The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-11-14

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
To the Editor Of the Ne'cs:

Life IN this busy Capital Is unlike
that found anywhere else. This is true
in marked degree during the winter
season, full of its gaieties, its levees
and receptions. People do not live in
Washington, they are staying merely,
gathering all that is bright, joyous or
exciting in life at the Nations metro
polls, thither come the wealthy and the
gay, the modest retiring widow, the
beautiful and accomplished maid, the
gallant, well attired bachelor, and the
promising self-poised young man. In
such a gathering amid all the excite
ment incident to the meetings of Con-
gress, and the disturbing and discor-
dant views of men representing varied
and diverse Enthusiastically is a
whirl of hustle, gaiety and pleasure.
But hush-long expectant there comes
sombre shadow, an air of stiffness
steals into every household and casts a
cloud of sorrow over every heart. The
people mourn the loss of one of her
sons who will be remembered as a
man true to his convictions of duty in
every public trial. Republican and
Democrat, men of all classes forget
their political differences unite in COM
mon sympathy with the nation in
mourning the death of Senator Nor
| ton.
The genius developed at the Cen
tennial by our country, was a mar
vel to the people of all lands, and
the eyes of the civilized world are now
looking towards this nation as the
great manufacturing and producing
area of the globe. God made man
and gave him dominion over all the
earth, and through the sluggish years
of development down the centuries,
the progress of invention is clouded
in mystery, and the discovery of the
arts made by the ancients have many of
them passed beyond the bounds of the
known into the oblivion of forgetful-
ness. Skill and industry with protec-
ton to the producers Of new inven-
tons was an idea planted in our body
polite by the sagacious Jefferson, and
the act of 1890 was the beginning of
our Patent system. Jefferson for
years gave his personal attention to
every application and the granting of
patent was signalized as great
event. The Secretary Of War, Secre-
tary of State and Acknowledgement
were a tribunal to examine applica-
tons this ordeal was 50 severe, that
the first year but three patents were
granted; 81 were issued in three years
up to 1893. Patents ran for IA years,
with no extension. The cost of Sc
curing a patent was $3.50. In 1893 a
new act made changes in mode of APP
plication, gave a5ens certain rights,
and provided for hearings in interior
ences. In 1910 Congress authorized
the appointment of 1.-The keeper of
patents" appropriated $4,000 for a
building-and in 1912 S9,553.91 for
its repair. The office was located on
the site of the present Post Office De-
partment, from 1872 to 1886, when it
was destroyed by fire together with all
the records except one volume from
tho Ehrory- Tho total nnmhnr IF no
tents granted from 1890 to 1886 was
II, 34S, the fees amounted to $780,
907.73. From January LIST, 1887 to
September 30, 1877, Al years, 1922
1872 patents were issued, and 81 ,O99,-
940.41, was placed to the credit of the
patent fund as fees. The business is
on the increase every year. The
building is now covered with tempo
airy roof, and the loss by the recent
fire will i'll no way effect or check the
spirit of invention, nor does it now in
the least interfere with the business of
the Patent Office. This is the great
inventive field Of the world, about
100000 patents have been granted in
the U. S., 100000 in Great Britain,
10000 in France, and $4,000 in all
other lands. This country owes much
of its development to the fostering
care of the Government under a Judi
cious patent system, now acknowledge
ed to be the best among civilized ma
tons. The farmers in our country
have brilliant future in store. En-
gland, alone, will require this year
100, 100000 bushels of wheat, besides
the products from her own dominions.
The decline of the export trade from
the British Dominions to the United
States is causing great alarm to our
friends across the water. In 1865
England imported from the United
States S84, 100000 and exported to
us 1922, 100000, balance of trade
against us of $37,000,000. In 1876
she imported from this country goods
valued at 1867, 1852 900 while her ex-
ports hither were only 500, 200, 900
balance of trade in favor of our own
country, of $265, 100000 This in
dicates that the United States are here
after to furnish all lands with necessa-
ries and luxuries. FAX.
A subscriber writes as follows of a