The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-12-24


offered in decade that big business
has come to the conclusion that it is
better to conform to the Sherman law
than fight it.
The plan met not only the. approval
of the attorney genei al and his chief
trust buster" G.. G. Todd, and officials
but was heartily approved by Presi-
dent Wilson. In a letter to Mr.. Nc
Reynolds, the president expressed his
admiration for the attitude of the
telephone company and his conviction
that such conduct on the. part Of the
business men meant building up of
business on sound and permanent
lines.
Coming on the heels OF the an
nouncement that Postmaster General
Burleson is seriously interested in
government ownership Of telephone
lines, the action of the department
of justice took on an added signifi-
cance and some officials went so far
as to express the opinion that it in
dicated that legislation to acquire the
country's telephone business would
not be pressed by the administration
at the present session.
In brief the agreement provides
that: tNg lyaas.h
The American Telephone and Tele-
graph company will dispose promptly
OF its holdings in the Western Union
Telegraph company. so that each con-
Germ shall be under distinct manage
ment and so that all shall be entirely
Independent.
The company hereafter will not ac-
quire control of other telephone COM
panies and where control of telephone
companies had been acquired. but no
actual physical union had been effect
ed. the American Telephone and Tele-
graph company will submit the course
it is to pursue to the interstate COM
merce commission and to the depart
ment OF justice.
The company promptly will make
arrangements by which other tele-
phone companies in the United States
shall have access to It's toll lines.
Department officials declared that
the agreement gave the government
more than it could have hoped to OBJ
tain in court. Officials were particu-
larly pleased with the last part Of the
agrC ement, 10y which the Bell COM
pany gives long distance service to
e'.1scribers of other companies.
The agreement will not affect the
suit entered several months ago to
dissolve the connection of the Bell
company with the Pacific Telephone
and Tcl' graph company, the West
coast branch.
President Wilson's letter, written to
the attorney general today, was one
OF the most interesting documents
made public in connection with the
settlement. III reauS.
"My Dear Mr.. Attorney General:
Thank you for letting me see the
letter from the American Telephone
and Telegraph company. 1t is very
gratifying that the company should
thus volunteer to adjust all business
to the conditions Of competition.
IL gain the impression more and
more frCm week to week that bus-
ness men are sincerely desirous of
conforming with the law and it Is
very gratifying indeed TO have occa-
sions, as i'm this instance, to deal
with them i'm complete frankness and
To be able To show them that all we
desire is an opportunity to cooper
ate with them. So long as we are
dealt with i'm this spirit we can help
to build up the business Of the coun-
try upon sound and permanent lines
Woodrow Wilson"
Mr.. McReynolds. N accepting the
American Tclephon, and Telegraph
companys offer wrote To y. G. Kings
bury. vice president of the company.
as follows:
Permit me to acknowledge, with
expressions of appreciation. your let
ter of December 10. outlining the
course of action which the telephone
companies composing the Bell sys.
tenn oblisatc themselves to follow in
the future.
Your frank negotiations in respect
Of these matters cuihpels the belief
that what you propose will be car
ricd out i'm good faith; and it seems
to me clear that such action on your