The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-05-26

The following il an extract from the re-
marks of Mr.. Burrows, upon the passage of
the bill to protect innocent purchasers from
being swindled by the numerous patent
right sharks who make business of preying
upon the community under cover of the
patent laws of the nation.
"The brief time allowed for debate upon
this motion, is wholly inadequate to permit
recital of the outrages which this measure
il intended to remedy, much less to reply to
the numerous criticisms against it.
This il the second effort TO bring this
matter to the deliberate consideration of
this House, and it is a little remarkable that,
whenever it is sought to give protection to
the innocent purchasers and users of patent
cd articles, there are always some gentlemen
to be found prolific of objections to prevent,
if possible, the passage of any measure for
relief. Another popularity is, that these
Same gentlemen have no suggestions to make
by which their objections may be overcome.
They simply abe und in criticisms
And now, when certain notifications are
proposed by the friends of the measure, to
avoid antagonisms and make it conform if
possible to the views of its opponents, even
this il objected to, and the conclusion is
forced upon rs that it is the purpose to pre-
vent if possible all legislation whatever upon
this subject. Now, sir, what l desire, what
the people of the State which | have the
honor in part to represent demand, what the
farmers of this whole country insist upon,
il that the purchasers of q patented article
in good faith for full consideration and in
the open market shall be protected from the
bands of patent-right inquisitors which in
fest the country and plumber our people.
demand for the purchaser i'm good faith of
the barbed- wire fence, the drive-well. the
Birdsel clover-huller, and the hundred other
articles necessary TO the farmers of the great
West, that they shall be exempt from the
unjust prosecutions to which they are now
subjected. 1 ask to embody in my remarks
some well authenticated instances of outrapes
to which the people of my district and State
have been subjected.
In some instances the vender and the
owner of the patent seem to be in COLLISION.
For instance, set of men go through the
country with wagon-loads Of gates and dis
pose of them to the farmers, who pay full
consideration and have no knowledge that
they are patented, and after they are set up
and in daily use another set of men scour
these gates that the hinge or some other
portion of it is patented and that they are
the owners of such patent, and thereupon a
demand is made for five, ten, or twenty
collars damages for Infringement, and if
payment ia refused suit is threatened in tho
United States court. To avoid this they
frequently submit to outrageous exaction
and 30, under threat of judicial inquisition,
our people are being plundered without stint
or mercy. hope this measure will receive
the prompt approval of this House, that the
people who purchase patented articles in the
open market in good faith and for full con-
alteration shall not be hunted down by these
insatiate vampires" [Great applause.
Mr.. Burrows appended to his remarks a
long list of different individuals who had
been victimized and swindled under the