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Show THE MEAT IN THE CO-COANUT- A stockholder In the American Telephone and Telegraph company writes n Dostou financial paper: paper "Shall I sell twenty four shnrcg of stock which I own in tho Amcr: can Telephone nnd Telegraph company com-pany for fear that company may not bo able to keep up paying 8 per con dividend which It has maintained lor years and thereby cause value of Its slock to fall?" The reply to this Inquiry was: "Do not sell. Tho telephone company it woll managed and thcro Is no rcaiun why It should not contluuo to pay IU 8 per cent dhldcnd If It Is given anything any-thing llko n fair show In tho ctp.t'ur of telephone rates throughout tlic country." Right here Is tho moil In the cocoanut. Public utility stock of all kinds I really owned by the people. Men, women and children are the real owners own-ers of every public utility In the United States. Policies which make It Impossible for public utility companies com-panies to earn a good dividend mako It difficult to get sufficient money to meet the growing demands of the country. Any regulation which prevents a welt managed company from earning a good dividend causes loss to thousands thous-ands of Innocent stockholders who put up their money expecting to make a legltlmato rate of roturn. Tho Interests In-terests of stockholders in public utility util-ity companies should bo just as secure se-cure and free from political meddling as the Interest of stockholders In banks. Contrary to general opinion It is not a few rich men who own our great public utilities but huu-dieds huu-dieds of thousands of plain every-day citizens who havo worked hard fo tho money novated In stocks nnd bonds of these corporations. The day of "bull whacking' public utilities nnd railroads for political ecect to detriment of Innocent Investors In-vestors should bo about over and the powers ot that regulation shoul 1 he used for their protection lns'tead of, for their exploitation by rote seek' lug politicians. - |