The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-03-28
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

THE great event at the national capital on
Monday was the decision by the Supreme
Court of the telephone cases, which has
been so long in coming and has been the
source of much anxiety, controversy and
speculation
The number of people directly interested in
this decision, including the stockholders in the
various corporations involved, seys q Washing
ton special, was probably greater than in any
that has boon decided for many years. a.
the value of the entire telephone interest,
reaching almost every town OF size in the world,
was affected. The Bell patento were sustained,
however as wasexpected by almost every body
but the attorheSs p1d stockholders in the rival
c9Empaniss. ~, fact, i wsar itht St.all the
The crowd in The court-room was unusually
large, and the opinion written and rehd by j us
tice Blatchford, although the longest that has
been presented to the court for years, and occu-
plying nearly an hour and three-quarters i'm
the reading, was listened to with the greatest
attention. This decision settles the entire
controversy. While IL does not prove, as JUS
tice Blatchford said, that Bell was the original
discoverer Of the fact that articulate sounds
may be transmitted over a wire, IL establishes
the fact that he was the first to adapt the dis
covery to the wants OF his felow-men. aud
is entitled TO the full value OF the invention.
One hundred and twenty-one Of the
best lawyers in the United States have boon
engaged in this litigation, including Sena-
tor Edmunds, ex-senator Conkling, Postmaster
General Dickinson, Robert q. 1ngersol and
many others almost rs famous. and il is esti-
mated that several million dollars have been
expended in counsel fees and other court ex-
penses. The Bell monopoly will now have SIS
own way, and the stock OF that company, which
has huctuated widely on account OF the constant
litigation, will have fixed value until the eN-
piratiou of the patent. Justice Gray did not sit
in the case for the reason that different mem
bers OF his family hold II large interest IN the
Bell Company, and Justice Lamar because he
did not hear the argument. Tho decision was
prepPred by Chief Justice Waite but was read
by Justice Blatchford, owing to tho former in
disposition.
Turing storm at Washington lightning
struck the Capitol, the flash being especially
vivid In the Senate Chamber Ali the occu-
pants OF the Supreme Court-room-Justce.,
lawyers, and auditors Jumped to their feet,
but quickly subsidel. In the House wing
balls of blue fire were noticed playing about
the corridor, and some members thought the
roof was about TO tumble. horse outsd3
was knocked down, AMI an engineer in The
basement was Frustrated
BILL is TO be reported by ths House Com
mittee on Revision OF the Laws, at Washing
ton, providing for an amendment TO the Con-
stitution VIII sreby Senators will be elected by
direct popular vote instead or 10y the LegI.-
latures member OF the committee is quoted
az saying:
We have agreed upon this report only after
careful aud Faipstakfng Investigation OF the
whole question. We believe the change il de-
manded by tue people. IL adopted it will add
much 20 the representative character OF Sena-
tors and will do much to relieve the odiufn
under which tue Senate has long rested on ac-
count OF the disreputable methods alleged 10
have been used in many instances to inf 4ence
Iegisl atureE. A proposition 10 al so pending IN
the committee for a Second Vice PRESIDENT,
but th does not seem to be IN res onse to any