The daily gazette., 1878-12-28
A buses In the PatentOmee.

WAsHINGroN, Dec. 26.-The Patent
Once has been "sealed book" to the
outside world. Sections 1893 and 1874 of
the Revised Statutes, in regard to the ac-
counting OF moneys spent therein, have
never heen obeyed in regard to the ex-
penditures of appropriations for the Pat
ent Once since 1860. AS little attention
has uniformly been given to some TWEEN
ty other sections of the Revised Statutes
by the Secretary of the Interior since
1850. No hope can be expected from
| tile Democrats In Congress. As soon as
All inves igation of the rascalities in the
Patent Ofhce is about to be commenced
immediately net is spread by the Fed
eral officials and by Republican mem
| Dtrs OF congress TO catch tue Democrats
and sthe any inquiry into the alleged
| evils
| The Republican officials are altogether
too smart for the Democratic Congress-
men. A'notable example of this "smart-
hess" has Just come to ght. Last Jan
nary ofhclal facts showing gross official
corruptloh were brought 10 the attention
pr the Chairman of the House Commit
lee on Expenditures in the Interior De-
partment. A subcommittee was imme-
tlately formed to investigate these Pat
ent Once malft asances. The chairman
OF TINS subcommittee was young law
yer from western New York. This mem.
Der was made chairman of this investipa-
tlng committee because he had nothing
| else to do. and was reported to be an
liable lawyer. Various Republicans
brought to his attention a great amount
OF ofhcial crookedness in the Patent OF
hce as soon as it was published that this
a subcommittee was formed, Althouut
he talked very loud and often boasted oI
what he would do, yet he never did any
= thing about the work asst ned to him.
AT last, Just as the session was abou
to close, this New York lawyer, bein.
4 pressed Dv some leading men bers VIII,
!. had discovered the "nipger in the wood
pile, out Of shame for his mlsconduc
commenced secret Investigation in on,
vi OF the re ems of the Patent Office. Tui,
lasted very few days. Now it turn
'' out tso say the Patent Office ficials) tina
the consideratonlio that heroic chokin
OF investigation was the appointment G
I a few ladies TO Office byithe "infiu. nee
II OF that doughty New Yorker. Wha
ever the consideration" may have beer
7 the stubborn facts remain uuuuestior
y ed
ri The office of Chief Clerk in the Pater
i once bas been sinecure for years mas
T. The only really useful duty that III
NJ valuable officer has to perform is I
draw his salary of about $500 per mont
Y The Office of Chief Clerk in the OH,
le bureaus OF the Government bears no a,
ia alogy to the same Office in the PateI
office. Formerly the Chief Clerk of N
ih Patent office performed the duties .f ii
he Commissioner in the absence of that O
n hcer. He also acted as treasurer of II
~ moneys paid into the Patent Office. |
III 1870 the Office of Assistant CommissIo
er OF Patents was created, and a fe
years subsequently the office of Finalci
OF Clerk was created This left the Chi,
" Clerk of the Patent Office with nothir
I'd to do. The Chief Clerk has two clerI
e. to assist him in his laborious busine,
tn Hls two assistants get salary of 81 q
is anu SsOo respectively. In 1870 the Cor
i, missioner of Patents had one 81 400 Gle,
IA detained to.assist him. His duties th,