Its methods of attack were unscrupulous and underhanded, the least discreditable one being the use of its political influence to prevent communities from giving franchises to the Bell Company.

But this corporation mainly relied for success upon the wholesale manner in which it infringed the Bell patents.

It raked together all possible claimants to priority, from Philip Reis to Elisha Gray, in its attempts to discredit Bell as the inventor.

The Western Union had only one legitimate advantage--the Edison transmitter--which was unquestionably much superior to anything which the Bell Company then possessed.

Many Bell stockholders were discouraged in face of this fierce opposition and wished to abandon the fight.