The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-06

men IN Warrington, Is small matter
in comparison with the Bell Tele.
phone scandal, involving certain
newspaper editors in the city Ct New
York.
WHAT THE HOUSE, AND SENATE OUGHT
TO Do.
The publication OF the figures show.
inc expenditures in the Department
OF Justice will reach only in an in.
direct way the rot OF the Pan Electric
sCalda'. 1t will probably be found
that there have been no expenditures
which might not have been made not
only with perfect propriety, but with
out criticism or remark by IA attor-
ney general who never saw or owned
a certifica of telephone ttO k. The
House might more turely Itach the
offenders in this case by passing a
resolution expressing its opinion
that a person who accepts as a
gift while in Congress or in the
service of the government large or
small quantities OF the stock OF
corporation is deserving Of ceDsure,
and that the ownership OF such stock
shoulJ disqualiiy him from serv ne in
any office in which he would be liable
IT, be ca ed upon 10 take official action
upon questions involving the rights or
privileges OF the corporation in which
he was interested. The Senate would
be nightly incensed by such a reso-
luton. but we do not see how the
shameless greed of United States
Senator'S is to be properly rebuked
unless by the House.
LAMAR AND HIS RIGHTEOUS DECISION.
But il will be we'll for the people Cf
the United States ID understand the
precise Units of the "Psn Electric
scandal" and to be on their gnal d
against the efforts OF the Bell t. le-
phone Company and it's newspaper or
gans to use this miserable PAn-Elet .ic
business to undo what has been done
by the government in the proceeding
to test the validity OF its patent. The
New York Sun has attempted do dIag
Secretary Lamar into this scandal and
to create the belief that his just and
sound opinion declaring that a suit
should be brought by the government
to tett the validity OF the Bell patent
is tainted by it, No honorable man,
and certainly no honorable journalist,
would attach the sli shtest weight to
charges made against any man by the
Sun. And as it has lately bee ONE
apparent that thtt newspaper ocCu-
pies the relation net merely of an
apo'ogist, but Of defender and attor-
ney to the Bell Telephone company,
its comments upon Secretary Lsmar'a
course are entitled 10 the came weight
ss the uterances of any other advo-
cate employed by the Bell Company,
and to no more. Secretary LsmHrs
opinion is It's own Justification and his.
1t opens the way to the use of the only
remedy against the public wrong OF
the fraudulent and INDISPENSABLE Bell
monopoly which is now possible and
adequate, or ever was possible and
adequate. The persistent misrepre.
sensations of the organs of the Bell
Company, their eageTness to put
forward the provisions OF the
Revised Sa,ntss and private &C
tons AZ the proper remedies for
the wrongs the Bell Company has put
upon its rivals and the people, and
their zeal 10 refer the whole question
TO the Supreme Court upon the APP
pealed cases are impCt,nt and Of no
aveil against the solid foundation of
truth and justice upon which the de-
cision of the Secretary Of the Interior
is based.
That decision cannot be successfully
attacked any more tla1 Mr.. Lamar's
motives in making 1t taa be succ esc-
fully impugned. To have denied the
application for hearing OF the case
against the Bell Company in tribu-
nal where oil the evidence upon the
fraud issue could be introduced aud
palsed up)n-and this can be done
only in the government suit--would
have been a great public wrong Il I'D a
great public misfortune. The
Bell Company opposes this
hta-ing only because it fears
the result. II knows the stIuCt-
ural weakness of the corporal edifice
it has erected upon the slender foun.
dation OF Bells flaudulently amended
pateat OF 1875, and 1t will count itself
cht apply delivered from its present
perils Il the expenditure OF million
Of dollars in stimulating the upi oar
over the irrelevant Pan.Electric issue
and in decrying the governmeu t's
course shall secure the arrest Of the
proceedings under Secretary Lamar's
decision. The public is fairly and
fully warneA Ct the designs OF this ex-
t)rtiouats monopoly. II may rest as
sured that this criminal aud corrupt
leaI Of al insolent corporation with
venal newspapers will not prevail.