Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 90, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1914 — Why Is So Much Money Wanted? [ARTICLE]

Why Is So Much Money Wanted?

The Rensselaer Republican has bombastically announced that it will right any increase in telephone rates “to the last ditch,” and asks every user of a telephone to pay in 50 cents per phone to hire someone to represent the phone users before the Public Service Commission here on Feb. 27. Now, the telephone company has upwards of 1,000 phones in town and country, we understand, and 50 cents per phone will bring in over SSOO, which is a pretty good fee indeed, and no doubt there will be many applicants for the job of representing the phone users if there is SSOO in sight. The writer doesn’t want to see any increase in rates either, but doubts very much whether any effective fight against an increase can now be made. Mere private opinion as to w hether rates should be increased or not cuts no figure. It must be facts I backed up by facts and figures that are considered, and as the professional men are no doubt as strongly opposed to an increase as ariyone else, and are as deeply interested, it seems to us that they ought ot. donate hheir services in the wind-work of kicking,” and the other phone users save their coin to help pay the increased rates when they come. Understand, no increased rates .can be put in effect until the contemplated rebuilding of the plant has been made.