The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1877-06-16
THE PATENT RIGHT swINDLE:

One Of the greatest swindles upon the
people Of this country is fostered by the
laws of the country, and annual approper-
atoms Of millions Of dollars are made Of
the peoples money to foster the swindle.
/. c. patent rights. Within the past month
We have had an illustration Of the swind-
ling character of so called patents in the
prices charged, for that almost indispensi-
BILE piece Of home machinery known as
sewing machine.
To-day what is known as first class
machine can be purchased for 49,. 90,
while but one short month ago the same
machine could not be purchased for less
than 500. Why this difference Of 90 per
cent in one month Nothing that entered
into the make up of one of these machines
has fallen in price, the wages Of those who
made the machines had for several years
been as low as starvation would admit,
transportation, and the cost Of agencies
had not been reduced, and yet at one jump
the prices of the machines had fallen off
exactly one half.
The several sewing machine companies
will continue to prosper, dividends will
continue to be paid, although from S32. 90
to S75, have been deducted from the selling
price of every machine manufactured, and
vet the people are too well content to ac-
cept the relief thus afforded, to even ask
how or Why for years past they were
sWindied At least one million sewing
machines are in use i'll the United States,
representing a steal from the people for
the benefit Of a ring organized under the
L. ) Patent Laws Of over $50, 600, 900.
This money was stolen from those the
least able to submit to robbery, the poor
working girls and mechanics, and vet the
United States Government, being gov
eminent of the people, by the people, for
the people, are directly responsible for this
huge theft perpetrated under the plea OF
fostering and protecting inventive genius.
Singer piled up $4,000, 900, and nine
wives under the fostering care OF the
United States; and the other so called in
ventors in the sewing machine line have
no doubt feathered their nests pretty well
under the same benign influence.
Patent rights for individuals are pa
tent wrong upon the people, and they
should raise their voices, and above all de-
post their vuies that the wrong should be
righted. Labor saving machinery under
patent laws, Is a delusIon and a snare, tor
fourteen year labor-saving machinery IN
der our laws simply adds wealth to the
owner Of such machinery, which is always
patented, and adds poverty and degreda-
ton to the mass of the people. 1t Is a
grand mistake to suppose that the owner
Of a patent right is an inventor. In nine
cases out Of ten the ewner OF patent
right, has not brain enough to evolve the
simplest problem in mechanics; he has
purchased the invention of some large
Drained starving mechanic, and then under
protection Of the laws proceeds to rob both
the inventor and the people at large.
The Government should never under
any plea grant monopoles such as patent
rights, and yet it should encourage and
protect inventors. This can be done with
out robbing the people as all must ac-
knowledge they have been robbed by the
sewing machine swindles. Instead Of al
lowing individuals to purchase patents, let
the government itself purchase the patents
when their value is demonstrated, and
then let the whole people have the full
benefit If such purchase. While the in
dustrles II the country are conducted I'M
der the competitive system, let that com
petition be free and unrestricted by 50
called patent rights. The government
cannot issue patents of nobility, but it can
and does issue patents that confer greater
power over the lives and fortunes of the
people than j. conveyed by patents Of no
Uihty in other countries. The power of
wealth is already too great; its wings must
be clipped, and it is the duty Of the gov
crnment to inaugerate the movement by
taking away from wealth the power to rob
the people under patent right, but at the
the same time it should foster, protect and
remunerate the actual inventor of valua-
bic additions to our productive industry.