The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-09-03
PEOPLE WILL GET
ACTION ONPHONE
RATE CONTRACT
Hundreds Sign Petitions De-
manding That City Admins
tration Submit Question to
Voters in Referendum.

Hundreds of persons already have
signed the petitions demanding a refer
endum vote on the contract agreement,
made virtually, in secret, between the
city administration apd the Cumberland
Telephone and Telegraph company. for
increased rates, although the petitions
were not circulated until about noon on
Tuesday.
The people generally were asleep
when the increased rate contract was
slipped through the city commission
but a good many of them have since
awakened to the fact that the Cumber-
land system and the other public utili-
ties are never asleep. and have to be
watched night and day, II the peoples
rights are to be protected.
The rate agreement, which was
rushed through without any publication,
n which gave to the Cumberland sys-
TEN exactly tlfe increased rates they
asked for, which We're the high war
rates, put In as ar emergency war
measure by the postmaster general, has
been signed by representatives Of the
Cumberland company, as a matter Of
| course.
The remedy possible to the people
now is to sign the petitions demanding
a referendum vote, and to insist that
| the mayor and city commissioners, call
| the election provided for in such mat
tiers by the city charter.
The city administration had every OPP
| portunity to prevent the war rates from
being permanent. The state utilities
commission stood ready to issue an or
der preventing the rates from being put
In effect the moment the control Of the
wire companies passed from the gov
eminent to the companies at midnight
| July 81,
But instead of protesting against the
increase In rates. the city administers
ton passed the contract resolution
this year, allowing the war rates to re-
main In effect for the remainder Of the
year, even without a single protest.
The Cumberland company took off the
war rate Increase on June bills, Upon
the bluff Of the city administration
in the names OF a number of sub
scribers, But while the people of Mem
phis were resting unde the impression
that some similar action would be taken
as to bills for the months after public
control ceased, they found out their
mistaken trust in the administration
when they read that a new franchise
contract had been made and speedily
signed, giving the Cumberland company
the right to continue the war rates fol
practically two years.
II requires the signatures Of only SOC
qualified voters to the petitions to COM
pel the city administration to arrange Il
call an election and allow the people t.
have their say on the question, The
same lawyers who represented the
street car company In the memorable,
iitney fight a few years ago. and WHIT
found 1t a difficult task to get 500 sig
natures TO a petition In that case fol
j the company. are representing the tele'
phone interests In the present rate con
troversy. The people Of Memphis arr
popularly supposed to be represented b,
the members OF the city commission
but that appears to be a fallacy. How
ever, : they have the remedy In thei'
W hands and In all probability, man,
more than the required number of sig
natures will be placed on the petitions
before the end OF the week.
Read News Scimitar Wants.