The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-03-27

SbS IOhiGhL SlGltNa
once brought to the verge Of bankruptcy
through nv mismanagement.
To this I answer: On the first OF April,
1861, when took formal possession OF the
Sopds and property OF the Patent Once, the
balaace on hand, instead Of $50. .Oo0. was
o7O.139.37. The balance on tho first OF
January, 1861, was 989, ,554 OF; 90 Il will
be seen that my predecessor had expended
Of the balance on hand At the commence
meot OF the fiscal year the sum Of $l9, 4l4-
10 in the course of the first quarter. refer
to this to show that previous to my coming
into the Office the business bad so fallen off
that this large sum was expended over and
above the receipts in the brief space of three
months. The difference in the amount
charged to be on hand on the first of April.
1861, and the amount give as the true bal
spce, you have been able yourselves to ver-
ify by an examination of the books OF the
Office. which have been under your inspec-
ton. This bslance, it is true, was 80 far
reduced BY ex expenditures in the Office that
there was left to the credit Of the patent
fund on the first OF January. 1869. S5,4l6-
SO. This reduction was attributable to the
fact that the expenditures Of the office, nec-
essary, as l shall hereafter show. to its sue
cessful administration. fell far short of the
receipts during that period. The receipts
Tor the year ending January l. 1862, inclu-
ding the period referred to in the charge,
were 111s.99s Is below those Of the previ-
Gus year. The causes Of the falling of OF
receipts are almost too obvious to be reca-
pitulsted. The minds which have been de-
l. a. - Ill =.
startling events Of the rebellion; A state OF
civil war deprived the office Of the patron
age OF most Of the slaveholding States, while
the enterprise of the loyal States having
been. for season, almost paralyzed. and the
sale Of patent rights. and patented articles
of manufacture having been in a great meas
ure Abandoned, there were no inducements
for taking out patents for new inventions.
But I may be asked why should not the ex-
penditures Of the Office have been reduced
10 proportion with the diminution OF the re-
ceipts! To this I reply: In great institu.
ton like the Patent Office. where regard
must be had, not only TO present necessities,
but to the future integrity of the institution,
there are times when the annual expendi-
lures cannot be made proportionable to the
immediate receipts. In all households and
commercial and manufacturing establish-
ments, there are certain necessary, general
expenditures which cannot be reduced. what
ever may be the demand for the most rigid
economy. A great mine cannot be abandon
ed, and the working of its shafts and gale.
ries discontinued. because Of the temporary
loss Of the lead or leanness of the ores,
without its total ruin. In such establish
meuts even . reduction Of the force for q
time cannot be made with advantage, even
in seasons of the greatest commercial de-
preston tits well known that in large lac.
tories, in unprosperous times, the expenses
often cannot be profitably diminished either
by the shortening Of the time OF the opera
,iyes, or the reduction Of force. lti better
TO stop the work wholly. or work in full time
and with full force. without profit. The
analogy applies completely to the Patent
Office; the present efficiency OF the office
must not be diminished, nor must its future
usefulness be impaired by false economy. -
Whatever may be its receipts. certain gene
raj expense must always remain the same:
there must be the same expenses for fuel.
gas, watchmcn, taking care OF the models.
drawings, and books of the Office, and the
saine expenses for general administration {;
while for the security. both of inventors and
the public. there must be the same peculiar
learning, skill. and experience, in the Differ
ent divisions of the examining corps. wheth-
er there arc ten or twenty monthly aPflica-
ti0o6 Tor patentg- = --s $50 .-- --s-a--ss
h ! To uset emergep pcia such asoccprred IN
1851 i fAetsuhpidS fund, wifch b aad,may
.always beaaccumuiated in seasons Of. COM
nerciaI psi1pesity. u most bfdpfiAteiy
applicable. The Patent Office : nQ& q COM
mercial ics,ituiios, while = ia itsa Rty to
/ mike such acc0m uixtions -as~ may bcahude
consistently with tho permanent good Of the
ofhcG, Il 10 soissS ~ DIZZY 20 ssxPxsd those
|eesumalasisns wheng the iaterests Of the
sgdcee require Il: 1 maintain that IL is not
It's duty 20 attempt to accumulate the fund
il seaS6Asyo Of depression. II Thereby the use
fdfnees of the Office may be impaired. The
funds of the Office belong to the inventors
who have furnished it. 1t is their ight that
there should be a sufficient force in the of
Gee to examine their applications promptly.
that the requisite experience and science
should be retained in each department of
examination, and that the institution which
more than. any other fosters our industrial
interests should not run down because OF the
temporary endorsements OF the country.
Such are some of the considerations which
have justified me. to my own conscience and
Judgment. in espending the availabls surplus
fund il such manner as believed the
present aud permanent interests of the Office
required. There is an Implication in the
charge to which / am nov replying that
there was . mismanagemeut peculiar TO my
ADMINISTRATION Of the Office in allowing the
expenditures to exceed the receipts OF the
year. The Patent Office is not supported
BY annual appropriations. it subsists by q
perpetual appropriation Of its own funds,
and their never has been. under former
J Commissioners, any attempt to conine the
expeditures to the receipts, of each year
Thus. 10 tAsssport sf Commissioner Mason,
for the year lot4, . period Of great PROS
psrity. is the following statement:
"Ths receipts from N sources durisxtAs
past year smooused to s16s,7s9 "a. and the
vhole exp~uditure has been Sl67. lac -