
which controlled the building up of
the Bell System. and our belief as to
what telephone system should be,
and what are it's relations To the pub
ic.
We believe in and were the first To
advocate state or government control
and regulation of public utilities; that
his control or regulation should be by
permanent quasi judicial bodies. act
ng after thorough investigation and
by the equities of each case:
md that this control or regulation,
beyond requiring the greatest ehicien-
" and economy, should not interfere
With MANAGEMENT or operation. We
believe that these bodies, if they are
% be permanent, effective and of pub
ic benefit. should he thoroughly rep
esentative: they should be of such
character and should so conduct their
and deliberations as to
ommand such respect from both the
public and the corporations that both
will without question accept their con-
.luSionS
We believe that the public would in
his way got all the advantages and
void all the manifest disadvantages of
,ublic ownership.
We believe that ccntcrs of business
md population exist for the conven-
cnce of the public as a whole, and |
hat no sltch center can prosper with
lut sufficient aud efficient means of in |
orcoursc with other centcrs and tribu- |
AIRY teri tories; that such means can |
,nly be afforded by prosperous utility |
md service companies and that fair |
'ates are essential To prosperous COM
'anies We do not believe that any |
lublic either desires or can obtain, nor |
AN any service or utility furnish, per-
nanent aud efficient service at less |
han cost, including capital charges.
Ne believe that ultimately the public
'ither directly or indirectly pays the
osscs involved In the efforts to furnish |
,n,sh gprVfps az loo, than a.. fa,, ,.,.t