Morning journal and courier., 1886-06-24
THE PAN-ELECTRIC COMPANY.

Two Reports To Re Submitted Te The House From The Committee
 Who Made The Inquiry.
 WASHINGTON, June 23.-It is probable that the special committee composed of nine members of the House, with MT. Boyle of Pennsylvania as chairman, appointed to in- vestigate the organization and affairs of the Pan- Electric Telephone company will sub init it's report to the House within day or so (possibly to-morrow.) The report of the minority signed by all of the Republican members of the committee was completed two or three weeks ago, but it was only this week that MT. Boyle completed the views which are subscribed to by all of the five Democratic members and which constitutes the majority report. It is intended that there shall be final formal meeting of the committee before the reports are submitted to the House at which tine reports shall be read so there can be no further question as to their regularity. Both reports are very voluminous, contain eopious extracts from the testimony taken, all of which has been printed and have but little new matter in them, and nearly the whole of the minority report is talked of with extracts of testimo- ny tending to show an intention on the part of the Pan-Electrie company to employ the official positions and influence of the federal officers to break down the Bell patents, enact laws and otherwise unfairly, unlawfully and dishonesty advance the interests of the Pa1l- Electric company. The comments of the mi nority on the testimony of Senator Harris, At torney General Garland and Solicitor General Goode are severe. Their manner as witness es is characterized as suspicious and their testimony as self-damaging. Especially does this criticism apply to Solicitor General Goode In the minds of the four minority members the fact of the federal officers taking stock in the members and officers Of the company is alone sufficient to call for pronounced condemna- tion and their acts in relation to bringing suits in the name of the government against the Bell company call for censure. They are of the opinion that the testimony of these men is enough to convict them of something more than impropriety.
 The majority report submits legal argu- ment to justify every act private citizen, federal officer or corporate officer committed by those who constituted the Pan- Electric Go. The rights of federal officers to engage 1u private enterprises, even enterprises WHICH are asking for federal intervention and assist ance-is argued at great length. The major ity report is quite as lengthy as the minority, containing ten twelve thousand words. Precedents and law are cited for not only every step taken by the representatives of the government in moving against the Bell company, but for the participation of federal officers in the organization whose interests are directly affected by the governments suits. The majority disclaim that the suits were brought in the interests of pri vate parties or of any particular corporation and combat most energetically the charge that the act of the government or proposed action was accelerated by any federal officer connected with the Pan-Eleetric company. The majority gives the government officers somewhat vigorous rap for entering into the Pan Electric company knowing that the success of that company depended upon the annulling of the Bell company patents, which could only be effected by the government or it's courts. The majority thinks it was an impropriety for government officers to have become connected with the Pan-Eleetric company under the circumstances and frank ly announces that that act WAS reprehensible and liable to arouse suspicion.