The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-27
The PRESIDENT AND MR.. GARLAND.

The PRESIDENT AND MR.. GARLAND.
The Presidents tacit Endorsement Of the At
torney- general is not enough to acquit him of
the indictment of public opinion. Even the
friends and champions of the administration
realize this, and murmurs of disapproval are
heard on every side, while there are some
among ancient Democratic papers that do not
hesitate to openly and unqualifedly condemn
the President for not getting rid of Mr., Gar
land. But the most remarkable feeling
is shown by the mugwump press,
notably Harper's Weekly, which gives
every evidence of being greatly scandalized
and Inundated In it's last issue it
publishes four cartoons in Nast's most Wig
orous style, on this question. In one Mr.. Gar
land, blindfolded with telephone shares, is
holding conversation with indignant Justice
through telephone He is represented as say
ing: e3Nobody will take the stock off my
hands" The reply of Justice is: Cant you
get somebody to take you off my hands?"
1t is apparent to anybody, and to the editor
of the Weekly as well, that this cartoost and
its subscript could be vastly improved and
strengthened. There is only one person aside
from Mr. Garland who can take him off
except the President. The former
has given no intimation of intention
to resign, while Mr.. Cleveland has been rep
resented as satisfied with his Attorney gen
eral, and therefore determined to stand by
him. But while the picture is not what it
should be, it is encouraging as giving evidence
of progress in the labor of the mugwump con-
science to surmount its prejudice Another
cartoon comes little nearer the merits of the
case and represents the President with sig
nifcant garland bound over his eyes, but
through which he is represented as easily see
ing. The legend appended Isl Cant
you see through that9" From this
it will be an easy and natural step to
make it read: "Wont you see through itY1 A
third picture represents Garland speaking
through telephone in denunciation of s.those
wicked telephone monopolies;' of the sscor-
rupt, subsidized press of the Bell corporation, !"
etc. The fourth picture, also by Mast, is car
feature Of telephone, complaining of the
hullabaloo that has been raised. The car
toons are supplemented by editorial comment,
in mild criticism of the Presidents inaction.
and giving evidence of understanding the real
merits Of the case. 1t says:
'"The right or wrong of the Bell patent has
nothing whatever to do with the scandal of
the Pan-electric speculation, nor ought the
fact that the two Democratic Journals. the
World and the Sun, which emphasize the
scandal, are not especially friendly to the adj
ministration, affect the view to be taken of the
situation. The case is simple. There are
two telephone patents one of which. that of
Rogers, was worthless, while the Bell was
enormously valuable. Apparently the only
chance to give value to the Rogers invention
was to question the validity of the Bell pat
emit, and to do this some action of the govern
ment was desirable Thereupon Rogers as
signs, not to capitalists and business men,
but to certain members Of Congress and in
oiAoi"i PoAieiSioiiS-oAo democrats
AN interest in the patent. This was gift
and gift for purpose These persons in
turn assign their interest to the Pan electric
company, receiving in return stock which was
paid for by the assignment The stock had
then no value. But it would acquire value if
the Bell patents could be invalidated.D
The Weekly proceeds to recount the advent
of Democratic administration to power. and
the selection of Mr.. Garland for Cabinet
position. 1t mentions the remarkable action
of the Attorney general when pressed by the
Pan-electric company to bring suit invalidat-
ing the Bell patent, and recites how, although
he declined to do so, be did not instruct his
subordinates not to. He then got out of the
way, hid himself in the wilds of Arkansas for
some weeks, and meanwhile the Solicitor-gen-
eral, subordinate officer in the Attorney
generals Office brought suit and the
scheme begins to work exactly as its