American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1913-12-04

Denver, Colo, November 80 1913.
The Mountain States Telephone
and Telegraph Company, in the
consideration of its future develop
ment, recognizes that it's highest
interests as a public utility lie in
establishing the closest and most
friendly relationship with the pub
lie generally, and with its patrons
in particular; therefore, it is the
purpose of the Mountain States
Telephone and Telegraph Company.
through this announcement, to in
augurate what may be termed an
advertising educational series Of
articles. both in the newspapers and
i'm the form of letters to its custom
ers. 1t is our hope that this cam
paign may mark a new era in the
relation of public utility corpora
tons to the public they serve. We
want this education to work both
ways-that the public may learn
the truth about us, and that we
may learn how the public regard
us, and how we may fairly and eff
ficiently serve the public-in other
words what is Just and right to
us and to the people, and to con-
vince the public that we will volun-
tarily remedy any wrongs we are
doing il pointed out to us.
We shall show o our financial
affairs, frankly and freely. It SO
happens that our financing has
been of such a nature that it is
easy for us to clearly show to you
this side of our affairs. What we
mean by this is, that we have alb
sodutely no water in our stock: we
have no bonds, nor n preferred
stock, and no mortgage of any kind
upon which to pay fixed charges.
We have o invested in our plant
at its present replacement value
than our issue of common stock,
and We have no other stock issued
than the common stock. There are
no wheels within wheels. nor COM
panies within companies to absorb
profits. We finance ourselves from
year to year by selling our COM
mon stock to the people. at not less
than par, in the states in which vve
operate.
When We tell you the story of
our financing. we will prove to you
that there never have been any
fortunes, large or small made ont
of the manipulation of our stock
in other words, no high financ-
ing has ever been done in connec-
ton with the Mountain States
telephone and Telegraph Company,
or its predecessors. The stock neve,
has had any speculative value; ii
has been, and is now, simply a
safe investment.
There is a great misunderstand-
ing upon the part of the public as
to this side of our business. Per-
sons with Interior motives. striv-
ing for office and newspapers wish
ing to give startling news (see note
below frequently publish stories
Of how rich certain officials OF our
company r Right now. this is
being done in connection with the
new revenue tax. We suppose these
stories grow out of the belief of
certain of the public that the execu-
tive officials of our company own
the entire plant. 1t is absurd for
these executive officials of our COM
pany are merely trustees of the
property, for the stockholders, and
none OF them are rich men. nor
have they a very heavy holding of
the stock. 1t is true that certain
reputed rich men have large hold
ings of the stock of u company
some of them being on our Board
Of Directors-but not one OF them
has made any money whatsoever out
Of dealing in our stock. They have