Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1914 — PLANNIPG CAMPAIGN AGAINST INCREASE [ARTICLE]

PLANNIPG CAMPAIGN AGAINST INCREASE

Public Meeting Suggestec for Saturday " Night—Must Get Busy If We Beat This Injustice

If subscribers to telephones in Rensselaer and surrounding -country are opposed to an increase of the rates, and we believe 99 per cent are, they must get busy now and aid in the protest that is to be made Friday of next week, Feb. 27th, when a member of the Public Service Commission will conduct a hearing in Rensselaer, on the application of the Telephone Co.'to raise the rates to $3.25 for office and $1.75 for jesidence telephones. The rate they have asked is to be subject to a discount of 25 cents if the tele-, phone is paid for within the current month. Desk telephones are also to pay 15 cents extra per month, if the plan of the Jasper County Telephone Co. to make its property the most valuable monopoly in this section of the state goes through. The writer has counseled with the attorneys who will appear on behalf of the people, also with a number of others who have given the telephone business some consideration and the plan of opposition is tolerably well outlined, but it will need the support of every interested person if the plan to boost the rates is to be defeated. To this end investigation has been started and will be continued up to the very time of the hearing and it is expected to have evidence on hand to show that telephone service, good service, with modern equipment, can be supplied at the , rates now charged. The Republican wishes every subscriber to know that the proposed

owners of the telephone company are desirous of feathering their nests. .Let it be understood that the Public Service Commission has complete authority in this matter and that the only time to adjust this question is right now. Here is the proposition facing every subscribed of having telephone rentals raised from $6.00 to $13.80 per telephone per year facing you. What are you going to do? The investigation that has been made by The Republican has disclosed some things that relate to the first organization of the company. We are told upon the highest authority, in fact, by victims themselves, that there was some mighty high finance indulged in When the company was organized or reorganized or both, and that some of the stockholders got in on the ground floor and paid nothing at all or only a small per cent of the face valuation of the stock while others paid full face value. . It is understood that this is the basis of the refusal made by the company officers four years ago to permit a committee composed of J. N. Leatherman, W. H. Beam and J. F. Irwin, investigate the books of the company. Of course, the commission will not take into consideration the claimed capitalization of the company,, but the physical valuation of the plant, but it is the company’s experts who are making a present inventory of the plant and it will be figures highly favorable to the company that will be presented from that source to the commission. Some expense is -being incurred in getting the facts to intelligently present the side of the people to the commission and Attorneys Halleck arid Dunlap are assisting in getting the facts. The Republican has received so many assurances of assistance that we felt safe in proceeding along the lines adopted. The fifty-cent contributions are now needed and can be left with either of the attorneys or at The Republican office. If more money is secured than is needed, all that is not spent in a legitimate opposition 4o the telephone company’s effort to raise the rates, it will be pro rated back to all who contribute.

increase would turn into the coffers of the telephone company some SSOO to S6OO every month, thus makifig that corporation the greatest dividend paying one in this part of the state, if the proposed rates are allowed. We do riot believe that the people of Rensselaer owe this tribute of cash to the company and we want to prevent that result if it is possible. The Republican believes that the only fair basis for an adjustment service and rates, should be based upon the actual cash investment of the telephone business, affecting necessary to install a modern and adequate system and. upon an economical and business like administration of the affairs of the company. If this requires the rates asked by the company, then all well and good, but if the proposed rates are not necessary for that kind of service and that kind of a plant, then we are opposed to sewing Rensselaer and community up for al future time simply because the

It is probable that a public meeting will be held Saturday night at the court house, where are friends of the plan to oppose the raise in rates will be'asked to assemble, so that the' plans employed can be discussed. It will take your best efforts to procure a fair settlement and this is the time to do it.