Omaha daily bee., 1895-03-11
THE TELEPHONE DECISION

Indianapolis Journal: 1t is by far the
most important decision a court ever issued,
destroying monopolles In which hundreds Of
millions Of capital are interested.
New York Advertiser: Justice Harlan
sent hello into the telephone monopoly
that must have melted the wax In the ears
of the anxious gentleman at the receiver.
Philadelphia Press This decision is a long
step in the direction of ending the monopoly
of the Bell Telephone company, since IL termi-
mates at once FIVE patents which that company
hoped to control exclusively until 1910.
Chicago Herald: The decision Of the su-
preme court ends this colossal imposition
and cheat. As first step toward the rec
tfcation of the notorious and criminal
abuses OF the United States patent system
it may well be hailed with acclaim,
Cleveland Plain Dealer: Now that the
supreme court has spoken the last word on
the telephone and electric patent cases that
were in litigation, perhaps there VIII be a
reduction of cost to the public using tele-
phones and electrical contrivances. A large
reduction is not likely to come very quickly.
Denver News: The court held after an
elaborate review of the different acts OF
congress that the patent expired In this
country at the same date that 1t expired
abroad. In so deciding It broke down the
guards about millions of dollars of monopo-
lzed inventions and threw them open to
general use and competition.
Minneapolis Tribune: Happily this court
decision has broken down the monopolisttc
walls, and IL the public is properly IN
formed no congress will ever dare to build
them up again The owners of the tele-
phone patents have been reimbursed thou
sand times over for all their outlays, and
have received princely reward for their
enterprise and business skill in handling
the patents. 1t is time now for the public
to receive benefit.
r,t.a Inn hnc
not treated the public, to whom its service
has become a necessary Of business life, IN
such generous or fair fashion as to commend
1t to popular favor, and II. by the decision OF
yesterday, competent competitors should be
admitted to the field which 1t has practically
moncpolized to its own great profit wrung
from the public, there will be little regret felt
| by the community that has suffered from Its
| too sordid eXactions.
Baltimore Sun: The parties affected ad-
versely by the decision include the American
| Bell Telephone company, the General Electric
company and many others. The three Edison
patents for the carbon transmltter, owned by
| the Bell Telephone company, and Edison
patent on the incandescent lamp, the multiple
arc system of distribution and socket for in
| candescent lamps are thus vacated, and these
| devices are given to the public. The Der
| liner patents" about which so much has been
| said are among those that become public
| property.
Cincinnati Enquirer: The United States
supreme court, with malice toward none, and
| having nothing in the line Of charity to warp
| its reasoning, did its duty, and the people are
| satisfied, especially as their confidence In
| the integrity of the judiciary is increased and
more firmly established. Let Us be thankful
| that we live in a nation where justice is
meted out, and where monopolies cannot i'm
properly override public interests and make
| fairness subservent to avarice. These de-
cisions need not discourage inventors; the
latter, whenever they bring forth something
valuable, are sure to be rewarded, but they
must always be satisfied with reasonable re-
| turns.