Telegram-herald., 1890-02-23
WASHINCTONLETTER
Al Interesting Point 20 Patentees
Stated AZ Length
GOsCRESSxEyS POSTAGE ACCOUNT
A Ch4ncs for Maskegoa's 6aFeSF APPrs
EEfAusn-Post-on1ce Coates O1Ly
sinam@Fia< senator iagans
SeGk-ties-Csa. AlssE

WAsHrsaTos Feb. 22.-M. B Church,
Of Grand Rapids. has been here FOR
some time On various matters OF bus
ness. and the Patent once mas occupied
a good share Of his attention. The
other day Mr. Church saw 4 statement
in the papers, BY which Representative
ButterwOrth, OF ONO, the chairman OF
the House Committee on Patents and
formerly commissioner OF patents, Was
represented As saying that the commit
tee would hold that when an article Is
patented and .s also protected BY
trademark, the trademark would ex-
pire AZ the time the patent iapsed. II
Mr. ButterwoFth was correctly quoted,
this was a decision Of the utmost im-
p0rtauce % every man who manufac-
tured patented articles, and also had
them protected by trademark, and
as Mr. Church s a large manufacturer
or articles protected by trademarks, as
are a great many other firms in Grand
Rapids. he called on Mr. Butterworth
o see what were his exact words.
Hearing of what Mr. Church had done,
and knowing that the subject would be
of great interest % a large number OF
people, | asked Mr. ButterwOrth TO state
h.s position. lie read 20 me from
memorandum he had JOtted
down, embodylng the substance
OF MS opinion m the matter.
tie said he had been m.squoted;
that he did not say that be thought all
trademarks would be public property
when the patents expired on the article
or compound, on which the trade
marks were used; that what he did say
was ln substance that when word or
name was used as trademark that
was descriptive of the article used TO
sell aud that when that word was the
only name that would Well describe
the article, that then IN his opinion the
public would have a right 10 Use the
word % sell the article, when by ex-
piratlOn OF the patent on that article
the right 20 It's use became public
property, and added that such a de-
scrpuve name was not a proper word
for registration as a trade-mart IN
the first place. NJ. ButterwOrth also
said that he was only speaking of
the 4. :. law relating 10 trademark not
on the common law and equity rights
that protect manufacturers against any
name or mark being used by others, IN
tended 10 lead the public 10 believe
that they We're buying goss or another
firms manufacture.
And, while on the subject Of patents,
] may add that there l. a good deal OF
quiet agitation gong on 90 radically
change the entire law relating TO the
subject. IL is felt that the Government
does not give protection enough, and
that when a man has once obtained
patent on an article ID ought % be- sutfi-
c.eut evidence that he is the inventor,
and be should not be called uDOn later,
"A often happens. 90 be- obliged TO 90
INTO court and defend the invention for
which the Government has granted hIm
apatent.
People who write o. members of Con-
gress about nearly everything under the
sun. who ask for q Government publi-
cation, and receive 10 by return mail IN
a tranked envelope. have an idea that
members do not pay anything for their
postage. They have no liea that the
postage account of q member makes
quite a hole In las salary during the
course ~ long session. one mcniber
told me the other day that hc spends.
evoiv week. at least five dollars tor
postage stamps. and know of members
AMI senators who speud at least double
chat amount. To give them the relief
which they think they arc entitled %,
Cen. CutchC0n has introduced bill
m scDt and receive through the nail,
aI p1hic documents and all commun.-
cations. with Che head Of any depart
mort on business relating On that par
tcu .7rd department II TINS h.il becomes
a law, 70 .vil be some saving to Con-
zrcsswcD. butOf course they viii have
to pay fer their stamp winch they use
WHEN they write to Their constituents.
ttfs believed that the forthcoming
River 1nf lIuhor t.l VIII contain q
htDrn 1rpr nr rat'on for the improve
mont af NiuskcCo1 haraJr. The neces-
str ot doing s1uet1 uC for TINS fine
aa-aor a5s teen ably ad before the
rrrr.f-eo dHr the pass week av tac
Eer mon Wn4 cfne down nrre for
purpose. 7r' II Is oe. veJ that tarr
arguments w.l he of 1rr. and thev wI
81 wn1t rucT cn~o at-.r. u nos V-t
known new arge tnr E.I w e. .nt g.
is- understood tnat enc cowu t-ee IS
dspo-ed CD ho .'oe-a. and zss reason
a1.c Grrr1ur. trous. WEeuof the come
rlsrce of tac place lnst.aes an eTpcnd-
l-ure on tnc part of tle Governments.
The GRAND Rapids p0stofice fight
ne ..F -t