Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-08-15
ROBBED BY JAPANESE.
Thsy Ignore Our Patents and Make Dup
licate Articles which Sell Way
Below the Cost In this


licate Articles which Sell way
Below the Cost In this
Country.
Mr.. VIM. e. Curtis, who Is contribut-
ing series Of very interesting letters
from Japan to the Chicago Record, says:
A visit to the exposition of Kyoto or
an examination of its catalogue is suf-
dcient to convince any. one that efforts
to build up an export trade in general
merchandise from the United States to
this country would be wasted. 1t rep
resents an epitome of the progress Of
the people for the last twenty-five years.
and demonstrates the facility and the
accuracy of the Japanese in Initiating
the arts and Industries of other ma
tions. 1t contains in Its department Of
manufactures sample of almost every
thing that enters into the wants Of civil
lized men, and most of the articles are
exact reproductions of inventions that
are still protected by patents in Eu-
rope and the United States.
One Of the weak spots in the nation
al morals of Japan is the refusal Of the
government to make patent and trade
mark treaties, for there is no protection
whatever against piracy in Japan.
Every novelty and invention for
duced here within three months after
1t appears in the United States or Lon
don, and will be sold for about one-half
what 1t costs there. Every Japanese
who goes abroad Is always on the look
out for some useful and profitable pro-
cess or article which his people at home
may use. The Japanese merchants at
New York, Chicago and other cities in
the United States as well as in Europe
are continually sending designs to their
friends at home, even toys and games
and puzzles. The famous thirteen puz-
zle was sold by peddlers on the streets
OF Tokyo within three months after 1t
appeared in the United States, having
been sent over by japanese merchant
In New York. They have an advantage
here In not being compelled to pay roy
atty as well as in the low price Of la
Dor, 80 that when they acquire the in
VentiOns Of foreigners they can repro
duce and sell the goods much cheaper
than they cost at home The Japanese
are splendid chemists, also, and they
are able to analyze patent medicines,
chemicals and patents of that sort and
manufacture them to suit the demands
Of their own market.
They have no respect for trademarks
but Initiate them on their own goods,
even to the name of the manufacturers
1t Is bad enough to have them steal our
patents, but when they put on labels
like the genuine to deceive the public
1t Is carrying a wicked practice a little
too far and adding insult to injury.
For example, you will find perfecting
presses In nearly all the printing offices
Of Japan, bearing the name of R. H.
Hoe & Co., New York-the Inscription
being cast In raised letters upon the iron.
Every one Of these machines was man.
ufactured In Japan without the permis-
sion or the knowledge of the Hoe CON-
pany. Some years ago the American
Trading company imported half dozen
Hoe presses for a dealer in printing ma
terials In Tokyo, and delivered them to
the buyer at a cost of $3.50 each. A few
months later Mr.. Morse, the president of
the American Trading company, called
on the local dealer to pay his respects
and found thirty or forty similar presses
In his wareroom, all bearing the name of
r. H. Hoe & Co., New York.
"Ahw remarked Mr.. Morse, "you are
importing presses on your own ac-
countY
"No," was the reply, 1--WE are making
them ourselves"
"But you have no right to put that
name on any machine you make" ex-
claimed Mr.. Morse, with indignation.
''They cast them at the foundry In that
way" was the answer; but l do not
see who Is going to prevent us. There
is no foreign patent law in Japan"
"But there is moral law which every
honest business man should recognize
and obey, and, while no one can pre-
vent you from robbing the Hoe company
you ought to be satisfied with stealing
their machine only and not their reputa-
tion."
The japanese machines were sold at
$1I5 at large profit, or $50 less than
they cost In the United States.
Mason & Hamlin organs that sell for
$40 in the United States are manufac-
tured in Osaka and sold for $17 apiece
to people who suppose they are imported
from the United States. Singer sewing
machines and other machines patented
under the laws of the United States are
reproduced here exactly, except that the
table is made very low to suit the habit
the japanese have of sitting on the floor
They make their own telephones and
electric-light apparatus on American
patents without asking leave or paying
royalty. The telephone they have here
Is an Improvement on that we are ac-
customed to In that 1t has two receivers
which are placed at both ears instead Of
one. You can also obtain the best Eng
lish and American bicycles made in
Japan for about half what the genuine
articles cost.
You can buy Pears soap, Beecham's
pills and Worcestershire sauce of Jap
anese make that are put up exactly like
the original-it is very difficult to tell
the difference-and many patent medi-
cines, tooth powders, cosmetics and
other preparations for the toilet. Bass
ale, Porter's stout and Milwaukee ex-
port bee., made in Japan and bottled
and labeled exactly like the original,
are exhibited among the products of
the empire at the Kyoto exposition.
The Eagle brand Of condensed milk is
also to be found there. and, what Is
more interesting to some of my Chica-
go readers, various samples of Armour's
canned meats. There is no attempt on
the part Of the exhibitor to deceive the
public. He is proud of his success as q
forger, and when you tell him that Ar
mour's beef is made only in Chicago
he assures you that his is exactly like
the original, but is made in Japan.
Foreign inventors and manufacturers
have tried repeatedly to test the ques-
ton in the courts. but have been unable
to obtain relief. They have also endeav-
ored to secure protection by assigning