The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-09-10


interest, in effect making them n
single system.
We believe that rates should be so
adjusted as to afford the COMPANY
sufficient revenue to pay such wages
and compensation as will secure the
most efficient service; to maintain the
very highest and most advanced stand
ards of plant and apparatus, to carry
on such scientific and experimental re-
search and inventions as to apparatus
anu methods as to insure the highest
standards, and to carry to reserve and
depreciation such amounts as will en-
abIe the company at any time to re-
place old plant and old methods with
new plant and new methods as fast as
they may be developed and found TO
be to the advantage of the service
We believe that in addition. such fair
charges should be paid upon the in
vestment in plant as will enable tbe
company at any time to obtain money
necessary to provide the plant re-
CURED to meet the continuing demands
OF the public; and in order that waste
and duplication of effort may be
avoided and uniformity of purpose
and common control be 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 of general policy.
We believe that any surplus beyond
that necessary to equalize dividends
ON fair basis should be used by the
company for the benefit of the nnbIic
and should be inalienable for any
other purpose, and should be either in
vested in recommending plant until
necessary to substitute plant which
may become inadequate or obsolete,
or should be used to ma Ike the service
cheaper or better.
We believe that under proper ooy-
ernmental control and regulation tbe
profits from promotion or operation
allowed to be distributed should not
ne so large as to warrant or tempt
complete duplication of plant and or
ganzatlon, with its duplication of its
capital charges and its organization.
operating, maintenance and deprecia-
ton expenses; and we do not believe
that utilities giving at fair rates an
.eile1ent and sufficiently comprehensive
universal service should be subject tn
limited competition, not giving such
service. Competition which ignores tbe
obligation to furnish a complete and
comprehensive service is not CONNIE
tition. is not for the benefit of fbe
public in that it does not reach the
whole public interested.
II, therefore, complete duplication.
with its dual exchange connection and
dual bills for service. is a prerequisite
to complete competition, government
control and regulation cannot 90 hand
IN hand with competition.
We believe that the record of the
BEL system will be accepted by the
pubic as fully in accord with these
declarations. Consistent adherence to
TINS pohcy has given the pubic of the
united states the best, most compre-
henslVe and cheapest telephone service
IN the world and made the Bell stand
ards the standards of all nations.
10 remove any possible excuse for
on account of the
many misleading statements which
have been circulated as to the ALLEGED
unnecessary and decentralization
and excessive charges of the Bell Svs-
tenn, the following statistics are aivcn
Except where stated, the figures are
for the Bell System; that is. the
American Telephone and Telegraph.
and ITS Associated Companies.
The entire Bell System on June 20
1913, had outstanding in the hands of
the public obligations q. e.. notes.
open accounts, bonds and shares) to
the par value of $77600O.0 900.
The book value of the total TANGIBLE
assets, which is considerably less than
their replacement value, amounted IN
$96o,O0O,0oo. Many appraisals of
property included in these assets have
been made, and most of them nndar
the direction of public authorities In
no case has the value as it stands ON
the books failed to he sustained ana
IN most cases it has been very largely
exceeded
The total dividends and interest
paid during the year 1912 amounted
to only G.1f, on the average of its
outstanding obligations, and to less
than 90 on the average value of it's
assets.
The actual cash which has been paid
INTO the treasury of the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company on
account OF the capital obligations now
outstanding amounts to 500, 600. 900
more than the par of such outstand-
ing obligations.
The Associated Companies collected
from the public and paid back in
taxes over 100000 900 during the wear
1912 N''
The steadily increasing necessities
Of the public not only for additional
but for new telephone service can only
be met by new construction. inyoly
ing capital outlay. To meet these de
mands during the six and one-haIf
years from 1907 to June. 1913. incIu- |
slve, the increase in telephone plant |
was as follows: Toll line wire IN
creased from 100000 miles to 2.24o-
600 miles; exchange wire increased /
from 100000 miles to 5000 600.
the number of exchange stations in
creased from 100000 to $1,000 900. |
the number of stations if independent
companies connected with the Bell |
system increased from $4,000 to >
100000. The number of Independent
companies connected with the Bell |
System is about $4,000 The number
of employees in the Bell system not |