The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1920-07-02

primaries, so that every voter in the
city may have an intelligent under
standing of the needs OF our, schools.
If this is done, we can be reasonably
sure both measures will carry by
good margins.
"In conclusion, let me say the
members of the board of education
are more than pleased to have this
opportunity of laying their problems
before the Chamber of Commerce.
We know it is a subject in which you
as we'll as all the citizens of Mt.
Vernon are vitality Interested. We
shall expect the heartiest coopera-
tion from the Chamber of Commerce
during the next month or six weeks,
to help put over these two measures,
and with your cooperation we shall
expect success"
'Phone Controversy
Mr.. Henry c. Devin was introduced
by President F. w. Kahrl, to present
the facts as seen by the 1Iount Yer
non Telephone company, in the present
grave difficulties.
Mr.. Devin stated that he came to
the Chamber of Commerce asking the
privilege of presenting the facts in
this business crisis in the telephone
service in Knox county. He said that
Tho covnnopu oopt him In opcuor fO
severa requests purporting to repre-.
sent large portion of the member.
ship of the chamber.
In opening his address Mr.. Devin
stated that there was an exact sim.
ilarity between the necessities OF the
city board of education and the tele.
phone company, in that both needed
more money to carry on their bust
ness, and render the proper service to
the community.
"The criticism, he said, (which has
been made against the company that
it has not been doing the right thing
in not taking the general public into
its confidence in this disruption, Is
probably right, and justifiable. He
stated that it was the company's in
tention to do that thing now. 1--WE
recognize that in business that the
public is the party of first concern
The laws of the state of Ohio recog
nize this fact" said Mr.. Devin.
He told of the lowered efficiency
state in which the company officials
found things after it had been return
ed from government control short
while ago. He said that it was thu
same business proposition that every
institution faced in the country, ant
that the company met 1t in the man
ner they deemed best after a careful
survey of the whole field The com
pany needed increased revenues tt
meet demands, keep up their property
and give reasonable return to thu
stockholders.
Mr.. Devin stated that the surve!
showed that the most expensive ser
. vice for the company to maintain wa
|, that of the rural communities, in re
lation to- the rate received for it. l
, was also found that the rural servic
was the most fruitful of complaint be
cause Of the abuse of the line privilee
es by the subscribers themselves.
J was all the buse of the flat rate chare
! ed by the company.
Something had to be done and tn
: company after communication wit
the public utilities commission Of Obi
. which governs all actions of public Sci
: vice corporations, the toll rate wa
put in force. This was last Octobe
' 1t met with immediate dissastisfactio
s on the, part of many of the rural sui
! scribers, said Mr.. Devin. Eight hui
k dred phones were ordered out.
He stated that the situation had b.