The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-08-02
THE SEWING MACHINE MONOPOLY.

The history or the sewing machine
monopoly, with it's record Of enormous
profits wrung from those who had the
utmost difficulty in earning their daily
bread. with it's numberless instances
of legalized oppression and extortion,
with the we'll known fact that the ma
chimes are a source of great profit. even
when sold at the great reduction Of
even one-half the old price. is sugges-
tive of a need of a revision Of the pat
ent law as respects inventions that sue
coed in entering into almost universal
use.
Statistics in possession OF the Patent
| Office at Washington show that during
the year 1874 the five companies COM
posing the monopoly manufactured
and sold over 40, 900 sewing machines,
besides 100, 900 more that were manu-
featured by other companies.
That something should be done and
that with energy and rapidity, may be
best understood by perusal of the fol-
lowing letter from Washington cor
respondent of the Philadelphia E7equi-
rer. 1t gives number of very I'M
portant facts concerning the efforts of
lobbyists to renew the power of the
monopoly. This writer said:
ga number of lobbyists representing
an immense sewing machine cOmbina-
ton interest have made their appear
ance here. Their object is to procure,
by some means not now apparent, a
renewal or extension of the patent up
on the feed motion, which is vital
property. The patent has already been
extended once. and will expire on the
8th. of May. 1t was the original inten-
ton of the great sewing machine pool
to 90 before Congress and procure an
act enabling the Patent Office to again
extend the monopoly, but the excite
7 ment of the electoral count prevented
: them from putting this plan into oper.
t alton.
4 The agents ofthe pool now have, it is
: said, very large sum of money al
l their command, and will thus be able
4 to make persuasive argument before
4 the Patent Office people. Their case is
/. in an awkward shape, and will expire
e by default on the day above indicated
h unless some action can be procured
f from the Patent officials which viii
l. give the pool the color of a claim upor
I which to go before Congress when i
j: sits. 1t is possible however, that al
S application for new patent GOVERN!
II the principle. in slightly varied form
a will afford means of escape from thi
e dilemma, if adopted by the secre
o workers of the monopoly.
e 1.-The enormous benefits to accrue tt
). the public in the event of the SEWN:
e machine pool failing to buy an extern
I. sion will be seen when it is considered
II that the manufacturing cost of an or
e binary $65 sewing machine is abou
e Sc. IS. while an $o5 machine from TIL
II Bridgeport shops costs in the frame
e ready for shipment something undel
}: $40. AS things are now 500 machine
e is put to the local agent at S25, ant
5. the agents gets $40 for his time and la
Il Dor in selling and instructing. An IS
machine costs the agent $50. and so OF
is up to the fancy, full cabinet. pearl in
II laid article. which costs the custOme
I. from $3.50 to 5000. The same rule az
6 plies in about the same proportion t
e all machines in the combination.
< The breaking down of the monop
+" oily which sustains these ruinous zig
j. ures will enable any machine shop il
Id lllc Will pIop0A opPAAoANN :
It to turn out sewing machines with tn
is lock-stitch and wheel or ratchet feed
A." Competition will thus bring down tn
it price of machines to a legitimate tie
II ure-about one-half the present rates
a. Thisa patent official remarks, may re
lie suit in curtailing the agency systeI
S. to some extent. but he adds that it
d system which deserves curtailln
IN on account of the pertinacity of con
5. peting agents in attempting to fore
d. their wares upon forbearing public
I. The patent men are exhibiting prett
of much the same forbearance towar
lg the pool of emissaries here that tn
De public exhibit toward sewing machin
I'd agents, and it is quite possible tina
I'd the country may for time be cheate
is out of the profits to which the law e1
re titles it:
it.
if The Commercial Gazette denOunce
Id this programme as steal and a wrOn
n upon the west and south, and wi
rk prove its position.
: Let it be remembered that the la
I rnc,1riun fho yncuno pf on IF cr,aoi a no