The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-17
Urges Utilities Commission to
Prohibit This Practice.
NO JUSTIFICATION, he SAYS
Risk Of Telephone Companies
Least of All Business.
Legislature May Be Asked to
Intervene This Winter.

In letter to members of the public
utilities commission today. Governor
Hodges urged the issuance of an order
prohibiting the collecting of telephone
rentals in advance.
The Kansas executive says that
Kansas telephone patrons are victims
Of an injustice at the hands of the
Missouri-Kansas and other telephone
companies which practice the advance
monthly rental policy. He has re-
ceived numerous complaints against
the practice and in his letter today
urged issuance of an order terminal
ing such policy in this state.
"The companies collecting these
rentals in advance are conducting
their business to a considerable ex-
tent upon capital belonging to the
general public" says the governor in
his letter. Il mean by that they are
collecting for service yet to be rem
dered and to an extent doing business
on capital belonging to the general
public, which is unearned except in
the sense that the companies are un-
der obligations to furnish future serv-
ice to the extent tina it has been paid
for.
"Other public service corporations.
such as gas, water, electric light and
power, do not collect for service yet
to be rendered. 1t is equally as consis-
tent, it seems to me-. for the public
service corporations named to collect a
minimum fixed charge in advance for
service yet to be rendered as it is for
telephone companies to collect rntals
in advance-the only difference being
that telephone companies have definite
charge while others could but approxi-
mate the charge.
'tIt = Not Right"
ST cannot persuade myself to believe
that it is either just or right for citi-
ia ho. fn In o6.
vance for such telephone service when
other utilities do not collect in advance
for the service they anticipate render
ing. .ssssi.
my attention has also been called
to the fact that there is no uniformity
in the charges for various kinds ol
service rendered by telephone compan-
les and it seems that the time has now
arrived when this matter should be
taken up and Investigated, and that
you establish correct basis for tele-
phone rates for the different kinds OF
service rendered.
In discussing his letter today, Gov
ernor Hodges not only expressed a de-
sire to prompt action on the part OF
the Kansas utilities commission but
hoped for an enactment at the hands
Of the legislature remedying the pres
ent situation.
Il think it is safe to say that one
fourth to one-fifth of the funds used for
operation. II not establishment of tele-
phone plants is derived through this
method of collecting rentals in advance -
said the governor. THE worst thing
about it is that there Is 10 justification
for the telephone company's course. A
grocery store sells q man some groceries
and fails to collect its bill the groceries
are gone. The same is true of the coal
man or the clothing merchant. But IL a
telephone subscriber fails to pay his rent.
the telephone can be removed and the
r1r1lu 1rc<- to 7 1J,y
Think the risk of telephone company is
less than that of any other business o.
public utility and hope that the present
uyf11 h< nj cd