Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-03-28
TUE RAID on PATENTS,

There is at least ono respect In which TIE
present Congrees-or perhaps more properly
the present House-scems determined to
Guido all of its predecessors in stupidity
We refer to its legislation in reference to
patents. One bill, which has already passed
the House, provides substantially that if the
inventor or owner of patent shall dare to
attempt to sustain his rights by bringing
suit against infringers he shall recover no
costs, end shall pay TO the infrlngers lawyer
a counsel fee of $50 Another bill requires
every paientce to give inTringers notice OF
his patents before holding them liable, and
compels him then to allow the continued
| use OF his patent on the payment of the roy
atty which the court may fix. This bill too
has passed the House by heavy majority
vote. \ third bill reduces the life of pat
cut nom seventeen 10 five years, which to
many inventors would mean the absolute
| coniscation OF their properly. Senator
VOORHEES, caps The climax with bill which
provides that "it shall he valid defense to
| any action for all Infringement of any patent
Or any suit or proceeding t. enioin any per-
| son from the use OF patented article, that
the defendant therein, or his assignor, pl.r-
| chascd the patented article for use or con-
sumption, and not for sale or exchange, In
! good faith aud in the usual course Of trade.
without notice that The same WAS covered by
n patent, o! without notice that the seller
| had uo right to sell such article and In all
| such cases nCti.o teccvcd after such pur-
csIAs" shall not have the effect 10 impair Ia
any way tho RICH, Of such purchaser as ab,o.
lutte owner
The object ot the gaming of patents is,
| according 10 Judge Story the promotion of
prngres IN science and the useful arts, an
object Ms truly national, meritorious and
wolI-fonnded in public policy az any which
eau possibly be within the scope of national
protection. How admirably this object has
been attalued by our present system is con-
clusiFely shown by the statistics of patents.
During last year there were issued IN this
country 22,216 new patents and 1877 reissues
were Sranted-msking the euire number of
American patents over $50, 0O0 OF all the
manufacturers of the country, nine-tenths
are, as official inquiries show. Of patented
articles or processes and the census gives a.
the products of our factories for 1879 tie
colossal sum of $1,000, 900, 900, nine
tenths Of which was made up of
patented Articles or Ct articles made
by patented processes. But aside from
this enormous moneyed investment in pat
ents the present system puts premium on
devices which tend TO anielorate the 10, of
man and to promote his conquest over Ma
turc How much patents have done to make
life easier and more worth the living, and
how much they have done to conuucr the
forces Of Nature, which is mans mission I'D.
IN earth, need not be recied. And f1nay the
present patent system gives to every inlcni-
gent workman and mechanic the possibility
ut al !eas. impotence such as mere labor
would seldom give Lin and Of the po,enti.
atty Gas DR.. johnson said) of becoming rich
beyond the dream OF avarice. The Ameri
eau patent system Las been tried and found
not wanting. 1t has contributed more to our
personal and National wealth and the devel
onment Of our material resources than per-
haps any single agency. II Is sincerely
to be hoped that tie presen, attacks upon Il
will come to naught