The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-09-05


r,ae AooVe IN black and white is the
PHleage made by Mayor Monteverde and
commissioners Mason and Miller prior
70 ,r 1helr election in August, 1918.
,o,oh haI pledge was broken on Aug. rs,
roto, ny tne passage of the contract
rssolution fixing the war rates for tele-
phone service upon the people of Mem
pms until Dec. 81, 1921, under which
SSaupscflDers will pay not less than 300
wy year more than under the rates
solemnly agreed upon in 1915.
-, me ne war rates are not only reaffirmed
ny the terms of the contract but be-
sldes that the mayor and commissioners
ialied and refused to take any action
10 prevent the collection of the in
creased rates during the four months
rom July 81, the date on which the
control OF the telephone and telegraph
eral government
a. me contract resolution was rushed
tnrough the city commission without
any official publication, without any
puollc discussion, the mayor and three
Serler forsh commissioners 50 having agreed be-
asked BY the officials Of the Cuniber-
lard Telephone and Telegraph company.
Hundreds Are Signing.
Petitions are being circulated this
week and hundreds OF men and women
are signing them, demanding that the
CITY commission call an election at
Which the question OF the rate COR
tract shall be submitted to a vote of the
people, as provided for in the city char
yer. Lawyers who have looked into the
law are of the opinion that the clauses
in the city charter covering franchises
are ample to cover the matter and
that, II 1t must be carried to the courts.
the mayor and commissioners can be
ceompelled to cal a referendum cleo
ton IN spite of their attempts to avoid
the issue by ternling the contrac' with
the Cumberland company resolution
instead OF fixing the rates by ordinance,
regularly passed at three separate SEES
sion and published In some newspaper.
The petitions will be circulated for
i a few days longer in order that as
many citizens as wish to may sign
them, as although the law requires the
signatures of only 500 freeholders, it
may be that the mayor and the com
lnissloners might be somewhat more
impressed by a larger petition although
from intimations that have come from
the city han 1t Is apparent that every
possible effort will be made to prevent
the people from asserting their rights
and TO refuse, unless compelled by legal
order, to call the referendum election
demanded in the petitions.
Dearer Lights Next.
Unless the people themselves demand
their rights and insist upon their de-
mand for Il referendum election on the
telephone rates, they will shortly find
themselves paying larger gas and cleo
trio lighting bills also. That may hap
pen In any event, because the public
utilities law gives the. state body the
rate-making power This is the same
law that was passed without protest
from the city administration.
The fixing of telephone rates, how
ever, was largely In the power of the
city administration, because of the fact
that the Cumberland company was
most anxious to secure permission from
the city commission to buy the plant
of =. the Memphis Telephone COMPANY
and consolidate 1t with its own.
The consolidation could not have
taken place without the consent of the
city commission, and in agreeing to the
cancellation of the, franchise of the
Memphis Telephone company the city
could probably have secured a much
more favorable rate agreement with the
Cumberland company
That was the case In 1915, when the
Cumberland company agreed to what
were at the time considered Just and
reasonable rates, upon securing per
mission to use the city streets for the
building Of new conduits and other ex-
tensions.
Get ALI; Give, Nothing.