Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1913-06-04
COMMENT TOUCHING TELEPHONE
SUBJECTS.

COMMENT TOUCHING TELEPHONE;
SUBJECTS.
The telephone situation is certainly
getting much publicity since things
started up here in Orleans county.
No less than half a dozen exchanges
last week commented upon one phase
or another of the situation in various
parts of Vermont.
The Express and Standa ard Of New
port, in speaking of the situation
locally, justifies the advance in rates Of
the Passumpsic company. This paper
in touching the matter Of an agitation
for independent lines says:
1.-The greatest argument of the
present opposition seems to be that the
Passumpsic Company may again in
crease their rates, and shorten the free
territory already allowed. We are in
formed from good authority that this
will not be done. Anyway as the Pas
SumpSic Telephone company claims to
be exhausting large sums of money to
improve it's system and to place it in
first-class condition, it is best before it
is condemned or unduly criticised to
give it an opportunity to demonstrate
it's disposition and ability to furnish
the people of this section of the state
satisfactory service at reasonable rates.
The Waterbury Record says:
''In our judgment, the service, espe-
cially in this section of the state, is
good and growing BETTER
The Bennington Banner, speaking of
a telephone hearing before the Public
Service commission in that town, in a
case where the right to set poles on a
certain street was questioned, says:
The Banner does not think much of
the decision of the public service COM
mission in the South Branch street tele-
phone case. In fact we are of the
opinion that the commission has done a
substantial injustice to the village of
Bennington and Indirectly to the peo-
pie of Vermont. Naturally
the people most interested thought
that they could appeal to the public
service commission and that the
commission would see that justice
was done. This the commission
has failed utterly to do. The
most astounding part of the whole
case is found in the report of the COM
mission itself, where it says in effect,
if we read the English of it correctly.
that wrong is to be perpetuated be-
cause to change would be expensive for
the telephone company. And the tele-
phone company is an eighty million
dollar corporation that earns from
fourteen to sixteen per cent annually
The Banner has a high regard for
the members of the public service COM
mission and is surprised and shocked at
the commissions finding in this case.
We trust that it is merely temporary
lapse and not representative of the
permanent attitude of the commission.
After speaking of the situation and
the appointment OF Messrs. Cook and
Graham, the Burlington Free Press in
the course of long editorial says
sit developed some months ago that
condi tons in the section of Vermont
named were in an unsatisfactory state,
and that steps were then being taken
to secure a remedy Repeated appeals
for relief were in vain. and finally
when legal representative of the
state made move to enforce the law,
he was invited by the telephone COM
pany to go to Boston for a conference.
Now the trouble as to service was
right here in Vermont, and there was
no more reason for a legal representa-.
tive of the state looking to the en-
forcement of the law relative to Yer.
mont telephone company to go to Bos
ton for a conference with the New En-
gland Telephone authorities, or the
same interest acting through subSid.
larry company, than there would be fol
the attorney general or states attOr.
ney to go to New York or. New Haver
to consult with the head authority OF
the New York Central or the New Ha
ven system over enforcing any state
regulation with reference to the Rut
land railway. The fact that such al
invitation was extended to legal rep
resentative of the state by the tele
phone people bears it's own comment
This telephone situation i
more important as symptom of VIVA
is going on in numerous channels thai
it is as an individual development, a
will be demonstrated in due time
Probably if Governor Fetch
er were to speak. he might tell Of as
founding propositions made to him b
representatives of public service col
poratiOns, as have been made to othe
governors before him. Near
while it will prove interesting an
profitable for the people of Vermont t
follow the trail leading up to and ava
from this telephone investigation
bearing in mind the fact that "Publi,
ity is the Universal Panacea.''
Finally comes the Ludlow Tribun,
Gov. Fletcher's home paper and afte
speaking of the inequality of varior
toll charges in that vicinity, says
perhaps Gov Fletcher's newl,
appointed commission to investiga1
telephone conditions can discover SON
excellent reason for this inequalit,
But we doubt it. :"
Anyway the telephone situate
seems to be one in which almost ever