Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1919-05-07
II. II. COMMISSION REFUSES
TO Permit Increase OF Telephone,
Rates in This State,


Carolina Railroad Commission to-
day refused to rescind its order 10.
promoting tho Southern Bell Tcie-
phohe and Telegraph Company put
ting into effect May ! it's proposed
schedule OF increased rates on busj-
ness and residential telephones in
this State. The proposed increase
would average Is per cent, according
to statement issued by the corpo-
ration.
Officers OF the telephone company,
at conferences with the commission
consuming practically the whole Of
two days and parts of two nights. re-
qucsted the commission temporarily
to hold up it's injunctions, as the
matter could be more expedtiously
settled by awaiting the decision Of
the United States Supreme Court and
Utilities commissioners against Post
master General Burleson. as director
Of the United States Telegraph and
Telephone Administration, as to the
right OF the latter increasing long
distance telephone toll rates without
the consent Of the railway and pub
lie utilities commissioners OF tho
various States. The South Carolina
commission is party to this suit.
In telegram received yesterday
afternoon by the commission from !
Epps Brown, of Atlanta, Ga, presi-
dent OF the southern Bell Telephone
and Telegraph Company, and endors-
cd by the officials Of the corporation
at the conference, it was agreed that
i thc supreme Court agreed th%t
Postmaster General Burlcson had ex-
c""U"d his prcrOgativcS in incra ~
inG intraStatc rates, then the cxcc;scs
cai2ctcd from its patrons in this
>t',te would he refunded
An alternative proposal from the
commission stipulating that. when
the Southern Bell properties are re-
rertcd TO their owners by the govern
mcnt. the rates now prevailing on
business and residential telephones
in south Carolina would automa,i-
raliy be substituted for the proposed
Increased rates effective May |. WAS
refused by the officers Of the CON-
rany. The commission lik wise
agreed. If the company would accept
this proposal. to grant them a near
ing for increased rates when its pro-
berries were turned back by the GOV
crnmcnt.
II is the contention Of the Rail
road Commission that neither The
southern Bell nor the government
! legally can pcrcmptorily order an in
crease in intraState rates without
first gaining the consent OF the com
mission, which was not attempted in
this case.
Members OF the commission say
that the people Of South Carolina
will be perfectly willing to submit
to an increase Of rates, provided that
they are absolutely essential to the
maintenance Of the properties mp to
high standard. but the commission
feels that the people should be ad-
! viSed OF the necessity for a new
schedule before it is placed upon
them.
The refusal Of the commission to
rescind it's order No. l79 leaves the
Southern Bell Company in this posi-
ton:
1t will either have to go to the
courts for an injunction against the
commission and the Attorney Gene
raj. In order to get legal relief, or
put it's rates into effect on the theory
that the government has a right to
increase them without the sanction
of the railroad commission In this
latter event Attorney General Wolfe
then will be requested by the COM
mission to take legal steps, which
probably will be in the shape of
temporary restraining order.
The decision not to rescind Order
No. 10 was agreed upon by Frank
w. Shealy. chairman, and II. II. Ar
mold. com missioner, with James Cans
Ter, commissioner, dissenting. Mr..
Cansler signed Order no. 179.
IN the passing Of Order No. 49,"
said Chairman Shealy this after
noon. i'll discussing the situation,
the commission did not intend to
reluce the revenue TO the govern
II ont, but from information at hand
ii is the opinion of the commission