New-York tribune., 1885-10-21
PROGRESS or rHE TELEPHONE RING.

PROGRESS or THE TELEPHONE RING.
The Garland telephone ring moves on "A if it
had never been exposed. Ii now appears that
aDplications have been made, both by Mr. Gar
lands subordinate at Memphis, the District
Attorney, who is the next friend of the AttOr-
ncy-Gcnerars next friends, and by the Mary
land company in which he ami other politicians
have interest asking the Government to order
suit against the Bell Company. These appllca
tions. it is stated have been referred to the In
terror Department This course was antlci-
pated when the ridiculous letters Of the Prcsi-
dent Mr. Garland and Mr.. Goodc were pub
lshed. The next step in the programme of the
Democratic ring is to get the President himself,
on the recommendation Of the Interior Depart
mcnt to order the suit desired, on the pretensc
that it Is done without regard to the interests
or feelings of the Attorney General, and the
Commissioner Of Railroads, and the COmmls
sioncr Of Indian Affairs, and the Senator from
Tennessee, and the member of the Democratic
National Committee from that State. all of
whom appear to be interested in the suits pro-
posed.
But the conspiracy has made little progress.
Evidently it has arranged matters with The
Neir- IOrk Times, which was ut first very
mealy-mOuthed in clcusing Mr.. Garands con-
duct. But now that paper prints long letter
from the attorney Of one of the parties, and pro-
creds editorially, with much vanished Phar-
sceism and solemnty, to declare that it is the
duty Of reform Administration in some way
to do Just what Garland and GOOde actually
did, and thus to make the stock OF eminent
Democrats more valuable if possible. This in
dicatcs that the Administration has privately
concluded to shoulder the load not being will
ing TO offend all the highly influential poll
tcians who are in the ring. 1t Is fortunate in
being able to please both parties. For the Re
publcans will certainly look on with much grim
satisfaction, if this pretended reform Admins
tration, within its first year. proceeds to illus
ta!c its ideas OF purity and unsclfsh devotion,
by attacking patents issued by the Govern
ment, IN order TO render more valuable stocks
which the inventor gave to Mr.. Garland and 20
other leading Democrats, as u brbc To secure
their inh~cnce. The Republican party can IL
vitc the people to inspect the performance, to
consider whether any Republican Administra-
ton ever tolerated so gross a scandal, and to
enrich the dictionary with new definition
Democratic Reform, a new and more shame
less form of bribery
Mr.. Garland's personal defence makes no pro-
eress. Weak before, it is only made weaker by
the apocryphal statement that he was induced
to invest in the telephone speculation by his
own private secretary Have these dullards
forgotten what Mr. Rogers made known, that
Garland did not " invest at ALL but took the
stock which was given him by Rogers. who
expected that IN return Garland would use his
official influence for the company 1t seems
that the Attorney General is mixed up,
too, with the land business in New Mexico,
which this Administration processes to regard
as a nest of fraud. Proofs Of Vinccnt's record
as an agent of the Scottish Loan Association
were on file in the Attorney Generals Office
when he recommended Vincent's appointment
as Judge Of New Mexico. This same judge has
just been suspended by the President. 1t is