The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1916-03-22

error or this point. Il e true '""'
the southwestern company has been
rs,rs bueiuess IL wazahachia many
yesrs and il j. hkeeise rae thai
TIE e1uthwoatesn comp ~ ~ ths
past hes emerged $500 gee month
for basiness telephones. even When
TIE connections seTe very much less
IN number fhat al the present time.
Mr. Groce may argue monopoly ana
tAke the Light 20 talk Tor its views,
but the fac; remains that we voice
the sentiment Of the masses JUST
ike every good democratic newspa-
per should do. We believe the peo-
pie should rule The people most
largely affected have spoken on the
merger proposition and the council
owes II 10 them to ACT. 1t would
be little short OF. class Hesitation Tor
small minority to swing the coun-
ell ballot in this instance. If Mr.
croce and Mr.. AcRae are not con
tent with the expression from the
users of business telephones who
have voted for a merger without re-
gard to whether they use both
phones, we submit the proposition
that this expression be extended TO
the users OF residence phones who
by this plan would get the dual SER
vice without any raise In price, and
our prediction is that fully seventy
five per cent of them would favor
the merger We are Wiling to abide
by the result II bar. Gregg and Mr.
McRae are. In fact, we shall abide
by the result OF the eitg council
action and If the amondmont is not
adopted we shall accept defeat
gracefully.
Now few words for Mr.. MeRae.
That gentlemen still lmagines that
he is speaking fer the people. If
Mr.. McRae is gctting any eonsola-
ton out Of this delnsion we shall
not attempt to wake him from his
dream. He continues TO insist chat
he is representing the people, when
as a matter OF fact ne only repre-
sents small minority Mr.. MeRae
uses as an example the merging OF
two mercantile firms Cor the purpose
of increasing prices on their wares
and contends that their goods would
remain on the shelves unsold. We
agree with the principle Of the prop
ositiou but assert that this is not
parallel ease The telephone company
is not engaged in the business Of
selling merchandise and hence the
Illustration used by Mr. McRae is not
applicable
MI. MeRae also says he refuses TO
believe that the users of two tele-
phones are the authors OF the clause
in the franchise authorizing an in
creased rental rate. It Is immaterial
to us as to what Mr. McRae's be-
| lief is along this line but regard
! less OF the fact as to whether any
user of two telephones actually
wrote the clause it has met with
The approval OF the users of dual
phones. II is voluntary agreement
between the telephone users and the
telephone company that they are
willing to pay S350 per month fer
business telephones in order that the
merger may be effected and thus
lessen their telephone rentals. That
the telephone company is acting
within the rights by aceeding to this
request cannot be denied. We can
Inct agree with AIR. MoRao THAI such
action would be in effect of levy
ing tribute or bonuses on telephone
users.
Mr. MeRae seems to think that
the independent Telephone company
deserves no credit for forcing a re-
jduction in tolls in Ellis county, and
intimates that if the Southwestern
company retires from the field this
competition will be destroyed On
the contrary the people Of Waxa-
hachie and the city council have
lheen assured BY Mr.. Earle that the
reduced tolls now in effect and the
rural connections now existing VIII
DO maintained under the merger,
and furthermore that further rural
extensions viii be made as necessity
demands Mr. Earle has agreed 10
enter into a written agreement with
the city council 20 this effect.
Mr. MeRae says that another
thins that does not seem exactly
iright 70 M is the threat OF the In
dependent company to withdraw
from the field and leave rs to the
mercy Of the old company This
is the first time We have ever heard
OF The Independent COMPANY threat
4 anime tn Withdraw F~o0a tho field II