Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-02-13
The Wood Paper Patent Extension.
Warrington Correspondence Chtcseo rribune

Inc new 1ofk journal OF Com
merce's editorial, calling attention to
the covert attempt of the American
Wood Paper Company to ret the Pat
ent law so amended that they can re-
we the OLD French Mellier patent
straw paper swindle, which was de-
tunct five years ago, is q matter that
requires immediate and active meas.
ures by the press of the country 70
U.S., their influence with the Congress.
men-elect in their respective districts
to vote against the passage of this act:
aud also to pass such q law A.
will kill it so effectually that it
The American Wood Paper Company
are a wealthy corporation, having be-
tween one and two millions invested in
paper patents, of which the aiellier
swindle il the most important, and
without which the others are Of little
value; consequently their great effort
to get the Melller patent firmly estab-
lished again, and no doubt to carry out
their object will use all the money and
influence they can bring to bear on our
Representatives At Washington. II
this law is passed, the press
of the country are the parties
who will be obliged +, nav the taxi
or royalty, Indirectly, to this Com
Pany, as the manufacturer will add to
the price OF paper sold by him what
ever sum is levied on him for the use
OF said patent. There are quite a num-
Der, or nearly all, of tho large straw
print paper manufacturer in the East.
ern States in1 accord with the Ameri-
can Wood Paper Company, they hav.
ing lately compromised WITH them for
infringement on the patent up to the
time of its expiration, and when thew
so compromised they also received
from the American Wood PAper
Company q mill right to use SAID
patent for all time to come. should
they, the Wood Paper Company.
get . renewal of their patent.
The paper manufacturers Who have
thus compromised with the Wood Pa
per Company would not, of course, now
object to renewal Of the patent, as
they are now free from any future tax
or royalty, and if the patent could
again be revived all manufacturers out
side of this mig Chose who have com
promised with tho Wood Paper Com
pany) would have to pay the tax on all
paper made by them, and this would
give the ring . monopoly of the straw
paper trade, a. they, having no tax to
pay, could sell the product Of Their mills
at less price than the manufacturers
Who we're taxed for the use of
the patent, and the result would lead
to driving many of the present straw
print manufacturers out of the bust
ness, and placing it in the hands of a
Ollie the whole straw print paper man
utaciure of the country, and pnt the
price Of paper as high rs they could
get it. Experts VINO are thoroughly
versed in patent right matters say
this Mellier patent is = huge
swindle of the first order, and should
never havebeen granted in this country.
After the patent became extinct.
about five years ago, q large number OF
straw PRINT mills were erected for the
manufacture of straw printing paper.
These parties have invested large
amount of money in their business, and
the increased number of mills thus
built has had . tendency to keep
The price of paper at low figure, but
If these manufacturers who have been
producing straw paper since the ex-
Piratlon of this patent are obliged to
pay the Wool Paper COMPANY such
royalty as they may fix IS an infringe
ment of their patent for the past five
years, and tax in fatD1e for all paFer.
produced by them, it will drive many of
these manufacturers out of business,
besides consuming all they have ac-
cumnlated from the profits of their
business, to pay the tax assessed on
.s'cm ~ me WOOD ripper company tor I
infringement on said patent II MEM
bsrs Of Congress we're made aware of
these facts, it does not seem possible |!
they would vote for the passage of any |
such measure. If this huge monopoly
carry their:point, many innocent parties
will suffer, and the people be robbed
OF their just rights by being obliged to |
pay tax on printing paper, equivalent |
to tax on knowledge.