El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-05-14
Telephone RATE
To STICK AWHILE
FL Paso Has No Chance at
Present to Secure
A Reduction.

The board Of directors OF the Fl
I Paso chamber OF commerce at their
semimonthly meeting Tuesday evening
decided to defer any action in the mat
ter OF looking toward the restraining
! the collection Of telegraph and tele-
phone tolls under the increased rate
until the cases Of North Dakota.
: South Dakota, Illinois and 0Iassachu-
sets, now before the supreme court.
/ are decided These cases were all
| considered together and the argu-
E ments therein concluded on May z.
2 1913 The cases were taken under
! advisement and a decision should GER
T talnly be announced before the SUI
preme court adjourns for the sumner,
f il was said
If in these cases. stated a. w Nor
COP, attorney for the chamber Of
commerce in this matter. IL is decided
/ that the postmaster general had no
power 70 provide for the increase IN
rates. the local companies will not at
[ Tempt TO continue their collections at
such rates and viii undoubtedly make
proper provision for refunds
If, on the other hand as is likely to
be the case IL is held that the post
master general has authority TO estab-
lsh the Increased rates, then it would
be Improbable to start suits now.
since the inferior courts would. Of
course, conform 10 the decision OF the
supreme court as soon as its decision
is announced and all costs OF proceed
ings commenced before the announce
ment Of such decision would have 20
be borne by those bringing such suits.
BurleSOn Winss
In this connection" continues lTr
NorcOp, your attention is directed
In na
were made in the cases referred 10.
the supreme court entered an order
permitting the postmaster general TO
continue TO collect the increased tele-
graph and telephone rates in the state
Of Illinois and temporarily STAYED the
carrying into effect Of the Injunction
against such collection. which had
been granted by judge Lands, Of Chi
cago- In view OF this, you can readily
see that there is little indication Of
a decision against the postmaster gen
eraL
your attention Is also directed to
the suit filed in New Mexico 10 en-
Join the collection Of the increased
rates. in which a temporary iniuuc-
ton was refused by judge Holloman.
In handing down the decision at such
hearing, judge Houoman said.
Without further fnvesti Eation. 7
viii state that my present opinion IS
that under the act OF congress
authorizing the president TO take over
the telephone lines and to control the
same, the national government has
assumed control OF everything per-
tanning thereto except those things
which were specially reserved 10 the
states in the act, and, in my opinion.
the government under that act has
the absolute supervision and control
Of the fixing Of rates during wa-
time, this being purely war meas
rnHa j. -a.H --a-
tive rights granted by congress are
proper is a political and not a judicial
question. II the administration of
these affairs IS not satisfactory TO
the people, that IS purely a political
question and can be taken care Of as
provided by our form Of gOvernm ent-'
stratton to Be Heard
Upon hearing the presentation OF
facts in the case through the opinion
Of Ar. Norcop. and verbal recital Of
the facts in the case by A U Tad
lock, manager Of the transportation
department the directors decided that
it would be useless waste Of money
TO institute legal proceedings until
The cases now before the supreme
court have been passed upon
II was at first suggested that the
directors recommend to the public the
payment OF the increased rates under
protest, but no action was taken be-
cause, before doing so, the board felt
that 1t was due TO c. E. Stratt0n.
phone company, that he be given an
opportunity 70 present the argument
Of the telephone company. This, Mr..
Stratton viii DO at the next meeting
Of the board
Protest Is Registered.
Manager Roberts submitted a num- Z
Der Of letters from individuals and
from groups OF business men protest ]
ing against the increase in telegraph
that the chamber OF commerce take I
action in the matter. He stated that
he had formally, and as a matter of
record. registered protest with the
postmaster general and placed the
chamber Of commerce on record with I
senator Sheppard and congressman I
Hudspeth as opposing the increase in Z
rates: and that at the same time he
had engaged A W. Norcop as counsel I
in the matter to render IN opinion F.
and TO handle the case Immediately I
upon learning OF a decision by the d
supreme court, provided the decision /
was favorable 20 the millions Of de-
PENDANTS.
Visit Soil Laboratory.
The directors, prior 90 meeting, I
made a tour Of inspection OF chamb Der I
OF commerce headquarters and were I
given a special demonstration OF the I
work in soil analysis by Mr.. Laferrier 1
in the laboratory OF the agriculture I.
department.
Reports from the various depart I
ments were made to the board by the I
heads Of departments, A e. Tadlock Z
reporting for the traffic department. 1
D. A. Bandeen for legislation and /