The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-08-21
THE PATENT SYSTEM.

II Was Established In 1890 on President
| WashIngton's Recommendation.
The year 1890 is the centenary of the
United States patent system, which was
established in 1900 by a law passed in
accordance with recommendation of
President Washington. The report of
tho Commissioner OF Patents for the last
year shows that the grand total Of patz
ents issued up to the end of the year 1850
exceeded foar hundred thousand Evil
IDENTIFY the more new things are invent
ed, tho more there are to invent, since
| nearly twenty-five thousand patents
were granted in the year 1855.
n. Although tho patent laws have been in
existence hundred years, tho Patent
Office was not established until 1886.
Before that time patents had been is
sued by the Department OF State. Tho
Patent Office, indeed, remained bureau
of the State Department unit, 1s47, when
it was transferred to the Department of
the Interior, which was then first estab-
lished.
In the early years the 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 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 ana invention.
tFi'ihe growth Of Industries and the devel=
| opment of labor-saying machinery and
new processes of all kinds1have gone
hand in hand. 1t is estimated that two
| fifths of the important Inventions of the
world have originated in the United
| States.
Tho seats of manufacturing industry
are also, generally speaking, tho fields
Of the most active invention. Among
the States and TerriteriessN 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 agriculture States come last;
but even Indian Territory hae two pat
| ents granted to her citizens during the
year.
But whilo New York leads in the ag-
| gregate number of patents, the State
which leads in tho number granted in
| proportion to the population is Connect
| lieut. The people of that State have ro-
manned the most inventive, mechanical
| ly speaking, ever since their ingenious
and cheap clock began to go all over the
world, and they were accused, no doubt
Efalsely, Of making nutmegs out OF bass
wood
Tho District of Columbia ranks next
| to Connecticut in the number Of patents
issued in proportion TO population, and
Massachusetts follows closely Tie
| high position Of the District of Columbia
in this list IS not duo to it's Industries,
| but to the fact "thatrmany inventors go
to the capital of The country to take out
their patents.
The Commissioner Patents calls at
tontion to tho interesting fact that, al
though tho number OF patents granted
has so greatly Increased, tie ratio OF
issued patents to applicants is now
Il about tho same as it hes hecn ever since
1910 namely, about siity ger cent.
i For every patcntn fee is charged, and
the fees bring in a large revenue. The
receipts OF the patcntofs.ce in 1889 were
moro than two hundred Thousand dol
lars in excess Of tlic~Sxpeases. Youths
Companion.
1T is queer. Socrases was accounted
wine; hut he naycr read the Bible, knew
nothing Of Kant, Schcpenhauer or Com
tie. and could not Tor tae life OF him
have passed an examination on tho sub
ject of American history. Pack.
Things ono would rasher have IT,.
pressed I1iifcrcr.ly. " l'hotog :