Catoctin clarion., 1897-08-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
RRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON, AUGUST 9TH. 1897.
The return OF Secretary Sherman to
Washington and his resumption of his
duties as Secretary Of State, at this
time, when almost the entire admins
tration is on vacation, has started the
rumor mill to working over time, al.
though Mr.. Sherman declares that his
return has no significance whatever;
that he resumed work because he felt
like it, and that he intends working
right through the summer, unless a
spell of warm weather should drive
him away for another little rest. Most
of the rumors are connected in some
way with Japan and Hawaii, but this
may be because of the reported inten'
ton of minister Sewall to declare a
protectorate over Hawaii, which was
brought on one of last weeks steamers
or because of Secretary Sherman hav-
ing officially notified Japan that the
United States would lot guarantee the
carrying out of the verdict Of the arbi
tration between Japan and Hawaii.
Some of the facts brought out in the
hearing now going on before the Pat
ent Office, in which John Wedderburn
& Co. are being allowed an opportunity
to show cause why they should not be
disbarred from practice before that
Office for fraudulent practices should be
Of great interest to the inventors Of the
country. For instance, Patent Office
officials have testified that of the more
than $500 applications for patents filed
within two years in that Office by Wed.
derburn & Co., more than 1900 have
been absolutely unpatentable, for lack
of novelty. and the pateatable points in
large number of the remainder have
been Of such an Insignificant nature as
not to Justify the inventor in paying
the cost Of obtaining patent; and that
the firm has solicited and in many
cases secured additional fees for apply
ing for foreign patents for these unpat.
entable devices. as well as sought and
obtained money tor advertising the
same tor sale, either knowingly or thro'
ignorance of what any efficient patent
attorney should have known.
If Mr.. Preston, Director of the U. S.
Mint, is trustworthy prophet the de.
cline in silver is likely to continue un.
til about one fourth Of the present price
has been chopped off. Speaking Of the
matter, Mr.. Preston said: IL see no
future for silver whatever, Sc cents an
ounce is the current quotation. 1t is
my honest opinion that within six
months silver will fall to 40 cents an
ounce. There is no demand for it any.
where; China is not buying any, Japan
is out of the business, and there seems
to be no demand for it in any country
to any extent, even to use as subsidiary
coinage" Other men Of prominence
who have studied the silver question
long and earnestly decline to put them.
selves on record as positively as Mr..
Preston does, but nearly every one
questioned whose opinion is entitled to
weight expressed grave doubts about
the future of silver.
Hon. Benz. Butterworth. Commits
sioner of Patents, has issued an order
requiring all patent attorneys to be
registered in the U. s. Patent Office,
and stating the requirements for regis
tration. at is considered to be one of
the most important orders ever issued
by Commissioner of Patents, and to
be long step towards the reformation
of some Of the abuses Of patent prac-
tice.