Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-06-21
THE PATENT SYSTEM.
1t Was Established in 1870 on President
Washington Recommendation.

Washingtpn's Recommendation.
The year 1890 is the centenary Of the
United States patent system, which was
established in 1890 by a law passed in
accordance with a recommendation of
President Washington. The report of
the Commissioner of Patents for the last
year shows that the grand total OF pat
ents issued up to the end of tho year 1889
exceeded four hundred thousand. Evil
IDENTIFY the more new things are invent
ed, the more there are to invent, since
nearly twenty-five thousand patents
were granted in the year 1889.
Although the patent laws have beenin
existence a hundred years, the Patent
Office was not established until 1886.
Before that time patents had been is
sued by the Department of State. The
Patent Office, indeed, remained a bureau
of the State Department until lS47, when
it was transferred to the Department of
the Interior, which was then first estab-
lished.
In the early years tho issue of patents
numbered from four to seven hundred a
year. In fact, during the first fifty
years, only about twelve thousand pat
ents were granted-less than half as
many as were granted in the single year
1889.
The liberal policy of the Government
toward inventors, and toward industry
in general, soon had the effect greatly
to stimulate discovery and invention.
The growth of industries and the devel-
opmont of labor-saying machinery and
new processes Of all kinds have gone
hand in band, 1t is estimated that two
fifths of the important inventions of the
world have originated in the United
States.
The seats Of manufacturing industry
are also, generally speaking, tho fields
of the most active invention. Among
the States and Territories New York, by
far the most populous, leads in the num-
Der of patents granted to her citizens.
She received more than four thousand
last year.
Pennsylvania stands second on the
list, and Massachusetts third, while the
distinctly agricultural States come last;
but even Indian Territory had two pat
ents granted to her citizens during the
year.
But while New York leads in the ag-
gregato number of patents, the State
which leads in the number granted in
proportion to the population is Connect
icut. The people OF that State have re-
NAMED the most inventive, mechanical
ly speaking, over since their ingenious
and cheap clock began to go all over tho
world, and they were accused, no doubt
falsely, OF making nutmegs ont Of bass
wood.
The District of Columbia ranks next
. to Connecticut In the number OF patents
issued in proportion to population, and
Massachusetts follows closely. The
high position OF the District Of Columbia
in this list is not due TO its industries,
but to the fact that many inventors nc
to the capital Of the country to take oui
their patents.
: The Commissioner of Patents calls al
Jchtion w shc ihtcr'StiHb iaNb tHlb, al
though the number Of patents granted
has SO greatly increased, tho ratio o.
: issued patents to applicants IL nov
about the same rs 1t he's boon ever since
~1S40-name)y, about siity per cent.
For every patent a fec is charged, ant
, the fees bring in n large revenue. Tn,
, receipts Of the patent Office In 1859 wor,
moro than two hundred thousand dol
/. lars in excess OF tho expenses Youth
Companion.