Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-09-19
WASHINGTON.
Something About the Patent Office
A Surplus of $3,O0O,000.

To the Standard:
In both official and social circles
one Of the principal subjects Of dis
cussion is "the Patent Office and its
value to the country" Agricultur-
lists, as a class, have been slow to ac-
knowledge their dependence upon
patents. Some have gone so far as
to advocate the abolition of the Office
upon the ground that it is opposed to
the labor interests of the country.
Public interest has again been awak-
ened upon the subject by a recent
speech of EX-Gov. Hamilton, Of
Maryland, in which he maintained
too many patents were being issued,
and that the number should be limit
ed by Congressional legislation.
While there is doubtless room for
improvement in the present system
Of granting patents, there can be no
question but that the United States
owes its present greatness largely to
the encouragement and protection
which it has afforded its inventors.
Thomas Jefferson may well be called
the founder of the American Patent
System. 1t was he who inspired it
and took deep interest in its work.
ings. The growth of the office since
its establishment in 1890 has been
marvellous. To one who wanders
through the spacious halls of the
magnificent building, and beholds
the army of clerks and draughtsmen
and hundreds of thousands of models,
it can scarcely be believed that in
1900 one man did all the clerical labor
and single case Of pigeon holes held
all the records of the Office. The
number of patents issued prior to the
year 1901 was 26S, while on Septem-
Der s, 1885, the number had reached
326,0S5.
The work of neutrality-suspicious.
was formerly conducted by a Board
of Commissioners, consisting of the
the Secretaries of State and Law and
the Attorney General, and so rigor-
Ously did the board construe the law
that in 1890 but three patents were
issued. In 1886 the entire collection
of the models of the office, which at
that time numbered about 7 1000, were
destroyed by fire. At the time of the
Patent Office fire in 1877, the number
of models had reached 100000, OF
which number $4,000 were lost. The
business of the Office has increased OF
late to such an extent as to render il
impossible for the present force of the
Office to eXpeditiously dispose Of the
applications filed, and some of the
divisions are several months behind
with their work. The present work
ing force consists of three examiners
in-chief, whose duties consist in re.
viewing the work of the Office, and
twenty-eight principal examiners
each of whom is provided with 8
: corps of assistants, and has charge O
one of the % divisions in the office.
The Patent Office is the only self
sustaining branch of the government
service. The fees paid by inventors
are more than enough to meet thu
expenses of the Office, and there il
now a fund of 100000 of surplus il
| the United States Treasury.
2 Legislation is needed, but not o
: such character as to impede thu
} work of the Office. Inventors ough
not to suffer the hardships Of delay
3 and Congress should at once provide
r an adequate clerical force, and SHOULD
: reduce the patent fees. A tax upol
inventors which produces more thai
y enough to pay current expenses O
the Office is as abOminable as ia!
: upon authors or scientists would be
+, The President has settled down t
, work, and it is rumOred that a yer,
large number of official changes vii
, be made soon after the fall elections
p Heretofore Congressman as rul
have had apartments at the hotels
but large number now own dwell
ings. Most of the Senators are own
ers of residences. Senator Palmer
of Cal, will occupy the finest mar
s sion in Washington this winter.
}, H.
" The Flames.