The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-10-23
Atlanta, Ca, October IS, 1920.

II
New Orleans, La.
Dear SIR
Your letter of October 18th asks very nat
mi ouestion, and one which demands a full and
/ TANK reply, which / am glad to make.
While the price of a great many things have
|>ouareutly been reduced, these reductions IN
ciees do not apply to articles used by the telc-
Skone company, or affect the expenditures reces-
Nv IN the construction, maintenance and oper-
zion Of the telephone plant.
The following classes of expenses constitute
uore than ninety-five per cent of the cost of
FINISHING telephone service:
Labor
More than ffty-five per cent of the total ex-
pepd;tures of the Company in rendering service
IRE the wages and salaries; less than one-tepth
Il one per cent of this being for executive and
general salaries.
The wages paid to our employees cannot, and
houId not be reuced. On the contrary they must
y increased, in many cases, to bring our wage
pale on level with wages paid by unregulated
hznesses, so that we may retain on rskilled en-
rlcys0 necessary to give you efficient service.
Material and Apparatus
Aany items of material and apparatus are
kuFsd in the current maintenance of the prop
06 Entirely apart from the enormous quanti-
~ hvoyed in the construction of new prop
81, and this represents a large item OF eX-
rGne. There has heen 10 reduction NOR a.y
EGicatcn OF seduction, in TIE price CT these
essential articles, in practically al 0 fwaich the
hbor, freight and hauling cost is by far the larg
et proportion Of The total cost
We know tias The manufacturers CT telspLore
Equipment an o.nster:al have orders booked fer
~ years II adv~rce, with constantly iacraas-
3 demand, and which in turn makes a reduction
- p1ce IN the near future most improbable.
:. FRESH. and Passenger Cess.
vw annual expense for the transport zion
nslgnt AID passengers is more than one nil
|lm dcllars. Nc one expects the Railroads 10
zeace their charges under the level OF Costs in
|nndering their service.
Rent
sxeep1 IN the larger centers our central offices
SOCKS OF material are housed in rented
.a9lss, and even in the larger centers we REM
r''as amounts of properties.
Hotels
8 he board and lodging bill for our men. VIII,
navel IN connection with the operation and
nsnxnce OF the property, costs many thous-
"a Nv collars every year, and we car see no
P9t OF the hotels lowering their charges.
~ uey DO we must pay the present high
xsssie Power and Lizh.--S,re.t Car Fare.
~ spend many thousands of dollars every
~ tne services rendered to employees en-
s a u the maintenance of the property. Frac-
esefy year the rates charged by these
~ - - naye been substantially increased, and
|S Sno thought OF any reduction. The Tel
nd ates F~' 'AS9e
~ s1g, Printing and Stationery
eosume tons of uaper for hnokLaa,;-r
-, ;sss ssn a aad directory purposes, and paw
II Ian ~ $3.50 ~ dollars Tor printing a..lua.,..
-, -. 4 Expense has increased in perceots~e
NJ nv rs as otners, and no one has suggested
N these costs is probable.
N. -. Col Bill
b a, S-1>~ % heat the BUILDINGS occ,,n;aJ
We, N s rendering the service
neessarv = - must pay whatever price is
me coal for this purpose.
dim has ~ s ns actual rate per one thousand
ony hrvss 49, increased, we are compelled
nsar dsr. Esr anouns of insurance than n
- nprudurt;an order to protect ourselves in
AM -. Eyed BY fire and this is reflseted ii in
4 N. Taxes '','
Doth Federal, State, County and