The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1913-09-20
A National Telephone Monopoly

- NdttOIdt CPftoHS NAO''OF~1
elaborate defense the Bell telephone system by Its
"A president Theo. N. VAIL appeared IN the advertising
columns a few days ago.
The nth thereof is the that the telephone Is
natural monopoly that private ownership Is better than
governmental ownership, and that monopoly and private
ownership make for efficiency
Do monopoly and private ownership make for efficiency
and is efficiency the only thing to be considered
The New Haven railroad system is an answer. 1t rep
iresens monopoly the transportation business OF New
England example also. of private ownership
Not content its large railroad business the
New Haven absorsbed all other railroads In New
England barganed keep the Grand Trunk pos
sible competitor from Canada
The New Haven the steamship and trolley
lines.
The plan conceived and executed by tyros or
weaklings Perpont Morgan Melen and their associates
represented the the financial and Big Business
world
What lamentable failurc'
The New Haven proved itself waseul of both life and
capital inefficient and expensive And as is
always the case monopoly later 1t became
indifferent public opinion and to the performance OF its
public duties
The recent disclosures merely the
bursting of the which has been coming to head for
long time.
And the same tendencies apparent in the Bell ee-
phone system
Not with absorbing independent telephone lines
it has reached in other directions
1t went into business of manufacturing telephone and
seleccal supplies The Electric Company is one
,of its subsidiaries
And if you have modern instance of the aim
and methods of monopoly study how sought to put an
end the competition of the Kellogg Switchboard Company
as disclosed in the litigation in Illinois.
Then the Bell system eovetous eyes the sele
graph business and took the Western Union Telegraph
sCompany.
But the mos. thing the fact that private monopoly
is with managing business. also insists upon
managing the The trusts reached out and Sc
cured control of the republican party
Tamnany in New York and Quay and Penrose In Penn
syvana illustrations of monopolstc control OF public
affairs
The Southern Pacific railway the government. of
California
In many cities we see utilities ought be regu
lated by the government seeking control the government
And the Bell telephone system is not free from attempt
ing control government Judge Ben Lindsey in his bat
with Beast in Denver, found E. B. Field president
Bell telephone systems Colorado subsidiary, the head
and front the pyed upon the public and made
representative government farce
Public ownership and operation may not at once
be all that its advocates expect but its shortcomings
will have be very graf indeed if it does not make
a better record in efficiency than private ownership
of public utility monopolies has made in this country
eyed H.. asSs Gu.s 500 s.r. last March turned r.s.
sS n: s1' the only who . falling TO look two way. ..
once and keep his head these days.
WY 10, there Be- be- zee. The 's employ
Olympia rsy Surely .. one needs religion mors than the EN-
many unchds'anI1sd people in foreign and'I
10Y FOB Prince Arthur Of connsushsl All. III.
think 81 marrying rich ssess. with o,Sn WIN "ss ma asoo
who end. ss. 5000 mont" SSi os' . Ss
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Inclined ss,': daughter gna,nd