Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1913-10-18

den, J. r. Buckner, william H. Grif.
fifth, Jr., Frank ]. Otto, II. b. Coy,
Charles Schrimpl John Gilhooly, Ar.
thur J. Calder, Alexander Conley,
Sam Howard, Edward T. Webster. e.
r. Davis.
Herman +. Hanke. Freeport; o. G.
Addleman, chief, Springfield; Ben. II.
Crib, Peoria. J. 8. Fairchild, Spring.
field: Charles y. Averill, Springfield;
w. 8. Martz, Quincy.
Danville-John 1. Watts, chief; ID.
@. Williams, Charles o. Chestnut, F. I.
Burt, Chester N. Lycan.
Senator Walter Clyde Jones Ger.
tainly handed 1t to the Phone Trust
and the Aldermanic Phone Men in q
great speech against the city's giving
permission to the Automatic to sell
out to the Bell crowd:
THE Bell Company doesn't want
the Automatic except to dismantle It
and destroy competition, that they
might have absolute control over the
rates.
And why have the newspapers
kept 80 strangely silent about this
theft? Why are the people kept in
the dark concerning this sinister
scheme? Why don't the members of
the city council take the people into
their confidence? Is It because the
scheme Is SO rotten clean through?
Nothing proves the need Of a ref.
erendum more clearly than this pres.
ent case. With the referendum we
could make the aldermen stand by
their pledges to guard the peoples
interests and refuse to be parties to
this nefarious plan.
1.-THE Automatic right now stands
forfeited by their refusal to comply
with their contract. II the aldermen
do the right thing they will take over
the Automatic and In that way block
the theft.
II sincerely hope that this will be
only the first Of a series of meetings
SO that the people may know how
they're being victimized. The news
papers seem singularly afraid to re
veal the plot.
I'VE must have publicity, and II W,
cant get 1t through the papers W,
must shout II from the platform,
throughout the city.
I'm 1895 the Bell patent expired
Before that time the Bell Compan!
had q monopoly. After 1896 severa
Independent companies were started
Competition was keen and the people
got better service at cheaper rates
Then the Bell Company started grab
bling of its rivals. But there are still
independent companies in Philadel
phia, Buffalo. Kansas City. Omaha an,
other large cities. Competition Is tn
only safeguard of the public. 70,
can see the effect OF 1t In the wa
between the Western Union and tn,
Postal Telegraph companies.
"They are constantly improving
service and undertaking each othe
In the race for business. For In
stance, the Western Union starts tn
night letter and the Postal Telegraph
comes through with the lettergran
And SO on.
"And the same conditions could b
| true In telephone. service on a CON
petitive basis. In some places wher
there are two systems you can &c
J both for the same price that one fol
; merly cost.
Recently the city granted the tel
, ephone company new contract 70
five years. Even supposing the rate
In that contract are fair, that's n
argument against competition. It
the future we have got to look t.
. But here In Chicago we're not onl
up against the desire of the telephon
company to control rates, we are ais
up against the desire of few me
4 to steal the tunnel and eventual
J. control the subway system