The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-19

Vice President of the Bell Has
Conference With State Board.
His Personality and Methods
Win Favor With Callers.

Win Favor With Callers.
e. d. Minis, vice president Of the
Bell Telephone company. with head
quarters at st. Louis, spent Tuesday
in Topeka on business for the COM
pany. Ben S. Reed, general manager.
with headquarters at Kansas City. was
also here. These officials and their
attorneys, Messrs. Gleed and Hunt OF
this city, were in conference most OF
the afternoon with the state utilities
commission.
Every corporation has its own sys-
tenn of doing business with the pub
lie. And every corporation has its
griefs to mourn and its sins to bear
and it's good deeds to remain unsung.
But this man Minis, and his little way
Of doing big things. is worthy Of moro
than passing notice. He is one OF the
big men of one Of the biggest con-
Germs in all this west country. Ev-
cry one rises up every once In while
to cuss the Bell Telephone company.
The Bell has intimate business rela-
lions with several millions of people
in this Louisiana purchase territory
and the multitude of voices raised in
praise and blame for this company
has as much volume as all the hosts
Of old Israel.
So the personality Of the man be-
hind this company is of interest. and
his real methods and real business
system of more interest to many peo-
pie. Mr.. Minis is q little asman-in
stature; most big men are. His voice
IL soft and his eyes kindly. Most Of
the men who do great things speak
softly but their voices seem to carry
farther than the voices of those who
speak in trumpet tones.
The State Journal man talked with
Mr.. Minis after his conference with
the Kansas board. The vice president
OF the Bell was pleased with the re-
suit Of the informal meeting. 1t was
his first visit in Topeka for more than
q year and it was his first meeting
with the members OF the new utilities
commission.
He had no grievance about the
treatment of his company by the
state, past or present, and he saw no
phantoms in the future. I'VE settle
most OF our difficulties out Of court"
he said in his soft, pleasant tones.
I'VE would settle all of them that way
II we could. We generally find the
commission fair and reasonable. Its
duty is to protect the public. Now
the public comprises our patrons, and
we want to give our patrons the best
service we can. So you can see read
lily that 1t is not hard for the COM
pany and the commission to agree on
what the company should do in the
premises.
IA public service corporation can
not perform miracles. And especial
ly a telephone company. A court Of
law excuses performance of contract
always where act of providence oc-
ours. Well, act Of Providence inter-
venes more often in the matter of
good telephone service than in any
other line Of endeavor. Flood, wind,
storm. lightning. snow, hail, ali these
conspire to handicap or prevent good
telephone service, and thoughtless
people, in their haste. often charge
these things up to the Bell before the
company has had one hour Of time to
repair damage.
But it's all right" said Mr. Minis
with smile of philosophy and under
standing. II haven't a single com
plant to make against public or
state. have had a most plea SAINT visit
here today and am well satisfied with
Kansas siness and Kansas treat
ment."
The vic president of the Bell then
went on to tell in a general way about
the company business and outlook in
the big western states that border on
Kansas. Business is very good in Tex
as. and it is better in Oklahoma than
Tor year past, according to Mr.. Minis.
But he views with some alarm business
conditions generally at the beginning
OF the winter. Money is scarce, there
is not the confidence there should be,
and the prospects for a company that
is constantly making Improvement and
extensions are not what they might be.
The Bell plans to spend two millions
IN Kansas the next year, and corre-
spending sums in other states that Dor
der Kansas. More miles, of wire. new
buildings. new and larger switchboards
all the time the demand for these
presses the big company. A million is
but a little sum and it does not go SO
Tar when 1t has to be spent for copper
wire and electrical apparatus. 1t is
like buying gold in the nugget, this
buying and installing a switchboard
An electrical expert draws about the
same pay as an Indian prince in the
ancient city of Benares.
But after all, the main point to this
story that remained with the news
paper man was not the two millions
to be spent in Kansas by the Bell OF
the talk of business conditions in the
country at large. They ought to have
been probably. but they were not. II
who is doing the big work that makes
the point to the story. The man with
the soft voice. The man who talks sc
quietly yet is heard from st. Louis t.
the Gulf of Mexico and whose words
are set down in indelible ink and re-
membered by many people. After all
1t is the head Of corporation who die.
tates its real policy. Like master, like
man. The employee, from corporation
counsel down to the least lineman anG
operator of these, my brethren, pat.
tern themselves upon the example a
the top. And it seemed to the news
paper man that they have a good ex
ample to follow in the case of this par.
ticular corporation. This man MIN.
c0ckTnaches