The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-07-07

G., Atkins, commissioner of Indian af-
fairs: General J. +. Johnston, now
government commissioner of railroads;
United States Senator Isham G.. Har-
ris of Tennessee, and Casey Young,
democratic congressman from Ten
nessee. The report begins with his
tory of the formation of the company,
and states that five and half or six
million dollars of the ten millions of
capital stock was actually paid in cash.
The value of the Bell patent, it is said,
rests upon the fact that it covers pro-
cess, while the Rogers patents simply re-
late to mechanical details. The testi-
mony is cited to show how the Pan-Elec-
trio Company was organized and three
and half millions of its stock given to
gentlemen for the use of their names
and reputation. The opinion of Sena-
tor Garland, declaring that the Rogers
patents do not infringe the Bell patent,
is quoted, with the statement that it had
been gotten because the Pan-Electric
could not sell rights without it, and it
was, as it was intended to be, the in
ducement which led large numbers of
persons to pay in money, part Of
which was divided among Mr. Garland
and his associates. AT the same time
the Pan-Electric knew that their in
struments did infringe the Bell patents.
In his testimony before the commit
tee, DR.. Rogers stated that what he
wanted of the Pan-Electric states
men " was to bank upon their names
and regulations, as prominent and in
fluential politicians and officials, and
the testimony taken abundantly sup
ports the declaration and proves the
readiness of Garland and his confreres
to make all that was to be made. The
report charges that the opinion fur
nished by the encouragement was
written with view to deceive people
in the Southeast, and says it was a
shrewd view; that the people so be-
lieved, but he 0he attorney-generaD
did not The report goes on: The
best that can be said of him is that he
lent himself to this because he got his
stock for nothing. If he was not ac-
tive in it himself, he suffered his name
and influence to be used by Others"
Mr.. Garland's testimony and his un-
disputed acts show what he thinks is
becoming for senator and cabinet
minister. He testiies (page 649) that
when the Pan-Electric scheme was first
suggested by General Atkins:
/ told him 1 had never attempted to make
my money at anything but law and poker;
that always lost at poker, but sometimes
won at law, but I was willing to go into
this thing if he thought it offered any good
inducements.
He describes his view of the " thing"
to be page $685.
Simply the association of five or six very
impecunious men who wanted to better
their condition.
1t goes without saying that the clear
and strong report of the republican
members is generally endorsed by all
the republican papers that have fol-
lowed the testimony in the case. In
addition, the Boston Herald, sup
porter of the Cleveland administration
says:
1t is as plain as anything can be that the
stock was placed in the hands of the sena-
tors and other public officials concerned
with view in the first place, to sell the
rest upon the strength of their names, and
afterward to secure their influence in valu-
ating it through the help of the government.
1t was not known at that time, of course,
. that there would be democratic admins
tration of which Mr.. Garland would be
made the Encouragement. But when the
latter event happened, the directors of the
scheme sought to use, and as a matter OF
fact did use, the machinery of the depart
ment of public justice to promote their own
private and personal ends This is the
scandal of the affair, to which the attorney.
general and the solicitor-general appear to
be wholly insensible-an insensibility which
tne PRESIDENT unfortunately, seems 10 snare
The New York Sun calls it ga story
of greed, dishonor and shame" and
says the proof of bargain and sale is
clear" 1t adds:
If the encouragement implicated in this
, scandal were a republican encouragement
and if it were republican president who
refused or neglected to remove him from
= office, who doubts that the democratic hous,
l would proceed promptly to bring him t.
| trial before the senate? Short
. sighted indeed is the course which mar
row partisan policy suggests under sucl
circumstances as these. The attempt t.
cover up, to conceal, to whitewash, to ex
4 onerate. will be confession that the party
d is not worthy to exercise the power will
which the people have intrusted it. 1t will
be confession, and confession is suicide.
Judge Ranney said to a correspond
e ent, recently, that he had been ap
O preached by more republicans in thu
h attorney-general's behalf than he hat
v by democrats. We had hoped there
xuoo Gonna r,ictaka ahout this ,lpiil w,