The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1914-03-27

Fargo. \. d.. March 21.--lcster'
days sessions Of the North Dakota
Telephone association opened with AZ
address by Director Cooper of tho
state experiment station. Mr.. Cooper
dwelt on the fact tina in farming as
i n the telephone business success de-
ipends to a large extent upon man.
agement. He showed the close rela,
tons between The business man and
the farmer and told If what had beer
accomplished by farmers of the state
under the direction of the Better
Farming association.
G. II. Pratt of Omaha. general Sill.
perintendent of the Nebraska Tele.
phone company, CAV, "A very carefully
Government Ownership of Public
Utilities" He said that the PROPOSE
ton in itself "a correct and that
there was nc eason why the govern
ment should not w the public utili-
ties, but it is not practical for it to
do so.
Government Ownership.
The government has the right to
demand the greatest good to the
greatest number and service at rea-
sonable rates. The cutlery against
private ownership OF public utilities
largely a question Of private gain.
iNal gam ulLuSI pllSdlS
wnership there is the question of in
fciency under government owner
ship
The %postofice is often referred to
as an example Of successful operation
under government ownership. But in
reality it is not true. The United
States actually owns less equipment
than the amount involved in a small
telephone exchange. 1t requires no
technical nor ny{rnoC:y,~ SLi11 IN nm
crate. In fact the postoff1ce is de-
pendent on the magniicently equip
ped and efficiently operated privately
owned utilities for even the slight
measure of efficiencv which it pos
sesses.
Postoniee Running Behind.
The postofice has u behind over
a billion dollars: there would have
been a deficit of twice that much if
tho government had been operating
the telephone systems of the country.
1t is the politicians that are clamor-
ing for government ownership. Our
government is not built for govern
ment ownership of public utilities.
The best service means q service
which is reasonably good. taking into
consideration the p"p"''tion. equip
ment and other fact and which
will pay dividends on capital in
sCStSu anu sui Keep tne charges AT
a minimum.
Inw Cost Here.
The United States has the hes,
service at the lowest cost of any
country in the world. There are 90
goo more places reached by the rural
phones than by tho postof1ice. The
rural free mail delivery was a direct
result of the rural telephone systems,
rnrsl de eTSa5sa the Iemand for free
The speaker then went on to point
out further deficiencies in the postal
service and to compare the superior
telephone system of the United States
with the inefficient systems of Euro
pean countries.
State Fire Marshal Runge closed
the morning session with an address
on prevention of Fires"
President McVcy Speaks.
President McNcy Of the university
addressed the convention in the after
noon on the subject OF taxation will,
especial relation TO the telephone BUS
mess. His remarks were listened To
with attention because of his f~orcefu,
presentation of the subject.
Hon. w. Fl. Stutsman Of the board
of railroad commissioners gave a
brief address OF the relations existing
between the commission and the tcle-
phone companies of the state.