, 1860-08-18
Renewal OF Iitsvess Sewing Machine
f1AfpnI~

Patent.
An application has been made to the Com.
missioner Of Patents, at Washington, for re-
| newul Tor Bcvea years Of Howe's pAtent on the
sewing machines. We observe that all the leud-
ing pupers of the Union are protesting against
the extension. Howe bus already reaped i
rrincely fortune from his improvement. lie
las received mutiGceut rewurd. And to in
dulse him for scEeu years longer in his monop.
oily, is to pu: the inordinate cupidty Ct an indi
vidual ;boye tie interests Of the public. The
ain Of IT,. lax Is to secure to an inventor an
adequate sru I'-::.~:ioa for the patience, toll
and money he usay have expended in perfectiag
his machine. But after be has been adequately
compensated, the improvement reverts to the
public. This is the theory Of the Law. But We
regret TO say that in many instances it has been
sadly abused by Commissioners. O1e glaring
instance was tie renewal Of the Morse patent on
teieSraphiug. lie lal already attained large
wealth. and grea. 1ouors were heaped upon
him. Mauy persons through him had also
amas=ed fortunes, The object Of the patent
laws was fully satisfied in his case. But very
unfortunately for the public the monopoly Was
extended seven years longer, and as q cotempo-
rary truly remarks, the extension is Il barrier to
Pacific telegraph, because no company or in.
divsdual eau use line Of telegraph 10 the Pa
ci6c without the consent of the owners Of tho
Morse patent, and hence the combination con-
trolls that enterprise, und can impose lis own
terms.
In regard to the urjustiiable extension Of the
Hove patent. VIC fully endorse the following re-
marks Of the st. Louis Democrat on the sub
iec,. 4 general protest should be sent to the
Commissioner Of Patents at Washington be-
fore this wrong Oh the public is perpetrated:
4: the present tiac an application for re-
newul Of pa:eI. is pending III washington,
which we sincerely trust w,n - ~ "e'ea'eo' @ !t's
the application for an extension OF sae Ivy
patent on the neefle and shu1t!a combination
IN the sewing ,nachlnc-au invention that has,
By his osn acknowledgment, yielded NJ incane
To Mr. llo.e of SlO.,uu0 i ycar fur seven years.
small Us It Hay appear, Mr. Howe has received
- tor every sewing machine made in the Uni
led States, and although forced several times
iato the courts 10 protect lis rights. has inva.
riHbly come of tue victor, ard gone scot free
ot al Costs. lie las been ten times paid for
any service his invention has rendered the in
du.triAt ar.s, and Il hundred times for his own
Personal lubor in bringing it to present perftc-
lion. ANY lnuu who has bought sewing ma
chine knows how expensive good 1nlchiae il.
Many know to their cost how expensive a poor
muc!I.e is. VERY few ct them, however, IN.
derstaud tho why md wherefore OF tue heavy
cost. Very Few persons know that on eycry
fami1y Sewing machine there arc Il halt dozen
dl!1ereut patents, and thu. for the use Of them,
+ach inventor receives II certain quota Of the
aggregate price OF tue machine. The sew
ing u.acGlne business has increased Wonder
fully III . lew Years, but no reduction ia the
price seems to hare followed the increased
Manufacture. The fact is that three Of the lead.
ins makers: (Wheelcr & Wilson, Grover L
Baker, und l. VI. >,ngtr.) in New York, have HI
agreement with Mr.. iio1e, that lie ahulf fight
alt oppoEeats who do not pay him - for eaci
machine; and backed by them with immense
wealth, he has found L way to enforce The agree
,nen,. That way includes the resort to legal
tribunals. and uEi the tricks and arts Of fawyefs
We remember -nme time ago, hearing it slated
that ore manufacturer expended $lY,ooo fight
sng Howe tor tho right to use small bi, OF steel
edged with teeth to hold down the material
while the sewing was III progress. So through
the whole Of the business. small nauuf .ctur-
ers have been forced to pay tribute 10 the large,
aud nov when the loud is 10 be lifted from them,
snd the countr; abnut to.car the benefits OF the
Invention, a renewal uf the patent is threatened.
lust SO long a. this patent remains in force will
the price of sowing nlacbiues exceed III. limit
ed means or tho poor. Tic manifold uses to
which i, is put deprires SO many hands Of en-
pioyment, tnas with lew exceptions it is only
1uvn Of means who cuu use them. ANY propo-
stion 10 Keep up the prc. Of such articles Should
meet with severe repEobatiol, an1 We huoe
that the patent will not be renewed without |
more EVIDENCE than we now have Of it@ neceS.i-
t.. The interests Of the great american pub |
lie demand the interests of u few single cap
ilsl'sts shall yicld, especially rs the pnoc bus
been paying dearly for the whistle heretotore. !