, 1875-01-27

1t IL a matter Tor profound conEratulanon
tint ut lust the huge sewing-machino mouop-
oily has beon brokon by tho action Of the
Senate Committee on Patents, who hnyo
agrecd to report adversely OH the 'applicn-
ton Of 4. 3. WILSON for M extension Of tile
patent Of the ''fonr-lnotion feed" for sowing
machines. Out of this ratent, the combina-
tion Of the WHEELER t WILSON, WILCOX &
GtDns, S1soEn, aud HOWE Companies has reaf-
izel millions of dollars, takcn from tho pock-
cts of tho working-women, and by its owner
ship Inns been abla to defy nil competition for
swenty-thrco years, the patent having been
Issued in 1852. The character Of this mo-
nopoly is shown by the following extract from
our dispatches:
II ID In evidence that the cost Of the aversGc sow-
Ing machine ia hut sl2, md that small manufacturers
nra required to ray to the eesfngrnactinu eombna-
ton mitch as SO profit each machine manufac-
turcA. It ia also curious fact thHs WHEELER VIII
aoN sewtng-znachines bn purchased in Europe and
brought to this country for Just half Of tho price
they eost here including all costa Of freight duty etc..
the reason bclng that they iayo protection there,
any ons hcinx allowed to make them.
These facts are sufficient to show TINT this
monopoly has been most sweeping, grasping,
Auu AullkutGQub UuQ ~ 1ihH 4cf4t0 Tvs EuOA-
nous tolls principally upon the pockets Of
the poor working women. The sowing
machine las grown to be q necessity Of life,
An Indispensable article in evory household,
and it is for this reason, notwithstanding The
slight cost Of its manufacture that this huge
monopoly has been enabled to gather in un-
told millions Of money for the benefit OF the
owners Of tho patent.
The breaking down Of this monopoly
primarily grows out Of the fact that there is
very general feeling Of hostility III the
country to the extension Of valuable patents
by nets Of Congress or Of tho Patent Com
missionera. This hostility has boon specially
manifested Among the farmers, who, as n
class, IRE moro distressed than any other by
these u,onopolies held by rings Of specula-
tors, and this fact is ono Of the most benof-
icent results OF Grangerism. Those pat-
enrs which have no money in them, and
where tho patented articles are sold cheap,
arc usually allowed to expire in tho allotted
seven years; but where tho patent valuable,
and the patented articles must come into gen.
eral use, then it is seized by Spectators organ
lied into powerful ring for the purpose Of
making fortunes not only for themselves but
for their assigns and heirs, not only
through seven years, but through ten times
seven years If possible. They are not satis.
fed with fair remuneration for tho time,
and labor, and money expended upon it, but
it must bo used Us m instrument to bleed the
massea decade after decade, and generation
after generation,--a perpetual tax for m
article of indispensable use, by constant OK
tousions and increases Of price. These vala-
ablo patcnts as rulo the farming classes arc
Obliged to have, and consequently tho burden
! has fallen heavily upon them and arousedsu
spirit Of hostility TINT they have deter
mined to make n political issue out of it, and
vote down in futuro those members Of Con-
gress who support these schemes and enable
rings to lavy such unrighteous tariffs upon
! articles Of daily use. III the case Of sewing
machines, it is not only the farmers wives,
but working-womcn everywhere, who have
been ground down, md this makes tho
breaking up Of the monopoly not only
economical md popular, but also grand
moral triumph.