The herald., 1894-09-05
THE TRLEPHoNB MONOPOLY.

This last issue OF the Western Elec-
tricinn, u newspaper devoted to the in
tereats of telegraph end telephone lines
in America, has lengthy article upon
the efforts Of the Ball monopoly to in
fuence national legislation in it's own
behalf by attempting to procure an
amendment to the patent laws by which
a domestic patent shall not be deemed
to have expired because foreign patent
to the same article has expired, unless
the foreign patent has been granted prior
to the filing of the caveat for that article
in America. Should this amendment
become law, it would enable the
Bell concern to retain its grip on the
popular throat just fourteen years
longer.
The electrical journal above quoted
shows from figures furnished by the ex-
solicitor-general, Hon. Charles H. Al
drich, that in December last the Bell
company owned and operated 2S3, ,2SS
microphones in the United States alone.
on which thsy received 81 net per in.
strument, making total of $l,9S0,0O0
per annum, while the public paid $40
per instrument, making total of ST.
S32, $50 per annum. Under no other
government in the civilized world could
such an oppressive monopoly ever gain
a temporary foothold. If things should
GO on at this rate for Is years longer the
public would pay out $42. 900. 900 for the
use of telephones, out Of which $29, ,000,-
600 would go into the greedy pockets Of
the Bell company. These telephones
have been in practical use since 1873 and
had become the property of that COM
pany TWO years after their invention by
Edison in 1877.
These inventions slumbered in the
patent Office of ths Uunited States for
fourteen years, at which time they ex.
pired in Europe, and now this burden
come monopoly asks that these royalties
ahall bs fastened on the American
people for seventeen years from their
expiration in Europe, thus compelling
Americans to pay for what Europe, Asia,
Africa and Australia can acquire free OF
charge. Was there ever a proposition
less harmonious with justice and COM
mon sense? The idea that patents
should be binding on the people OF the
United States until 1908, although
wholly vacated in other nations, is the
most preposterous idea ever promul-
gated.
NO Newspaper was ever stronger ad-
vocats OF protection to the poor inventor
than is the HERALD, but its sympathies
stop short OF the millionaires who traffic
upon his Ingenuity and rely upon the
votes OF mercenary congressman to en-.
able them to levy increased tributes on
the public in a manner not contem.
plated by the fathers of our patsnt laws.
Valuable as was McCormick's invention
OF the resping machine, he had become
e millionaire through its design; and
the extension of his patent by congress
was an outrageous inAicticn upon tine
primary producers OF the land.
The bill introduced for this extension
OF telephone monopoly failed to become
a law and the public can breathe free @
while longer. The electric light true
had similar proposition up in the een-
ate out it was defeated also. The forci
Bile arguments of Mr. Aldrich before the
senate committee on patents against til,
passage of these bills was probably wha
caused their overthrow. In these day
OF trusts and combines. it is lucky To-
the people that such man occasionalI,
rises up to protect the business com
munity against the extortions OF mil