Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-08-27
MUTUAL RELATIONS AND INTERESTS
OF the BELL SYSTEM AND THE PUBLIC

N|NNHNN "|"IFIN" H"INH" I"N# W.T. ".|#
atod under aHreemsnte Nhlcn rsann "a
one common conifns and one cNmmpn
interest," ~ eiieei uatine them a
single ayften
We believe that rates should b. ~
adjusted ~ 90 afford TIE company
sufficient revenue 70 pay such WAGES
and compensation ns VIII secure ih4
maa, ef0elcnt service, a. mainiaIu lIte
very highest and MOST adVareed
standards Of plant and Nfpafaius. 81
cafrY on such aFientific ana expert
mental raeenrch ana lnvculiont ~ ~
tho npparatsF and methods a. ~ lH-
aure the highest Summaries. and -
such amounts Or VI enable the com
pany 81 any time 70 replace old plant
and old methods ~ fast ~ they may
be- developed and found % - % ihe
advantage 81 the service We urilNVs
that n addition. such fair chareee
should be- paid upon me Investment
IN plant a. viii enable the company
1T any time 20 obtein money Htcea-
lsarv 10 provide the plant reauifcd O.
meet tte continuing demands ~ the
hubble. and N order that waste ana
aupllcaflnn ~ effort may BE- avoided
and uniformity 81 purpose and come
mon control be- enforced. thRt There
should be centralized gnncFai al
ADMINISTRATION IN CLOSE communication
with and having general authority
lover the whole an matters common 90
AN or matters Of general policy.
We believe that any surplus beyond
that necessary 20 cquall<e dividends
on a fair basis should be used BY thu
company far tha henef.s 81 the public
and should be- inalienable FOR any
other purpose, and xbeuld he eitneF
Invested In reeenue-eaFnlnn plant uH-
an necessary "a substitute plant whscn
max become inadequate ~ obsolete,
or should be uaed 10 make the services
cheaper or better
We believe that Under proper rov'
ernmentai control ana regulations the
profits from promotion or operation
allowed 70 BE- distributed should not
be SO large an % warrant or tempt
complete duplication Of plant and orr
ranigation. with ~ duplication ol -
capital charges and ~ organization,
loperatinr. maintenance and 0epreclh-
tlon expenses; and we d. aot behave
that utilities giving a. fair rates an
efficlent and sufficiently compression
aive universal service should b. sub
feet 20 limited competition. not flvlhH
! such service. Competition which iE-
nores the obligation 10 furnish COM
, plete and comprehensive service q not
competition. is not for the benefit ~
the public IN that II does not reach
! the whole public Interested.
, IT, therefore. complete duplication.
with its dual exchange connection ans
, dual bills for service, n a prercqulalse
to complete composition. gevern-
, mcnt control and regulation cannot
20 hand IN hand with competition.
1 We believe that the record az the
4 Roll System will be accepted BY the
\ pu3dlo ~ fully IN acnor0 with theHa
a declarations. Consistent adherence
\ 10 this policy has given the public Of
! the United States the best. most COM
! preheneive and cheapest telephone
= service IN the world and made the
4 Bell standards the standards Of ail
! nations.
r To remove any possible excuse for
y misrepresentation on account ~ the
( many misleading slhtemensa width
4 have been circulated az Co the alleged
unnecessary and overcnpllanrntion
1 and excessive charges 81 the Bell HyR.
y tenn the following statistics are given.
n Except where stated the figures are
o for the Beii System; that ia the
}. American Telephone and telegraph.
. ana its Associated companies.
The entire Bell SYSTEM on June -.
. 1913, had outstanding IN the hands III
! the public obligations q. e.. notes.
Z open accounts. bonds ard shnrea) "a
. the par value 81 S1To. coo coo.
!. The book value ~ thc total Tangible
n assets. which u considerably ieHs than
h their replacement value. amounted 10
!. SEQ. 100000. Many appralanls 81
n property included IN these assets have
4 been made. and most OF them under
= the direction Of public authorities. IN
II no case has the value as Il stands on
70 the books failed 10 be- sustained. aud
!. In most cases Il has been very largely
II exceeded.
!. Tho total dividends aud Interest
= paid during tho year leteCrmounted
RI 20 only 81 per cent on thea lroge ol
r its outstanding obligations and 60 les.
N that 8 per cent on the average vaius
OF It's assets.
IA The actual cash which has beer
b paid into the treasury 81 the Aneri
h can Telephone and Telegraph com
pany on account Ut the capital obli
u cations now outstanding amounts 1,
a $4,000. 0o0 more than the par Of suei
"a outstanding obligations.
h. Tho Associated companies COLLECTED
Or from the public and paid back Il
ID taxes over fl0.OOO.0OO during al,
hi year 1919.
la The steadily increasing necessities
A. Of the public not only gor adduiona
lis but for new telephone service can uui.
ai be met hy new contradiction lnVofy
b. Ing capital outlay. To meet these DO
~ mands during the ssK and one-hal
r. years from 1897 10 June. 1913. nCiU
b. slye, the increase IN telephone plan
a. was as follows. Toll line wire in
or creased from 2130.0o0 20 s,20o. eco
In 600 miles; exchange wire increases
M from 5000, geo miles 10 i3.000. 900
gh the number of exchange stations la
he creased from 2,7S,ooo 20 5.s00.0eo
he the number OF stations az Independent
h companies connected with the He
system increased from $4,000 % 2.
n 100000 The number Of independon