Evening star., 1898-11-22
REVISION OF LAWS
Meeting of Commission on Patents
and Trade Marks.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONGRESS
Amendments of Statutes Affecting
Industrial Property Rights.
THE FILING OF CAVEATS

The last meeting of the commission to re-
wise the patent and trade mark laws of the
United States was held today in the Office
OF the commissioner of patents.
Few matters affecting our foreign trade
are recognized as being of such Importance
as this question of trade marks. Consular
reports frequently call attention to the prac-
tfce OF foreign concerns in obliterating the
American trade marks and substituting
ether marks. and the prime object of this
commission is to present to Congress in cor
rect form draft of bill which will pro-
tect American manufacturers.
There are also other duties devolving upon
the commission. 1t will embody in its re-
port to Congress certain recommendations
looking to revision of the patent laws.
The meeting was expected to take place
at 10 O'Clock today, but it was near Ii
o'clock before Assistant Commissioner
Greeley, chairman of the commission, called
the assemblage to order. At that hour there
had congregated in the Office of the COM
missioner of patents a number of local at
torneys. Mr.. Greeley explained the work
Of the commission thus far and briefly out
lined the work in Chicago and New York.
The first speaker was Mr.. Walter F.
Rogers of the local Patent Law Associa-
ton. He said the Patent Law Association
is in a state of inquiry.
I'VE are not in position to make any
suggestion that has not already been made.
We find strange idea outside of it that
every association should be represented in
discussion of these matters"
Experience of AssociatiOn,
1t had been the experience of the local
association, he said, in calling for discus
s!ons Of bills, to get full criticism. He did
not think there was any opportunity for
legislation at the coming short session of
Congress- He rather thought the object
of the commission could not be fulfilled.
The local Patent Law Association has not
taken any position on the subject. There
are very few men in the city, he said. who
knew the object Of the convention. If
there is a foreign country which has
no patent law we should not place any
restrictions upon it. Our patent laws are
working well enough, so why change them?
The local association did not think there
should be any question of concession or
diplomacy even to assist any particular
class.
Mr. Rogers said personally he was not in
favor of abolishing the caveat He recall
ed a prominent inventor who filed his note
book as caveats, in which he set forth his
inventions. The association believed in in
ternational registration, and was confident
it would rebound to the benefit of American
manufacturers.
PrOfRe rOf Aid.
In conclusion he said the local association
would carefully consider the subjects and
assist the commission in every way. He
asked permission to submit a report on the
part of the association which was granted.
In answer to a query to whether it
was the purpose of the commission to frame
an organic law, Chairman Greeley said the
commission had not fully decided it.
VIM. ID. Baldwin. vice president of the
local Patent Law Association, said the asso-
citation would like to have until the end of
the month in which to file its report. He
attacked the filing of caveats and said in
practice of forty-two years he had never
found 1t of any benefit to his clients.
He was in favor of the abolition of the
caveats. He did Lot favor provisional
application unless accompanied by a draw
ing.
Mr.. DOOlittie Approves.
w. H. Doolittle followed in much he
same line, approving in general terms the
views of Messrs. Rogers and Baldwin, and
giving his opinion that caveats should
be abolished, and that all provisional ap-
plications should be accompanied by draw
ings Of the invention.
During the hearing The question arose as
to the validity Of the international conven-
ton. but Chairman Greeley dismissed it
with the statement that this was not the
time TO discuss the status of the conven-
tion.
Those present at the hearing were
Messrs. F. w. Ritter. Geo. p. Whittlesey,
W. H. Doolittle, j. H. Whitaker, S. T.
Fisher, VIM. d. Fisher. VIM. d. Baldwin,
Henry Calver Amos Hart, c. j. Hedrick
and Charles Davis