The Press., 1893-06-01
THE CHARGES AGAINST CON-
 MISSIONER SIMONDS.

summary of the matter:
 John s. Seymour has been the commits sioner of patents less than three weeks. His predecessor, Hon Wm. E. Simonds, after the result of the election, last No vember, was known, decided to resume his practice as lawyer. and, as before, to confine that practice to the law of pa- tentS.-
 Many years ago, Daniel Drawbaugh applied for a patent for telephone, and, in some mysterious way, the decision of that case was delayed for twelve years or more. The Bell Telephone Go. resisted, and the matter rested. It was asserted that there was collision between the nom- inal litigants, with the purpose of renew ing the telephone monopoly, after the Bell patent had expired, by the issue of the Drawbaugh patents and their assign ment to the Bell company.
 If that plot existed, it was terminated by MT. Simonds, who issued the Draw baugh patents. Church & Church, at torneys for Drawbaugh, if they had reasons for complaint, had ample time and abundant opportunity, during the Harrison administration, before the elec- tion, and before it was known that MT. Simonds would organize firm for the practice of patent law. It appears to have suited their purpose better to wait, and now they have made formal charges, addressed to Commissioner Seymour, alleging that Commissioner Simonds per mitted Foster & Freeman, attorneys for the Bell Company, to inspect papers filed by Drawbaugh, and to take copies of the same; also, that shortly before his resig- nation as commissioner of patents, Con- missioner, Simonds caused employees of the patent office to copy and deliver to him other copies of the Drawbaugh papers.
 Church & Church alleges that, because of these acts, Commissioner. .Simonds vio- lated the wholesome and time-honored regulations' of the patent office bureau, that his conduct is a scandal and re- proach to the administration of affairs in the patent office," and that, if any prac- tice permitting such conduct has obtained any foothold, "sound public policy would seem to dictate that it should be at once discontinued"
 It is further alleged that Commissioner Simonds, while in office, compiled 8 pamphlet of 95 pages, 55, ,000 words, en- titled "Condensed Treatise on the Law of Patents" and had the typewriter work upon his book done by government en- ployees in business hours. This latter charge we do not find in the document submitted by Church X Church, and we do not know precisely where it originated.
 It will be observed that it is not charged that MT. Simonds violated any law, but that he did violate certain "time- honored regulations" We can readily believe that MT. Simonds did violate certain "time- honored regulations, ," because he is just the man to remove barnacles, whether in the shape of holders of sinecures, or in the shape of "time-honored regulations, 1" and statement made by him that the matter is governed by patent office rule and the discretion of the commission er," is. an indication that he exercised that discretion to the confusion of the at torneys who plotted to use the patent of flee to prolong a monopoly at the expense of that "public policy" of which they so virtuously prate.
 The second charge is wholly absurd. MT. Simonds compiled the "Condensed Treatise on the Law of Patents" for the benefit of the department and of the pub- lie, and the book was not published be- cause he could not get an appropriation for that purpose.
 It is just possible that Messrs. Church & Church have disclosed the animus of these charges in their concluding state- ment that MT. Simonds, and Foster & Freeman are duly enrolled practitioners before the patent office, and pray that a rule be issued for them "to show cause why they and each of them should not be disbarred from further practicing before the patent office, or any other bureau of the department of the interior" and "that your petitioners be allowed to assist" in the prosecution.
 rnnanrninC aho h too ex-Patent Commissioner Simonds says:
 "I am satisfied with and proud of my every act as commissioner of patents This complaint makes specific mention of copies given of only two Drawbaugh ap- plications, one filed in 1880 and the other filed in 1884. If both had been pending applications it would have been no offense in law or good morals to have given copies of them. So much the courts have decid- ed. But as a matter of fact, the whole matter was treated in strict accordance with the rules of the office. The 1880 ap- plication was not pending application it was dead and abandoned application, and a copy of it was given, under rule 179 and form 52. The 1884 application was treated as pending application, and the copy was denied. My decision is pub-
 
 "As to the other charges which have been poured into the public ear, they are false, outrageous and defamatory, both in substance aad in detail. These charges emanate from no visible source. An i'm palpable monster has struck at me out of the darkness. There are people who think that some one high in authority in this office directs this blow. I do not believe anything of the kind. But if any man will make direct and specific charge of acts committed by me while commissioner of patents which were illegal and wrong, 1 will hale the maker into court with the utmost expedition. If any man desires to come out into the open and make the attack in such shape that it will be cog nizable by court, let him accept this challenge and abide the result"
 DELIVER US FROM HIM.-Among the iconclasts and vandals of our intellectual lives there is one class especially obnox. ious-the newsmongers of literature, who give us in advance the climax of new book.
 "Have you read 'Doss p" asks one o the guild with an interest in the subject that promises much.
 "No. Is it good"
 Charming 2-delightful-the best book of the year. Is it possible that you have not read it? Then you have treat 1T store. But if you like stories that enc we'll warn you in advance that you vii be disappointed. The girl is hanged 1T the last chapter"
 This is the bloom taken from the fruit which becomes in consequence the sour est of sour grapes.
 have been reading book, every sent ence of which was delight, when thai detestable presence would make itseli manifest in an obtrusive question: "Have you reached the chapter where | the hero turns out to be her father instead of her uncle, and she is given the wrong letter to read, in which she learns of hel llover,S crime ?b etc