Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 July 1909 — THE MUTUAL IDEA IS TAKING WELL [ARTICLE]

THE MUTUAL IDEA IS TAKING WELL

Telephone System Owned By The Patrons Is In Prospect GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY IS HERE And Only Thing Necessary Is to Start the Ball Rolling-—Scores of Farmers and Business Men Are Ready to Put Their Shoulder to the Wheel In a Financial Way—Pro" ject Should Include the Entire County. The Democrat's advocacy of a move being made to organize a mutual telephone company in Rensselaer and Jasper county is bearing furit, and a large number of business men and farmers from all parts of the county have either called at this office or written since Saturday’s issue of The Democrat, in which the matter of organizing such a company was urged, and expressed themselves as heartily in favor of the plan and stated that they would do everything they could to further the cause along. All are of the opinion that now is the accepted time to launch a mutual company, and say that all that is needed to bring It to a successful conclusion is for someone to start the ball to rolling and proceed to organize a company. The rest will be easy. The Democrat believes a company should be organized that has for its object the taking in of every nook and corner of Jasper county as fast as the lines can be constructed, and if a thorough canvass is made for membership the number who will go into the scheme will embrace practically every progressive farmer in the county and scores of business men who want better service for less money—or a county service at a lower rate toll rate. Scores of towns in Indiana now have mutual telephone exchanges, and the universal report from their patrons is that they get better service and at- lower rates than from the companies organized solely ot make big money out of the business, and the mutuals are also making some money right along for their stockholders. At Lebanon, Bluffton and other larger cities than Rensselaer, the telephone systems are owned and operated by mutual companies. Chalmers, in White county, also has a •mutual company which owns the Chalmers exchange and is extending its lines out in all directions. In our own county there is a mutual company operating in Newton tp., through the Mt. Ayr exchange, which is a success in every way, and we are told that this line would be glad to unite with a Larger mutual system. Farmers, on this Newton tp., line get Mt. Ayr and Rensselaer service, we understand, for only $6 per year! We shall try to get a statement from this mutual line for publication next week, and also some suggestions for organizing a mutual company to be county wide In its scope. In the meantime, farmer 4 friends, talk up mutual telephone to your neighbor. Get him Interested and, if you have any Ideas on organizing, write them out and mail to The Demcorat. We want to see a mutual company organized in this county, not only from a personal motive—so that if we want to call up Wheatfield, for instance, to get an item of news we will not be held up for 25 cents, or 20 cents to Remington, etc.—but also want the farmers and business men to be benefitted, as they surely will be if a good strong mutual company is organized in Jasper county that has for its territory the entire county.