The City Council did not come to a final dicision in the telephone matter before the arrival of summer with its vacations, and the general opinion seemed to be that further consideration of the question ought to be delayed till fall.

Suddenly Mayor Busse stepped forward, however, proposing that a flat rate of $125 per year for business telephones be incorporated in the ordinance.

The telephone company has continually fought this, but since it was evident that the committee would second Mayor Busse's proposal, the company declared that it would accept the rate. As now altered, the ordinance would permit a flat rate service or a measured service, according to the telephone user's preference.

At the discussion of the matter in committee it appeared that the majority now had changed its attitude and was ready to adopt the ordinance at once, including the proposed change.

Alderman Sitts objected strongly, mentioning other changes that ought to be made, but the committee majority had evidently made its final dicision. Twice it voted to recommend the ordinance for adoption.

This sudden change in attitude is curious. There is no need at all of pushing the matter through just now. There is no need of hurry. The city and the people of the city would lose nothing by having the decision postponed till fall. The people would not, to say the least, get a worse bargain then:

The company would not be so eager to submit if it did not find the ordinance completely satisfactory, and time should be given to the telephone users to find out whether or not the ordinance is fully satisfactory for them also.

Arguments, however, will hardly influence the majority of the City Council, and it appears that the ordinance will be passed in its present form.