Sweden 



333 



more to the purpose, ever deserving it. Mr. Cedergren was 

 amongst the first to perceive the sufficiency of a low rate of sub- 

 scription, and to appreciate its fostering power on the telephonic 

 industry. At first a theory only, the keen competition which 

 ensued in Stockholm when the original monopoly of the Inter- 

 national Bell Telephone Company was attacked, provided the 

 opportunity for its practical demonstration. The result of the 

 low rates and Mr. Cedergren's unceasing energy has been to place 

 Sweden in the foremost telephonic position in the world. ' And 

 what,' the advocates of high rates will ask, ' and what about 

 the poor unfortunate shareholders ? ' Well, as will be seen further 

 on, those commiserated personages have received year after year 

 better dividends than telephone shareholders in the United King- 

 dom ever did, 1 or are ever likely to. 'But,' say the advocates, 

 * Cedergren had everything his own way no opposition free 

 way-leaves low-priced labour a benevolent corporation a free- 

 handed and complaisant Government.' Nothing of the kind 

 a mere collection of red herrings. 



The pioneer in Sweden was the International Bell Telephone 

 Company, which opened in Stockholm and Gothenburg in 1880 and 

 soon afterwards in a few other towns. But the rates were high and 

 development was slow until opposition appeared in Stockholm in 

 1883 in the guise of a local Mr. Cedergren's company, and in 

 Gothenburg in the form of a co-operative telephone society, the 

 idea of which was that each member should pay for the cost of 

 his line, instrument, and proportion of switch-room apparatus, 

 and contribute 3/. 6s. M. per annum towards the working and 

 upkeep of the system, which contribution would be reduced, after 

 the formation of an adequate reserve fund, whenever circum- 

 stances permitted. The idea was found to work out well in prac- 

 tice, and Sweden was soon dotted with co-operative telephone 

 exchanges, even villages with names undiscoverable in the best 

 gazetteers indulging in what was at first looked upon partly as a 

 scientific curiosity and partly as a luxury, but which soon proved 

 to be a useful adjunct of everyday life. 



The extent of the mine waiting to be worked was soon demon- 



1 With the exception, perhaps, of those of the Dundee and District Telephonic 

 Company, Limited (see page 7), which worked on a s/. los. rate. 



