Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-30

Organized Resistance to the infection of
the Drive Well Koyalty-A State Organ
ization Formed, and Funds to be Raised
to Fight the Matter Through to the Bit
ter End-Every Man Entitled to His Own
Hole in the Ground.
Pursuant to call, about a dozen gentlemen
from different localities in the State, met in
this city yesterday and organized State
Anti Drive Well association. The localities
represented we're Pennington, Lake City,
Mankato, Benson, Motley, Minneapolis, and
st. Paul The call was made for the Metro
politan hotel, but after getting together, an
adjournment was had to the Chamber of
Commerce room, as more desirable place
for holding the meeting.
At the chamber, Mr.. E. z. Needham, of
Harrington, called the meeting to order and
read the call, when temporary organization
was perfected by calling Capt. Thomas P.
Wilson, of st. Raul, to preside, and electlng
Mr.. L. P. Fluke, of Harrington, secretary.
Chairman Wilson expressed his thanks
for the honor done him, and stated his dis
appointment at there being no representa-
tives from Winona in attendance. They
had q strong organization there, and as he
knew their determination to fight the drive
we'll swindle to the end, he felt confident the
non. attendance was the result of mis-
understanding of some kind, and that they
stood ready to unite and cooperate with
State organization when formed.
On motion of Mr.. Needham, parties in
attendance not representing local organize
tons, but interested in the fight, were al
lowed to participate in the proceedings
Chairman Wilson said the st. Paul organi-
cation was small in numbers and would
probably remain SO. The were only some
$50 driven wells in the county, but st. Paul
could be depended upon for doing it's rro>
porionate share and more in this contest.
Mr.. j. w. Emery, of Farmingtor, at this
point briefly explained the reasons he had
for believing that fight against the drive
we'll monopoly and swindle, vigorously pur-
sued, would be successful SUI Stimulating his
views by the presentation of some very con-
vincing documentary evidence. Referring to
the situation at Pennington, Mr.. Emery
said that suits had been commenced against
one hundred persons, notwithstanding the
fact that their only notification hal been
printed card, and the personal tender by the
cashier of the bank of the $40 royalty de
manded for the whole number. It was to
prevent such outrages as this that it was
now sought to secure a State organization.
The recent newspaper publications in refer
ence to the matter, had excited interest all
over the country, resulting in the produc-
ton of great mass of highly important
evidence not before available. He I'd the
opinion of Gov. Davis. confessedly one of
the best lawyers at the bar, that suit car
ried to the court of last resort, would destroy
the patent, first for the reason that hole in
The ground IS not patentable, and second,
b .cause Of priority, the same wells havin o
been in use years before the Green patent,
under which the present per-
secutions were made, was Sc
cured. Thus encouraged some forty
of the Pennington sufferers had determined
to make the contest. To make this contest
sue ess, there should be cooperation of all
parties interested in the State. It would re-
quire the expenditure of from $4,000 to
$4,000. The people seeing contest COM
menced under such circumstances would not
longer be fleeced by tho vultures, but would
await the result. An appeal made to the
United States supreme court in test case
would result in stay in other cases, and
James q Co. would have time 10 pick their
teeth. 1t had become matter of self
preservation with the consuming class that
this contest be made. If the drive we'll in
lquity is not overthrow, it will not be long
before a combination would be formed to
extract royalty from the people on some
thing else, as it was we'll known that nearly
everything In use now was patented. The
people must take hold of this matter and
that at once.
Mr.. z. B. Clarke of Benson, said that no
organization had been effected in his To-
cality, but the people we're thoroughly arous-
ed. and himself and Mr.. Stone had been re-
quested to attend this meeting in their be-
half He said there were large number of
driven wells in that section, and he was salts
fed, a State organization secured that a
strong local organization would follow, and
that they would do their full share in prose-
cutting the proposed contest
Mr.. Needham favored an immediate organ
ization. He knew the people of the State
expected 1t to be done, and if really done,
local organizations would spring into exis-
tence to cooperate with and back it up.
Mr. G. O. Burt, of Mankato, said the peo-
pie interested in his section were waiting for
State organization before forming local
association. While he had license for
using the patent, and was therefore not per.
sonally interested in this contest, he had a
great interest, as should every con-
sumner, in the principle at ISSUE If
the collection of this drive well
royalty was allowed without protest, it
would not be long before a similar demand
would be made7in reference to some other
article in general use. A fight of this kline
could not be made single handed. There
must be organization. If the fault Law in
the patent laws, the attention of Congress-
must be called to ii, so that the laws may be
SO amended that royalty in all cases shall be
collected from the manufacturer instead of
the user. The people would then know what
they were purchasing, and there would be no
opportunity for such swindles as that now
bsing perpetrated.
Mr.. Fluke heartily agreed with the preced-
ing two speakers. State orgae ization was
the need of the hour. Once such an organ
ization secured and he had n doubt all the
aid to make the great fight would be forth
coming. All that was needed was head.
lie felt consuming interest in the matter
from the fact that the robbery was not going
to stop with the drive we'll swinde. This
allowed to go on without protest, and effect
i've process, too, other combinations would
be made to collect royalty on some article in
general use, and seein that Minnesotians had
allowed Themselves to be bled to the tune of
$4,000 to 100000, their first raid would be
here.
Other gentlemen present spoke to the
same general purport. when Mr.. r. S.
Reeves moved that STA association be or
ganized, and that the temporary president
and secretary be permanent offics is of the
association until otherwise ordered, which
was adOnted