Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-14
THE TELEPHONE DECISION.

Philadelphia Press: The decision OF the
United States supreme court in the BerlineT
patent case extends the life OF the Bell tele-
phonc monopoly to 1905 This is a blessing
to the holders of Bell telephone stock but a
misfortune for every one else.
Philadelphia Times The decision will prove
disappointment, for the telephone has be
come a necessity to thousands, and the new
leass of life which the decision confeIs upon
the existing monopoly will tend TO maintain
the present high rates for a practical tele
phCne service
Philadelphia Record There was a failure
to prove the governments contention that the
delay of thirteen years in the issue of the
Herliner patent was due to fraudulent col
lusion with the patent office officials The
fact of such delay. however, and of the op-
portunity Of oppressive continuance of mo-
nopoly by means of it, ought to result in an
overhauling of the patent laws and of the
methods adopted in the patent office. 1t is a
marvellous exhibition of the possibilities of
red tape procedure and a very costly lesson
to the suffering public.
Chicago Tribune Competition in the tele-
phone field is now postponed for eleven years
with the hope Of lower telephone rates which
the possibility OF competition had brought
into existence. But there is little ground for
complaint as to the character of the tee-
phone service, and the owners of the tee-
phone monopoly have been granting conces-
siCns, of late, in the matter of rates. Every
Improvement in the service and all reductions
IN charges will operate to allay the irritation
which the general public will feel more or
less until the expiration of the Berllner
patent.
Atlanta Constitution: The practical mo-
nopoly that the Bell company will now enjoy
viii put it in a position to forever settle
agitation and argument on this score, for it
viii have full opportunity to furnish salts
factory service at reasonable rates based
solely upon a fair compensation for service
performed. Ii it continues furnishing ade-
quate service at proper rates there will be
no occasion for the public to regret the de-
cisOn OF the supreme court but if an eX-
clusiya control Of patents leads to inefficient
service or eXtortionate rates there will be a
general protest from the commercial world
and Widespread regret at the judicial blow to
competition.
Kansas City Star: The Bell company came
so near losing exclusive control of its valua-
BILE inventions, and its officials were brought
face to face with such active and vigorous
competition because of the prospective eX-
piration of it's patents, that it has probably
learned how necessary it is for it to put its
charges down to level which will afford
only a reasonable return on the capital in
vested, In that way it can effectually fore
stall all competition and keep the field to it
self; and in that way the public may enjoy
much better service than if competing COM
panies divide the busnegs and numerous ex-
changes, at war with one another are eo-
tabliShed.
Philadelphia Ledger: The outcome in this
case is likely to direct attention to the many
vices of our patent system. Originally, a
patent issued by the government meant some
thing more than a prospective lawsuit. At
present patents are granted with scarcely
any discrimination, and patentees are left to
prove their rights in the courts. If the
patentee IL poor man his invention can be
stolen with mpunity; if the patent falls into
the hands Of a rich corporation it can be
made to cover the basic principle of a new
discovery and to shut out the men whose in
ventions made it possible to usefully apply
the principle, unless they consent to sell
their inventions to the existing monopoly.
The Bell company simply offers a conspicu
Gus example of the way the patent law has
been perverted from its original purpose