Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-08-09
FROM WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Aug. 6, 1888.
The telegraph operators strike is cam
vassed and watched with more interest
here, perhaps, than in any other city;
for while Washington is not great
commercial centre, it is great news
and political centre. Public smp-
pathy here has been from the first unan-
imously with the Brotherhood, but
great monopoly whose greed and arrO-
gance have made it SO offensive. Pt.ck's
cartoon of the tournament between
capital and labor portrays the situation,
to the shame of the American people be
it said. The political Significance of the
strike is two-fold. First it may serve
to forcibly direct the attention OF Con-
gress to the necessity of government
control of the telegraph. When Jay
Gould with his millions of ill-gotten
wealth can subsidize the press-ora por-
ton of fit-and sit at the head of con-
Germ whose profits have swelled its capi-
tai to more than ten times the original
Investment, and there grind down to
starvation wages the army of men from
whose labor this profit is earned; and
when this arrogant monopoly gObbles
up every competitor and openly boasts
that it can starve out all opposition to
its sway, it is time for Congress to realize
that the people have some rights.
This state of affairs directs attention
to the approaching triumph of the
democratic party. 1t is the natural foe of
monopoly and the steadfast friend ofthe
workingman. No such state of things
as now exist could have grown up un-
der democratic administration of the
government, because the defiant cor
porations would be held to accountable
ty and compelled to obey the laws. The
statements given out by the Western
Union company that it is handling its
business readily and promptly and that
the service is improving day by day
are absolutely false. Its service is in
state of chaos. Dispatches are delayed
abominably and transmitted in such bad
shape as to be often misleading or use
less. Its alacrity in spreading reports
of interference with its wires is malic-
ious, the fact being that there is not
single authenticated case of interfer-
ence by the strikers, who are under
strict injunction from the, power that
guides them to avoid all such mischief,
which would only harm their cause.
These Misrepresentation are merely
part of the tactics ofthe company in its
desperate game of bluff, which is too
transparent to win.
There are bureaus in the various exec
utive departments here that would not
be crippled by reduction of the num-
ber of clerks employed in them. With
"A Athe clamOr in nearly every depart
Al Pit for more clerks and larger appro-
Rions it is capable of easy demon
st.lsion that fully one-half the employ
ees now enrolled perform very light
duties. While in some offices the clerks
have enough to do and do it faithfully,
in many others there is systematic loaf
ing and almost continuous idleness. BY
a possible adjustment of divisions and
the enforcement of little better disci-
pline, or closer application, the present
force Of employees in every department
would. be found more than ample. But
this would give some of the clerks less
time to read newspapers and run about
the halls of the buildings, and would
involve taking feet down from the desks
to some extent and bracing up to
Work as people in other callings work.
There Is no doubt that the Patent
Office Is one of the hardest work.
ed government bureaus. The devel-
opment of American inventive genius
continually increases the amount of
work which the employees Of the office
must do. But If the clerks and high
priced examiners all applied themselves
as closely and constantly to their cases
as successful lawyer must do to his,
or as business men do to their duties,
there would be less delay. in reaching
decisions and the business of the Office
would be nearer up. to date. Great i'm
provement has been made in this re-
spect under Mr.. Marble, the present
commissioner, but there is room for still
more. In nearly every division there
is an accumulation of cases from two to
four months ahead of the examiners,
and many important applications lie
untouched several mouths, entailing
great inconvenience and often loss upon
the poOrinventor. The telephone cases
recently decided had been pending until
they were almost forgotten by all ex-
cept those directly interested. The in
references were declared several years
ago, and the arguments were closed
more than one year and half ago. The
cases were of great importance, involv-
ing priority in respect to the essential
parts of the telephone. The decisions
have more or less effect upon rapidly
growing business In which millions are
! invested. The Patent Office ought to
be so equipped that decisions can be
rendered with all the promptitude that
a careful examination will permit. The
office is not only self-sustaining, but it
also yields large annual profit. 1t de-
serves ~ the fostering care Of Congress, not
only because of the nature of the judi
cial work done by its employees, but
also because inventors ought not to be
forced to suffer the encouragement and
losses which are the result of the de-
Law In the adjustment of their claims.
PHONo.