Alexander who? He invented what?

We have all heard the story that Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Of course, what we hear and what the truth is is hardly ever the same exact thing. Yes, Bell may have been given the credit for the telephone, and he may very well have patented the telephone, but according to the United States' House of Representatives and the Government of Canada, Bell did NOT invent the telephone.
In 1856, Antonio Meucci, born of Florentine decent in Italy, invented the "first electromagnetic telephone." Over the next fourteen years, Meucci constructed over thirty different forms of his electromagnetic telephone. In 1871, Meucci submitted a caveat to the US Patent Office and received credit for a "Sound Telegraph."
Years later, however, Alexander Bell won credit for the invention of the telephone, which was distinctly and clearly differentiated from Meucci's sound telegraph. Since Meucci did not obtain a full patent, and merely submitted a caveat, which does not hold any claims, Bell was able to maintain ownership of the invention, without giving credit to Meucci.
Meucci's mistake was in not having an extra ten dollars to cover the fee to obtain a patent over his sound telegraph. If he managed to submit the patent, rather than the caveat, he would have forever been known as the inventor of the telephone, and Bell would simply be known as someone who helped progress an invention.
Fallacy or Truth?