New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-13
4rrlcES on THE TRhlSrRY.

Mr. Goodies bill to take money Ou' vi '"o
Federal Treasury for the alleged purpose OF
suppordng state schools mOdestly contem-
plotes. by way Of a beginning, the cOuiisca-
tion OF no revenue beyond the net
"proeecds of the public lands" There
i another scheme before the Senate
which reaches out little further alter
funds to be prodtably handled 10y some
phlanthropist who is eager to " educate the
"people." For the last forty years The an
nual receipts from fees in The Patent OIiice
have slightly exceeded the expenditures, and
this accumulated surplus is the fund which
the educators are now anxious to disseminate.
The connection between patents and educa-
ton Il not obvious, and there seems
to be no good reason why tins par
ucular fund should be attacked aud any
other fund or funds exempted Indeed there are
sufficient reasons for using this fund IN the m
terests of the class, never too munl1conty
treated, which has been taxed to secure TINS
surplus. IL is neither the policy nor The purpose
Of the Government to make money out OF the
inventive skill of the people. II the Patent
Office adequately performs its functions, the
fact of an annual surplus proves that
the fees are cxorbitant. II the office
can be more efficiently Administered, the
money received should be used to secure
more satisfactory service A larger corps OF
examiners would insure more promptneSs ana
do away with some of the yexatlous delays
that are now complained OF. More thoroughly
couippcd examiners would pl-o be an addi-
tional safeguard against the issue OF co'uictlnk
patents. and in many ways lessen the cNpen-
siye litigation with which the Courts arc now
burdened.
But although this patent surplus could be
expended TO advantage in the interest OF the
select body OF inventors and through them to
the advantage of the people az large It would
be of no appreciablc account a. an educational
fund. 1t has already been shown in TIE RIB
uxE that the net proceeds Of the public
lands would furnish bat "a few cents to each
child of school age, and any Congressman can
ascertain 10y little addition and division that
if the entire accumulated patent surplus were
distributed, it would yield but 10 cents worth
Of education to each child III the country be-
tween the ages of six and sixteen years.
After the accumulation had been scat
tered the annual surplus. which can be
roughly averaged at 100000, would afford
less than Il cent apiece To the Nations pupils.
If the entire accumulation were invested In the
four per cents, every cents worth OF educa-
ton which the interest would purchase would
need to be divided among two or thee chill
dren to make it 20 around.
The fact Is that this scheme, even if 1t were
consistent with the well established relations
between the States and the General Govern
meut and even ii it could be proved that the
effect of such loose donations would not have
a pcrnicious influence upon the bcneiicarics pi
the charity, would be practically valuclcss
There is nothing in it. If the United States
| proposes to educate the people, 800 100000
a wear will be needed at moderate
estimate. Education is an excellent thing
and of course popular education is a fine
phrase to conjure with. But common sense Is
also an excellent thing. and 50 are reason and
exnerience and constitutional law. Certainly
New-York will not gush with gratitude over
any lO-cent Donations nor any $40 dOna-
tions for the matter of that. She can educate
her own children, as is her duty, and so can
any other State which has the will.