The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-03-22
THE MACHINE MONOPOLY:
Fifty Millions Saved to the People
Of the United States by
One Transaction.

WORK OF A DEMOCRATIC HOUSE.
SOME FIGURES WHICH go TO SHOW THE
MAGNITUDE OF THE SEWING MACHINE
BUsINKss-THE PROSPECT OF RELIEF.
Apropos of the action of the democratic
House OF Representatives in refusing to
extend the special privileges of the sewing
machine monopoly, already alluded to in
the Sentinel, the st. Louis Times says:
"Thst was the death blow to the mcst gi-
gantic monopoly that has ever ruled this or
any other country" said very intelligent
gentleman to Times reporter last night,
while discussing the refusal of the House
congressional committee on patents to
entertain the sewing machine peoples
petition for an extension of their most
important patent. "For years." he con-
tinued, "the combination have been de-
termined to obtain from congress a new
lease for their main invention, and last
year II was thought that it stood good
show of getting through. Somebody, or
number of somebodies, Weakened, after
the grangers made so much talk about
patent monopolies, and the bill never
fairly got out Of the committees hands. II
1t had, and been brought before the House
the combination declared they could have
carried 1t through. AS for the Senate,
they always have claimed to own that.
Bot now the last hope has fed. Money
or brass wont save them. The House
committee were unanimous against it,
and even II it hadn't been, it wouldn't
have stood any better show than a mint
iulep, when 1t came before
that democratic, ring-smashing House"
What do you mean by the combina-
tion?" asked the reporter: 1 mean by
fho fI,ae
machine manufacturing compsnies-the
Singer, the Wheeler Il Wilson, and the
Grover & Baker. Twelve years ago these
companies were fighting each other, and
the people were getting the benefit of 1t.
| They had some shrewd men at the head OF
one or two of them, and the result of over
lures was combination for their own pro-
lection and the victimizstion ofthe public
THEY POOLED ALL THE PATENTS,
owned by each, bought erything that
was worth buying in the way of improve.
ments held by outsiders, and entered into
an alliance of the most rigid nature, put
ting the price Of machines at point ovel
five times the cost of manufacture. NJ
other company could run without usins
their patents on which they had to pay s
royalty, and before the combination would
grant them license to manufacture
they were forced to agree to a schedule o
prices which would msintain the high rate.
I"What were those patents, and how many
were there of them?" "There were a hal
dozen in all, but the main invention was
'the four ..motion feed' that xpired q cou
pie OF years ago, but q subsequent I'M
| pr0vement carries it in effect TO some time
in July OF this year. That was the patent
the combination wanted to renew, and
which they have been busted on
"What would renewal for fourteen
years have been WORTH" ''Not less than
fifty millions. In fact, its value would
have been inestimable, and 1 have nc
doubt, in short, / know that II cool ter
millions would have put that extensioE
through congress without any OF the sue
ceeding unplessantnesses that have dis
tinguished other jobs, it could have beer
had without any trouble. Probably
not less than million has bee I
spent in working around alrea y.
''What is the ordinary profit on sewIns
macbine?" "The cheapest is sold for S65
and it costs about Sl2 80 to turn one ou
by either of the members of the combina
tioD. They are sold to agents at abou
forty per cent off OF retail rates, and con
sequently net the companies nearly foltI
dollars. Counting out Office and otner ex
penses it is safe to say that every machin
represents profit of S25.
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES.
Last year the manufactures stood il