Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-08-23
WASHINGTON.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ASD THE CAN

attend elections in their several states,
and further that the president has con-
tributed to the republican campaign
fund ever since lie came into public
life. Last year he contributed 5000 70
the Ohio fund and this year lie has done
better and not yet done contributing
Every member of the cabinet has also
contributed this year.
Just LIKE THE UNITED STATES.
Washington adyices of the 18th state
that Senior Xamacona, the Mexican
minister, having been asked whether he
ANTICIPATED war with the United States,
replied; "By no means. President
Daz Is very anxious to pre-
serve friendly relations with the United
States, and is DONG everything i'll his
power to put down lawlessness on the
border, but the Mexican government is
like this country, it cannot at all times
keep perfect order in outlying and
spa-sely inhabited states
THE TRADE DOLLAR.
The treasury department has re-
ceiyed many communications from
manufacturers and bankers respecting
the circular of the director of the mint
relative to the value of the trade dollar.
They argue that the government has
been guilty of little less than "a swindle.
All seem to labor under the impression
that the government has put the
trade dollar into circulation. To an
swer these complaints, !. letter has
been prepared by Il. +. Preston, acting
director Of the mint III the absence Of
DR.. Linderman, addressed to 4 western
banker. This letter traces the full his
tory Of the trade-dollar legislation, and
shows that i was never intended for
home circulation. 1t was originally is
sued
WHEN IT'S INTRINSIC VALUE WAS Sl.03
47-10O,
and all the government has to do with
its coinage is 10 coin it for persons
who deposit bullion, charging
them the exact cost Of coinage.
The trade dollar now has
no legal-tcndcr quality, although ut one
time it was legal-tendcr for So. Most
of the trade dollars in circulation east
of the Rocky Mountains have been
coined SINCE the passage Of the
act repeating its lcgal-tender qualities
The government therefore, the mint
authorities say, is not i swindle in Dc
claring that the bullion Of the trade
dollar is but 90 cents. AT the date Of
the letter, Aug. II, the acting director
places the full value OF the trade dollar
at 90,4 cents.
A SWEEPING PATENT LAW DECISION.
a Washington dispatch under date Of
August 10Th says the decision Of the at
torncy general regarding the prepare
ton Of patents and patent eases is re-
garded by patent Office officials as Of
great Importance, rs it will affect more
or less every manufacturing interest in
the country. 1t renders void letters
issuing to two or more persons
when but one of them is the inventor.
The law clerk of the patent office,
Mr. Pierce. said to-day that manulaCt-
uers are often induced to buy a patent
that is apparently valid, issuing under
the seal Of the patent office, without
stopping to inquire very carefully
whether all the requirements Of the law
have been complied with, presuming
that they have been, or the office would
not have issued the patent. 1t chances
oftentimes that the office has no means
of ascertaining whether the parties were
properly joined III making the applica-
ton. Probably one-third Of all the
eases issued by the patent Office, av-
eraging about three hundred
week for years past, come under this
head, and manufacturers purchasing
patents are necessarily vitality interest
ed. AS II consequence the decision
will be fought, and there is little doubt
that II test of Its validity will
soon be made i'll the courts.
According to the provision of the
patent law, when period of two years
clapses from the time Of the discovery
of il vital error in patent it becomes
public property. As n consequence
this decision will work disaster to very
many inventors and their asSignees.
The records of the patent Office show
that this decision, if sustained by the
courts, will lnvalidate between
patents. Mr.. Pierce said that it had
been pretty we'll known to the protes-
SION that vital defect Of the character
existed. The only way, however in
which itcould he fully established would
be where there was a litigated case,
when the patents would be examined,
and the question Of inventorship
thoroughly ventilated. So there is no
way of telling exactly what particular
patents are affected until they pass UNI
der the test ~ litigation.