Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-08-14
SATURDAY. AUG. II. 1897.
FROM WASHINGTON.
THE HAWAIlN SITUA-
TON.
Alleged Patent Frauds.
Changes in Office.
Changes in Office.

(From Our Regular Correspondent }
WASHINGTON, August 8, 1897. Sec
rotary Sherman is again at his desk in
the State Department, and his fiat
footed declaration that this govern
ment would not guarantee to japan
the execution of the d. cision of the
arbitrator who will pass on the contro-
veTsy between Japan and Hawaii
shows that his back bone is in tip top
condition. He seys his little outing
and rest did him much good and that
If the weather in Washington remains
as pleasant as it has been for several
days he will not go away again this
summer. Secretary Sherman says he
doesn't think there is any thing in that
story about Minister SewBll having
last week declared protectOrate over
Hawaii, and that If odd Glory" has
been raised over the islands it was be-
cause some act of the japanese had
caused Minister Sewall t. conside-
such a course necessary 90 avoid fur
lure trouble and complications. Mr.
Sewall has authority to raise the flag
over Hawaii at any time he may con-
slider it necessary.
NAVY VS. SOCIETY.
The innovation of the Navy Depart
ment. that our naval vessels must be
put to better use than being made to
serve as attractions at seaside fashion
resorts, will NOT please the young
dancing officers who have found pleas
ure in posing as summer resort mash
ers, but it is being strongly endorsed
Toy men who wished TO see our navy
made as efficient as possb BILE by prac-
tee in sea drills There has never
bsen any good reason for making our
navy an adjunct of seaside society.
SENATOR GoRmAN's BLUFF.
Senator Gorman's little BLUFF about
ms not being a candidate for re-elec-
tiOn is regarded in Washington as
about the poorest one he ever made
and as indicating his desperation He
knows that there are considerable
number OF democrats in Maryland who
intend TO aid the republicans to elect a
majority of the legislature, i'm order to
be sure that he cannot be returned to
the Senate.
PATENT CASE.
Some OF the testimony in the hear
ings. new going on, as to whether John
Wedder burn * Co., should be dis
barred from practice before the Pat
ent Office has developed condition
shat ought to open the eyes of every
body 20 the manner in which those
who become victims of the get-rich-
quick-thrOugh-a-patent fever, given
them by insidiuously worded adver-
tisements and circulars, are being
worked for their hard earned money
or the money OF their neighbors who
are caught by false reports made upon
their alleged inventions 10y unscrupu-
ious patent attorneys. Officials of the
Patent Office have stated in their test
imony that only about one half of the
thirty-seven hundred-odd applications
for patents filled by John Wedderburn
4 Co, duringthe' past two years have
contained anything that was patent
able, and that the portions that were
patentable in many of the remainder
were OF such q nature that it was prac-
tically impossible for the inventor to
ever get back the money it cost him to
get the patent.
WORSE STILL.
They further stated that Wedder.
burn and Company solicited and got
in many instances, additional fees fol
making applications for foreign pat
ents upon these devices, which they
patentable also that they sought Il
obtain, and did obtain, money for ad
vertising them for sale at a Fabulous
price when they knew, or should have
known that they were worthless.
NEW COMPTROLLER.
Ex-Congressman Robert J. Trace
we'll, of Indiana, has qualified a
Comptroller of the Treasury. This il
the position that was held under tn,
Cleveland administration by Robert B
Bowler, of Ohio, who obtained some
unenviable notoriety by setting him
self up as higher authority than TIT
courts or an act of Congress, only t,
tumble ANONYMOUSLY of his self-re
spected pedestal. Mr.. Tracewell is
very different sort of an individual
and will perform the duties of this i'm
portant Office in the same careful an,
thorough manner that he served hi
constituents in Congress,
STANDARD RAISED.
Hon. Benz Butter worth, Commits
sioner of Patents, is living up to -ex
pectations in the matter of raising tn
standard of practice before the PAten
Office. His latest and most importan
move is an order providing that a reg
lister shall be kept of all persons en-
titled to practice before that Office
and establishing rules under which ct
tOrneys may get there names upol
that register. In these rules Mai
Butterworth has gone to the extrem
limit of authority given him by tn
present somewhat unsatisfactory laws
He has other reform ideas which will
require the sanction of Congress be
fore they can be carried out.
SEAL FISHERS.
Ex- Secretary of State, John w. Eos
ter, has returned from his diplomat
trip to Europe in behalf of the sea
fishers, and expresses himself as bein
entirely satisfied with the result c
his trip. A conference in Washingto
next October, between representative
of this county, England, Russia an