The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-07-10
Pan-Electric Committee Reports

From the Baltimore San:
No new facts of importance were develop,
ed in the investigation made by the specia
committee appointed by the House resolution
of February 26 to ascertain whether, as alleg-
ed, the administration had yielded to i'm
proper influences in bringing suit to test the
validity of the Bell patent, and whether tele-
phone companies had subsidized the press In
support of their interests. The reports now
presented are just such as were anticipated
before the inquiry began. 1t was generally
conceded by fair minded persons before the
investigation was ordered that the evidence
upon which Solicitor General Goode acted
in seeking a judicial determination of the
question at issue between the Bell Company
and the people was fully sufficient to justify
that step. If any doubt in the matter still
fingered, it was secuted when, upon re-
hearing of the history of the Bell patent be-
fore Secretary Lamar it was decided, with
the concurrence of patent Office experts, that
there was abundent reason to attribute the
issue of the Bell patent to fraud, and that the
proper and only way to void the patent, II
fraudulent, was to bring a government suit
for that purpose. 1t was also admitted by all
who were in position to recognize the facts,
that the suit in question, when first instituted
DIV MT. OOOQe, was luSllIuISO bhC
knowledge, and of course without the con-
currence, of Attorney General Garland, and
that from first to last the Attorney General,
by reason of his being interested in rival
company, had refused to have anything to do
with the suit against the Bell Company.
Whatever indiscretion there may have been
in Mr.. Garland's taking stock in a specula-
tive enterprise while Senator, it was plain
that since his acceptance of the attorney
generalship his course had been unimpeach-
able. There were, however, two powerful
agencies, one of private, the other of a
public and political character, that saw their
interest in systematic Misrepresentation OF
the facts. The Bell Company was pleased to
inculcate into the public mind the idea that
its patent was not being assailed in the IN
terest of the people because it had been I'M
properly obtained, but because other compa-
mics wished to share its privileges The At
torney- Generals connection with the Fan
Electric Company-which, however, it hap
pens, was not among those that asked that
the suit should be brought-atforded appar-
emily basis for an assault on the law officers
of the government, and this assault was made
in thousand forms and with persistent vigor.
in the hope of intimidating Mr.. Garland into
ordering the abandonment of the proposed
judicial inquiry. Being a monopoly with
immense funds at its command, the Bell
Company was able to carry on for months
through the press propaganda of innuendo,
insinuation and Misrepresentation against
Messrs. Garland, Goode, Lamar and others,
while at the same time posing as martyr
suffering from the unjust attacks of ring
entrenched in the departments at Washing
ington. The company was seconded IN It's
efforts to besmirch the administration by Re
publican newspapers, which pretended to
find in the history of the Pan-Electric Tele-
phone Company an excellent campaign doc
ument They were aided by several alleged
Democratic papers of sensational proclivities.
When, after all, the suit was duly instituted
at Columbus, Ohio, the Bell Company retired
from the newspaper war, wisely reserving its
funds for lawyers fees. But as a political
cry the "Pan- Electric scandal is too good
to be lost, The report Of tho Republican
members Of the special committee of the
House shows what value they attach, for
party purposes, to the tissue of evil sugges-
ton that was woven by the Bell Company to
conceal the valuelessness of its case. While
the majority of the committee find the At
torney- General and Solicitor General blame
less in regard to the matters submitted to
them for investigation, and approve the suit
brought against the Bell Company. the
minority, being Republican, take, as was ex-
peeted, the unfavorable view, insinuating
what they lack the hardihood to assert to the
prejudice Of the administration.