, 1873-01-17

The intelligence comes from New York and
Washington TINT the1e is to be another efTo1t to
renew the Mellier (straw paper) patent, which ex-
pirod by limitation some five years ago, at =
time when it was the property Of the American
Wood Paper Company, Of Philadelphia. Tho
scheme for renewing this monopoly is even more
outrageous than that which contanplates the
renewal of the sowing machine patents, Us will
bo discovered from brief recital Of its history.
The full benefits Of the original patont were en-
joyed, and, at the timo Of its legal expiration,
there Was not found sufficient merit in the case
to justify tho Corn1nisaioner Of Patents in renew
ing it. Subsequently, the Commissioner made
an effort to renew it, but found himself stopped
by tue law. Those interested in the monopoly
thereupon determined, us we understand the
case, to prolong their exclusive benefits by &c.
curing the passage Of a law prepared with the
purpose Of covering this particular case. Tho
proposed law provides Tint lapse between tho
termination Of q patent and any renewal that tho
Commissioner may SEQ fit to nuke subsequently
will not ritlate such renewal Convinced that
they could not come before Congress directly for
T. rouowal with claims that would demand recog-
milton, the owners Of the Mellior (straw
paper) patent evidently supposed TINT they
would escape detection under q general
Law. But this general Law would work gross
injustice to tue people, not only in this putic-
ular case, hut in many cases that now exist, and
{r al t1et, nav oriun ~ n,,1 TINA
It is evident that tho American Wood Pnpar
Company ,7ero not entitled to an extension of
their exclusive privileges nt the expiration :of
the patent which they owned, as such m ex-
tension Was not givon at that time. Then they
still less entitled to 1t now, when five years
have elapsed, during which, time millions Of dol
lars have been invested in now mills for the
manufacture OF paper, which would not have
been invested except upon tho faith that the
exclusive privileges Of the old patent
were At al end. The American Wood Paper
Company, for the purpose Of strengthening its
lobbying powers and its ability to enforce its
privileges, is said to hare granted to q fewothe
mills the gratuitoas uso OF the Mo1lior patent, if
it can be renewed, taus forming powerful ring
tint would Inevitably crush ont the competing
mills, which would be forced to pay royalty
upon It. Tho competition. thus stiaed, the
"ring" manufacturers would proceed to raise
the price Of the paper, which, in some form OF
other, is nor almost exclusively used b7 the
newspapers throughout the country. This con-
c!usion brings the mattar directly to tho poo
pl8. White paper is one Of the largest
items Of expense in publishing newspapers
the very largest in the case Of country aud xeok-
II Journals which mako no use Of the telegraph: .
Tie people Of the whole country are interested
in tho defeat Of the 1Ie!licr patent scheme to
the extent that they are interested in cheap and
accessible newspapers. The renewal of the
patent would, in g short time, raise the price Of
white paper at least two cents pound. A paper
OF the aize Of TIE CHICAGO TRIBUNE will ayeraze,