The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-03-18

va thtolIhsN wv lH'NNNf" h''f"f ~ w
country for the general good, We do nol 10
tho least doubt, but the question arises, us Ho'
the law too broad in IA scope' DOES u
not 90 10 the extreme Of creating mohopolle'
ha. are detrimental rather lhah
of benefit n tho general puOlc
Lot us consider tho matter Of sowing ma
chimes, fo- instance. When Howe, who was
the inventor Of tho sowing machine, obtained
hi. patent Immediately the Singer the
Wheeler and WILSON, tle Grover AMI litker
md numerous other fowng machines were
patented, MI embracing the fundamental idea
II tho Howe, and all compelled 70 payaroy-
atty u tho owners Of tho llowe patent.
These patents were granted for torn OF
years aud Il W. mistake not, all Of thom
wsre granted extension. Of their patents.
These machines were and are great blessings
to the world, It my b, said. They have
been tho means Of enabling Thousands Of
poor women 10 earn livelihood for them
selves and for those who might be dependent
upon their oxcrtlons. Bat they have boon,
nevertheless, huge monopolies, putting mil
ions aud mill 'ons Of money into the pockets
Of the individuals who manufactured them,
millions extorted from the neccHiues
Il tho people, We .ny cxtortcd for the
reason that being prolect,db by patents there
could be no competition in their manulac-
lurc and per consequences tho tariff of prices
charged for them wa, much higher than there
was any necessity for The proof Of this is
In tho fact that tue patents on The machines
We mention have NIL expired, and since their
expiration the manufacturers soil ihcm from
one-fouth to ouo-imil less than they
did when the patents were still In
force. They are making money on
them at tho reduced prices, else they would
cease to manufacture them, This being SO,
what they charged IN excess under the pro-
lection of their patents, Of what they sell
them for now was certainly cSlortion, an OK
torton fosterod, made possible by the patent
laws. The same can be saii Of every other
machine or invention Of ANY nature whatso-
ever which is patented The Mckay sewing
machine, we Judge, is adapted principally, il
not wholly, for work in boot
and shoe manufactures. The patent
on this machine has expired md the company
ownngandmauufsctmng it is asking Con-
gress for an extension of the patent. Against
this extension n great number Of the shoe
manufacturers Of the couatry are petition
ing Congress. The following short petition
from the shoe manufacturers of New Jersey
explains itself:
|. We, the undersigned, shoe manufacture
ers of the State Of New jersey, do hereby
demonstrate against having the patents Of the
Mckay Sewing Machine association eX-
tended, and petition your honorable body not
To grant the Mckay Machine association
extension OF their patents.
.. And your petitioners would humbly
show that tho Mckay Sewing Machine as
ISOLATION are the largest money monopolists
In this country, having already gained six or
seven millions of dollars, or more, since the
patent, were extended them; which is moro
Than an ndequ reward for the invention.
3. And your petitioners would further
show that the Mckay Sewing Machine as
ISOLATION are avaricous and not Mt all liberal,
us the shoe manufacturers have very heavy
ROYALTIES to puy and have paid them
these many years, besides tho enor-
nous prices they are obliged TO pay for du-
phcnta parts which are continually needed TO
keep the machines In order, and which could
be procured for one.quarter Of the cost
which they AFRO compelled to pay TO the Nc
Kay Sewing Machine ASSOCIATION II said
patents should not be extended,
4. And your petitioners would also represent
thnt all OF tho shoe manufacturers that are in
favor of an extension of tho patents
of the Mckay Sewing Machine asso-
citation are stockholders Of the same and
draw about 35 per cent. dividends quarterly;
aud for the above and many other reasons
your petitioners humby request your honor
able bodies to do all in your powor to trus-
trste this great monopoly by opposing the
bin granting the Mckay Sewing Machine
company an extension OF their patents.
Now boots aud shoes are absolute necessities,
and every man, woman and child in the coun-
try 10 interested in the price of them. Ii the
Mckay sewing machine is requisite in shoe
manufactures, and the inventor has already
rcaped harvest underhis patent, why should
he be granted second harvest to be gar
n.rcd from the pockets Of tho people who
have TO wear shoes or boots II tho shoe
makers have to pay aroyaIty to the Mckay
sewing machine company, they put that roy
atty on the price of their shoes
and tho people have to pay
it, Ought not the patent laws to be re-
modelled so as to shorten the duration of
patents and 30 as to guard as much rs posi-
bic against the creation OF monopolies We
believe in encouraging the inventor and in
giving him reasonable protection, but do not
our patent laws overdo the thing, and put
the public Mt the mercy of the inventor !?
Reapers, and mowers, and seed planters, and,
cultivators, and cotton gins, and spinning jon-
mics, land cooking stovesand washing machines
and ten thousand other things have become
to be more or less sine quanons with the peo-
pls. and wise economy demands that while
the law of patents be such that will protect the
inventor and foster that genius which creates,