Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-03-03
IHE BUSINESS World.
YESTERDAYS STOCK MARKETS
WE'RE GENERALLY STRONG, LARGE
LIZ OWING TO AN UNEXPECTEDLY
FAVORABLE BANK STATE
MENT.

again referring to the late decision by
Judge Brown, CT the United States Cir
cult Court, at Boston, declaring invalid
the Berliner telephone patent, quotes
4 competent, although disinterested,
authority as saying
'eThe monopoly consists not SO much
now in the rights to any patent or
patents. as in the business that the
controlling company and its licensee
companies have aad are doing. OF
course, while the fundamental patent
lived no company could operate a tele-
phone except under 1t. Now, however,
there are a number of independent
companies, so called, operating ex-
changes of greater or less extent in
different places, and there are manu-
facturers making telephone appliances
outside those who are working in con-
nection or cooperation with the Bell
Company. 1t is no longer the Bell
Company. by the way. that is the cen
trail control o. the various leading tele-
phone companies, but the Atlantic Tele-
phone and Telegraph Company, it's sue
cessor-the Long Distance Company,
as it is commonly called.
4 Il +
"The telephone business is one of
those that might be called a natural
monopoly. 1t differs in this respect
even from the telegraph business, in
which there is SO much convenience in
having one company serve a large num-
Der of places. But it makes no differ
ence to you whether you hand in your
despatch to telegraph company or
to another. The company delivers it.
Not 20 with your telephone wants. You
want to speak to some one and if there
are two companies you first have to
find out which one he is in. If your
WI business is large you have to sub
scribe to both companies. If you are
in one of the Independent companies
now, and want to speak to a man in
another city, your instrument is USE
less. If you are in the monopoly you
can talk to Portland or to the Missouri
river.
That's where the strength of the
monopoly comes in nowadays. It's got
too big a start for any one to catch up
with Its business. Take it here in this
city, where the New York company has
more than $4,000 telephones in Man
haitian and The Bronx-that's too long
a start to make it an attractive propo-
sltion to capitalists to put money into
a rival concern. In fields that have
not been developed of course it is diff
ferent. and the proposition becomes
somewhat attractive"
Should the Berliner patent be up
held the Long Distance Company might
pprxr 1iI-o1u M 10 ~ dica nraoah1a for III n
Independent companies and manufac-
turers, but If the patent is worthless
the company's monopoly, as has been
seen, is not likely to be seriously inter
fered with, at any rate in these parts.
Such at least is the opinion of many
who are watching the developments.
If appeal is taken, as in all likelihood
it will be, from the decision of Judge
Brown, TIE matter will go to the Unit
ed States Court of Appeals, and per-
hapS eventually to the United States
Supreme Court. and the history of the
appeal is likely to be a matter of years.
The suit decided by Judge Brown was
begun in 1895 and argued in 1899. In
the interim the SUPREME Court render
ed a decision in a government case in
which it was sought to show that the
Berliner patent was invalid as having
been procured through fraud, and the
decision was that the patent was not
invalid because of any legal irregular
ity. The various Independent compan-
les not parties to the Boston suit, but
concerned in its result, were represent
ed in court by Judge Taylor, of Indi-
ana, who was sent East by them and
who filed a brief in their behalf.