The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-18

They were instantly popular and a large
demand was created, which however.
suddenly ceased The manufacture In
q1fre9 the reason and was Informed that
the Japanese we're making them on their
owr account He replied that IL WASH
possible for them 70 produce as good
burner as he made and asked TO see some
OF their samples Mr. Morse went 20 the
factory, got full SET and packed them
himself 50 that there could BE- no mistake.
They were exactly like the originals. even
TO a little trademark and instructions 10
the user stamped in the brass When the
New England manufacturer received them
he insisted that they were hts own and
were part Of the last invoice he had sent
from his factory 70 Japan. I believe Mr..
Morse has not yet been able 20 convince
him that they are forgerfes. but the same
burners are now selling IN every city Of
Japan for about one-third the price they
bring in the United States.
You can buy Pears soap. Beechann's
pills and Worcestershire sauce OF Japa-
nese make that are put up exactly like the
orfginal-it is very difficult 70 tell the diff
feTence-and many patent medicines.
tooth powders. cosmetics and other prep
arations for the toilet. Bass ale. Porter's
stout and Milwaukee export beer, made in
Japan and bottled and labeled exactly
Ike the original, are exhibited among the
products OF the empire at the kyoto expo
sition. The Eagle brand of condensed
milk Is also "a be found there. and. what
is more interesting 10 some Of my Chi
caRo readers various samples of Ar
mour's canned meats. There is no at
tempt on the part OF the exhibitor to de-
ceive the public He is proud OF his sue
cess as a foFger, and when you tell him
that Armour's beef is made only in Chi
cago he assures you that his is exactly
like the original, but is made in Japan.
/ might give list of other articles that
would fill three columns of this paper. In
fact, nearly oue-fifth of the catalogue of
the exposition is q record of patent rob-
berry, and includes every possible variety
of articles, except. perhaps, agricultural
implements. Nor do our mechanical tools
seem 10 be suited to the Japanese taste.
They prefer their own. They initiate our
patent safety razors. but they insist upon
their own oid-fashioned saws.
Foreign inventors and manufactures
have tried repeatedly to test the question
in the court. bat have been unable 10 OBJ
tain relief They have also en6eavored to
secure protection by assigning their pat
ent rights 10 Japanese citizens. but the
patent office will not issue a certificate for
anything that IS not invented by a native.
Trade marks can be protected by having
them secured in the name Of a japanese
sole agent" but they must be modified
In some manner so as TO be different from
the original. The same can be done with
copyrights. but no method has vet been
contrived to protect patents.
The japanese have an excellent patent
system and patent office OF their own, or
ganized npon the plan of that in Wash
ington City. and their laws and decisions
have followed our own very closely But
when you come TO complain that your
EreN sfeyf.A Erx-
that your inventions have been stolen.
they reply that they are only initiating
the English plan. which has always been
TO take al you can get and give as little
as possible. Foreigners. thty add. are not
willing 10 accept our judicial jurisdiction:
therefore. WHY should We insist upon pro-
tecting their patents? This practice does
not injure us any more than Il does Eng
land. Germany and France. Perhaps we
suffer less than they do. But the British
are 10 blame for the situation. because
they have always resisted the recognition
OF Japan as civilized nation.
The only fore ign patent or copyright
that was ever protected in Japan was the
English-Japancse dictionary. which repre-
sents twenty-five years labor on the part
OF DR. James c. Hepburn. the pioneer
medical missionary OF the Presbyterian
board, who came here in 1870. and was
oIiiS itctlta3 renewed from MS laborS.
Having passed four-score years. he is en-
toying well-earned rest at Orange, y. j.
IL was DR.. Hepburn who translated the
Bible into japanese, and no man has done
more 20 introduce and promote Christian
ity and civilization In this country Soon
after hts dictionary was published a pi-
rated edition appeared. but the govern
ment out Of respect TO him and In recog-
milton Of his usefulness. by an arbitrary
decree forbade its sale within the limits
OF the empire, and a large number OF
copies In "a Tokyo printing establishment
were confiscated.