The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1920-07-09

their committeeman, since then re.
quests from every section have taken
me to all parts Of the county. We have
been repeatedly solicited by business
men and others in Mt. Vernon to cir.
culate petitions to remove phones here
in town. Invariably we have said that
that was up to the people Of Mt. Yer.
non, II they desired to show their dis.
approval of the telephone company's
action and cooperate with the rural
sections the way was open.
However there have been many
phones in the city ordered out The
contention that the phone is primari-
ly business instrument and should
be so construed is without foundation.
take 1t that not over 500 phones in
Knox county are Of a purely business
nature.
A large number Of phones in Mt.
Vernon are in the home because John
and Mary have left the farm and come,
to town to live. They have phone to
talk to Dad and Mother back home, or
it may be that Dad and Mother have
retired to town and they want to keep
in touch with the home folks back
there in the hills, so these folks and
they are many, have concluded that IL
they cannot talk to their rural folks
the phone is not of much use to them
and 1t must go.
AS I said above we have no desire to
cripple the telephone company and
are ready to call halt in the proceed
fngs II 1t can be done. To that end
we met Thursday, June 20, with the
officials of the company to talk over
our differences and If possible to ad-
just the matter.
The subscribers committee having
analyzed the situation and thoroughly
considered the attitude of the rural
subscribers toward several possible
plans Of service were convinced that
the only plan that would put the
phones back on the wall was the
schedule in effect prior to. October LIST
last.
1t was pointed out to the officials
that we had been memorialized by res
olutions and by individuals by the hun
dreds that no other plan would be ac-
cepted.
1t was shown that any advance in
rates at this time would mean that
the company could not get enough
phones reinstalled to equalize the loss
Of revenue from those that would stay
out.
1t was further pointed out that in
the light of Mr.. Arnold's testimony be-
fore the Public Utilities Commission
that the receipts of the company for
k1919, as reflected by the quarter end.
ing Sept. 30th last, would be $114,07S
.12 and the expenditures would, be
$72,960.04, leaving $41, ,1O9.OS to pay in
terest on capital stock and for main
tenance and depreciation, that the
company by accepting this proposition
could get 95 to SO per cent of it's sub
csribers back at the minimum of loss
and then after making every honest
effort to give the people service and
regaining the good will of it's patrons,
1T was found that the plan was losing
money that we as leaders in the or
ganization and as individuals would
not, oppose reasonable raise.
We further agreed that limit of
25 calls a month to other exchanges
be enforced as we'll as reasonable
time limit be put on the use of the
lines.
These proposals were met with
three proposals from the company.
The first was proposal of flat
rate service at an adequate increase
in price.
To this proposal the company would
not give the committee any figures to
indicate what they considered an ade.
quate rate.
The next proposal was one to sell
the rural lines.
To this proposal the company would
not consider selling the patrons an
entire exchange but would sell out
lines on a given road If subscribers
A.