Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-08-21
MUTUAL RELATIONS AND INTERESTS
Of THE BELL SYSTEM AND THE PUBLIC

losses involved in the efforts tO~furnish
such service at less than lis fair cost,
either through the loss Of the capital
involved, the losses incident to poor
service, or the necessary increase III
charges required to pay for duplication
Of capital.
We believe that the highest commerce.
ii value Of the telephone service de
ponds on its completeneSS-on the G
tent and incomprchensiyeneSs OF fhe ia
~c.litieS for intercommuniratiOn. not only
between individuals. but also
between ccntcrs q population; that no
isolated section can be considered indie
pcndcntly Of any other section or Of the
whole; that rates must be 50 adjusted
us to make il possible to obtain the max
imum development by making il possible
for every one t0 be connected who will
add to the value Of the system, thus Civ
ing The greatest value to the greatest
number. that the interdcpendeucc Of the
telephone service and the value Of com
+plcte and universal interc0mmunication
Justify and require some services part
Nv a. thE NAlNlNN 'l Tit il'AN -
benefit Of the whole.
We believe that this highest commer-
cial value can only be attained by one
system under one cOrmOn control and
that it cannot be given by independent
system under one common control and
agreements which result in one common
control and one comon interest, III effect
making them a single system.
We believe that rates should be SO adj
iuStcd as 10 afford the company sufiici-
ent revenue TO pay such wages and com
penSation ~ will secure the most cltici
eut service: to maintain the very high
est and most advanced standards Of
plant and apparatus, to carry on such
scientific and experimental research and
inventions az To apparatus and meth
DDS aS to insure the highest standards.
and To carry reserve and dcprecia-
tiOn such mounts ~ Will enable the
company 1T any time to replace Old plant
and Old methods with new plant and
new methods ~ fast ~ they NAV be dN
yClCptd and found tO TIE to the advan
taec Of the service. We believe that in
addition. such fair charges should be
paid upon the inveStment il plant as
viii enable the company at any time
to obtain money necessary to provide the
plant required tn meet the continuing
dcmanlS of the public; and in order
NAT waste and duplication Of effort may
be avoided ana uniformity of purpose
ana uIno control b. enforced. that
there should be a centralized general
administration in close communication
with and having general authority over
The whole on matters COMMON to All or
matters 0f general policy.
we believe that any surplus beyond
that necessary 10 c|qualizc dividends on
v fair basis should ~ used Nv the com
plny fir the benefit of the public and
should w iualirnablc for any other pur-
pose, and should ~ either invested Ill
revenue earning plant until necessary
To substitute plant which may become in
adequate or obsolete, OF should ~ used
~ make the service cheaper or better.
we believe that under proper govern
mental control and regulation the pro
AtN A''t ~ AiiO lpit WI OltA UtlOll dIIDN-.
XVI 10 bc distributed should not Ne 81
large aS tO warrant or tempt complete
duplication of plant and organization.
with itS duplication VI its capital charg-
"S ard i.S organization, operating main
t|tu0licc and depreciation expenses: and
we d) not believe that utilities giving
I'D fair RACES I'm efficient and sufficiently
comprehensive universal service should
hc ~SJ,ticct "a limit Il competition. not
giving Such service. Competition which
ignores tnc obligation ~ furnish Il com
plctc and comprehensive service IL NOT
x mp"Jition, i> not for the benefit Of
the public IN that it does not reach the
whole public interested.
III, Therefore, complete duplication.
with its dual exchange concction and
ual hills Tor service, il 4 prerequisite to
complete competition. government con
troll and regulation canuo, 90 haGd in
hand with competition.
we believe that the record of the Bell
system will ~ accepted by the public
-S fully IN accord with these declara
tons. Consistent adherence to this pol
lcN mas gwen The public of the United
states the best. most comprehensive and
cheapest telephone service i'll the world
and made the Bell standards the stand
ARCS of ail nations,
no remove any possible excuse for mis-
apprehension on account Of the MANY
misleading statements which have been
circulated Az to the alleged Unnecessary
and orcrcaPitalizatign and excessive
charges OF the Bell System, the follow