The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-18

ever approached II, that thing is the
Bell Telephone Company's complaint
against the administration. The Bell
Telephone controversy is almost too
fresh in the public mind 10 be elabor-
ately presented here. The company
was primarily founded in fraud. 1t
has been fraud a the way through,
or is reat onably believed go TO have
been, its own actions giving color to
the suspicion. The application for
the Bell patent was filed on the same
day with the application for a patent
on the fame invention by an inventor
named Gray. A Patent Office clerk
assumed the responsibility Of giving
the right OF priority to Mr.. Bell, when
1t was clearly case Of interference,
and should have gone before the ex-
aminers Of interferences. The
facts would then have been
brought out that have subse-
quently been developed, namely,
that the sending of language by word
CT mouth over a wire was not original
with either Gray or Bell, and that
even had 1t been II was not patenta-
BILE. As the issuance OF the Bell pat
ent was thus double violation of the
rules Of the Patent Office, the natural
conclusion is that ii was obtained by
COLLISION and fraud. Every move
ment of the Bell Company since that
time has justified the wort conclu-
sion. The government having been
the means Of committing the wrong,
II wrong there was committed, was
the proper patty To investigate the
sui ject, and in the name Ct the United
States the Bell Company was ordered
into court to show cause why their
patent should not be cancelled. There
were plenty Of precedents for this
course. In fact, there wss no other
course open by which the rights cf
the Bell Company could be fairly and
finally tested. Any other would have
been an individual suit, and would
have decided nothing except that par
ticular case. The United States,
which granted the franchise, was
eminently we'll fitted, by reason d
its possession OF the archives and facts
as we'll as by the equities OF the case,
to determine its extent and limitations.
II the Bell Company bad been firm in
the belief OF It's own position 1t would
have welcomed such a test. But how
did 1t act2 1t began to fight against
going into court. II began TO rear and
plunge and invoke the known hostile
elements against the administrs ton
that dared to enforce the laws. 1t
purchased pens right and left to de-
fame the Attorney General and the
Secretary Of the Interior and every
body, in fact, whose duty required any
action against the monopoly. Half
million dollars is nothing TO the Bell
Conn., any, and 1t poured out money
freely to break down the legal pro-
ceedings at the beginning. Through
the influence OF partisan and venal
press they succeeded in throwing a
tremendous quantity of mud in brief
space OF time. The partisan neKspa-
pers which assumed the grievance OF
John Roach were quick to catch at
fresh pretext to astail the administIa.
ton, and the Bell telephone grievance
was as good as any. The venal newspa-
pers, which fight for pay and for
cold cash, strike friend or foe. But
the machinery OF honest government
worked smoothly on. There were no
Cabinet officers resigning at the de.
mand OF the telephone ring. The
honest President never faltered in his
duty TO the country. And thus one
more corrupt combination was arrayed
against the Cleveland administration,
and that nnnn htnnNsAn kha Il,
cious and insolent OF all.
AN ALLIANCE WITH POLITICIANS.
But these rings Of monopoly and
subsidy and contract and polyRamy
and jobbery OF every kind have appa-
rently effected combination with the
political elements of hostility to Presi-
dent Cleveland. During The past ten
days the lieutenants and captains aud
commanders OF the Blaine wing of the
Republican party have been In close
consultation in this city. They have
come in pairs, singly and in detach-
ments, TO avoid the appearance of
collision. Their presence, how
ever, has not escaped the lynx
eyed correspondents, who have
promptly announced that the
Blaine boom for the next Presidential
nomination has been placed upon its
feet. Coincidental with their pres
ence here the corruptionists renewed
their attack upon the administration
all along the line. Every Blaine or.
gan Of New York, Philadelphia, Baltl-
more, Chicago, st. Louis aud other
cities Joined in the concert. This juno
ton Of jobbers was easy and natural.
1t was complete. Every correspond
emit in Washington known to be
friendly to the Blaine interest began
at once to nag the administration, tel
egraph reports of dissensions in the
Cabinet, OF designations OF Cabinet
officers and distort the relations be-
tween the President and his party.
The alleged Democratic journals who
Oleveland's nomination, OPP
posed his election and oppose his ad-
joined in the tidal wave
Of defamation and lying and are now
working in harmony with the Job
bers' brigade in their community OF
interest with Mr.. James G. Blaine.
The junction is reunion of original
and oognate forces.
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