The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-09-03

commerce commission telephone inves-
tigation, have caused many inquiries.
Without taking up anything going TO
the merits of these proceedings, it has
seemed to US proper to state generally
what has been our policy and purpose
in the conduct of our business.
We have found. or thought that we
had, that our interests We're best served
when the public interests were best
served; and We believe that such sue
cess as we have had has been because
our business has been conducted on
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 inter-communi-
cation The success and prosperity of
our company depend upon a solution
of these problems which shall be sound
from both the standpoint of the COM
pany and the public which it serves
Following our own best judgment,
supplemented by the best obtainable
advice, We have endeavored to do what
would best serve the public interest;
disclosed to the public in advance, and
what has been done in carrying them
out has been along ordinary business
lines. with the implied. and generally,
with the expressed approval authori-
cation or consent of the municipal and
state authorities directly interested.
Our effort has been not only to 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
matters of common knowledge and
are, and for many years have been,
well 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 cooperate with it in
obtaining such further information as
it may require. Every possible assist
ance will be given by US TO the courts
in their effort to determine whether
our policy is or has been inimicaI to
the public interest. We desire that
anything wrong be corrected; we will
voluntarily rectify any wrong that
may be pointed out to US; and, so far
as it may be determined that our pol
icy or any act under it is against the
public interest, we will promptly con-
form to such determinat ton
We believe that if each of our ex-
changes were made an independent
unit and if each connecting line were
put upon a separate control, the effect
upon the telephone service of the coun-
try would be condition so intolerabIe
that the public would refuse to submit
to it and would Immediately require
such physical connection and common
control of these various units as would
amalgamate them into a single system.
Physical connection in the case of tel
ephone or telegraph does not mean
transfer of messages from one line to
the other 1t means such a connection
as will permit one person to have the
actual possession of the particular line
of communica ton from one end of it
to the other and this can only DE given
efficiently by exchange systems and
connecting lines under a common con-
troll; and that is what the Bell Sys-
TEN is.
In this connection and for general
informa ton. we will restate the policy
which controlled the building up of the
Bell System, and our belief as to what
a telephone system should be, and what
are its relatio to the public
We believe in and We're the first to
advocate state or government control
and regulation of public utilities; that
this control or regulation should be by
permanent quasi-judicial bodies, act
ing after thorough investigation and
governed Ly the equities of each case;
and that this control or regulation, be-
yond requiring the greatest efficiency
and economy. should not interfere
with management or opera ton. We
believe that these bodies. if they are
to be permanent. effective and of pub
lie benefit. should be thoroughly rep
resentative; they should be of such
character and should SO conduct their
investiga tions and deliberations as to
command such respect from both the
public and the corporations that both
will without question accept their con-
clusions
We believe that the public would in
this way get all the advantages and
avoid all the manifest disadvantages of
public ownership.
We believe that centers of business
and population exist for the convent
ence of the public as a whole and that
no such center can prosper without
sufficient and efficient means of inter-
course with other centers and tribu-
tary territories: that such means can
only be afforded by prosperous utility
and service companies and that fair
rates are essential to prosperous COM
panies. We do not believe that any
public either desires or can obtain, nor
can any service or utility furnish. per-
manent and efficient service at less
than cost. including capital charges.
We believe that ultimately the public
either directly indirectly pays the
losses involved in the efforts to furnish
such service at less than its fair cost,