The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-03-17
TELEPHONE MAKES REPLY.
CONTINUED from Page |.

much IN the actual cOhduct OF the buSl-
ness. III an article costs a dollar il
costs a dollar and its valuc is not
changed by an arbitrary assumption,
on paper, that il costs 90 cents, and |
the fact remains that if the rate SEIZED |
ME as proposed by the ma joritv of the i
commission had been in effect during |
the wear ending June 30, 1913. the |
company would have been left without
anv margin Of profit whatever over
and above the expense Of furnishing
| service in the state of Vermont
Four Courses Open.
Under these circumstances there
seem 10 lie four possible courses open
to the company:
| l. 10 .tsquitsce IN the majoritv &c
cision Of the commission and under
take 10 have rhe loss on is Vermont
business carried by the telephone
using public Of the other states. We do
NOT believe that this is fair to the
other states, nor do We believe that
the people Of Vermont would wish to
have their telephone service upon any
such basis. Furthermore, under this
proposition, the company would be
furnishing certain grades of service
in Vermont at lower rates than the
company would he chargin" for the
same grades OF service furnished under
similar conditions in other states. The
icomrany knows Of no way in which
il conld Justify amy such diScrimna
ton.
, II, on the other hand. the com
pany should adopt for similar grades
OF service in similar communities in
! III
gested, hv the majority Of the commits
, sion. the aggregate loss in tie com
} PAWS revenue would more than wipe
J out the small margin now resulting
, from the total business 81 the com
; pany This margin j. already % small
} S to he . source OF serious concern
. ard has already resulted in a tenn
porary po>tponcment OF certain I'M
, provements il equipment and rXten-
!, sous of tie plant.
= The third course open 10 the
!; company would he to arQuicsee in tho
o ira iorilv decision Of the commission
q and undertake to reduce the expense
& al furnishing service. in tie state OF
: Vermont to n point commensurate witt
q the revenue collected in the state
n This would not only mean 4 permanent
: rostponemenr Of All improvements il
q equipment plant and service, hat i
) would result in an impairment IN th'
O present service which would affect no
only rhe telephone using public in Yer
mont but those in other states wh'
: have occasion 10 use the toll ~orN it,
. to and from that state. This cours'
= o1 procedure tho company does not he
: licYe Is desired Ky the people il
g the state OF Vermont, nor can We be
. lieve that il wonld in any way be il
% the general public interest.
> T. The onIy other alternative Il
% he officer, Of the company see it, i I
; appeal u the courts for a hearing o.
z he merits. Under the established rule
o Of court procedure an opportunit
80 will be offered TO have the issues a
. the case defined before the ease i
% beard aud opportunity viii be give
y for cross examination aud argumen
% upon whatever evidence the courts ma
81 decide is material to the issue.
- Pending the decision of the court
% the company hopes that the telephone
"A using public Of the state Of Vernon
- VII appreciate and approve OF the me-
i tires Of the company in asking for
l. judicial decision. and trusts that tn
10 public viii suspend opinion in the mat
i ter until the decision has been reacl
- ca. In the meantime the compan
- VIII continue the same high grade c
~ service il the state Of Vermont whir
j. noyv being furnished.