Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-26

warranted in basing conclusion upon
the conjecture that higher costs of op-
Grafton and service than those which
have already been reached will be the
experience of this company. To so do
eide would in n sense fprccloSc the
rights of the rate paying public.
IF the future shall reveal the npccs
sity for rate readiustments and the
hypothesis upon which this application
is so largely predicatcd is demonstrated
to have become an actually, prompt re
lief can be readily secured and promptly
granted.
Must Stabilize Conditions
Costs Of service aud production
leading to over increasing burden,
upon the consuming public have been
expanded, as apty described, in an
alarmingly viCious circle. There must
come n point of stabilization at which
industrial and economic conditions can
be- held firm against either dangerous in
ilntiOn or ruinOuS COutractiOuS.
Great public utility corporations
coming in contact with the intimate life
and interest Of the people at countless
points deriving their right TO exist from
grants Of public franchise and depend
ing upon the general public for their
prosperous corporate existence, eau do
moro under existing circumstances by
efficient and economic management to
contribute to ytabili2ng conditions than
can be accomplished by any other single
agency it would be possible to cmphasiHr
in an enumeration.
In the absence Of convincing facts
which would Justify the commission IN
granting the application for a continu-
ancc Of tho fodcralv imposed rates be
yond December l. 1919. the date fixed
by Congress. it is refused and tho Bell
Telephone Co. Of PcunSylvHuia is di
roctod as and Or that date to restore
its rates which were in effect in Penn.
syyania Immediately prior to the period
of federal control An order win issuo
accordingly.
Approximately lSG.OOO persons in
and near this city will benefit by the
reduction. u substantial Thanksgiving
gift to Philadelphia and other cities aud
towns Of PENNSYLVANIA.
calls between Philadelphia aud sub
wrbau points. including Bryn Mawr,
Merton, llayorford. tyuWyd and other
Main Line rommunitic, viii be- affected
by the rate change The Bel company
officials this afternoon said they were
not prepared to state the exact changes
\ now schedule on such calls will be
worked ont hy tho company.
I9r Iu9.r S'rHl'G ommISsIon or,
Ger lopS on th' oIS increase huih"ril'd
by Postmaster 't'n'ral 'hurlcSon when
tho toIephon" ana telegraph lines OF m"
nation We're under his control.
Mr.. BurlcSou ordered the 20 per "cut
rise last January. But the common
wealth Of Pennsylvania. as did several
other states. fought the increase.
ON January 90, ON tho plea of AZ
torucv General Srhaffor. Judge Eunkcl.
ia the bauphiu county court issued n
preliminary injunction restraining the
company from increasing its rates.
Stat" officials fought the rat" boost
because. they said, il meant the sweep
ing aside Of tho commemorative right
To- regulate rates and meant federal con-
WoD as q substitute
On April Attorney General Schar-
fer gained second victory in the
Dauphin county court when Judge
kunkol continued his Injunction.
Mr.. SnafTcr'S move for an inmnc-
tOu was aimed at the Bell Telephone
Co. When he succeeded he notified
independent companies that he would