The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-13
FIGHT ON CROzIER
Kansas Man Having Much
Trouble Over Confirmation.
Appointment as Chief of Ord
nance Still Held Up.
HE is AN INVENTOR.
Opponents Say That Fact Dis
qualities Him.
Capt. CrOzier Makes a State
ment Concerning Patents.

Washington, d. C. Jan. 13-Capt.
William Crozier's road to confirmation
as chief of ordnance seems TO be rocky
one A stubborn fight on mini continues,
not on the charge that he is incompe
tent, but for the reason that he was
promoted over nineteen other officers
who have not proved themselves, in the
opinion of the president, so well quail
fed as Capt. Crozier. The opposition IS
now masked behind a protest filed by
trustees of the Brown segmental wire
tube gun. This protest sets forth that
the nomination of Capt. Crozier should
not be favorably reported to the senate
on account of his having secured gun
patents in the United States, and the
fact that he has asserted that he also
obtained patents in foreign countries.
The statement further sets forth that If
it is true as reported that Capt. Gro
zier has assigned his United States pat
ents to the government, such an as
signment would not necessarily deprive
him of a large peeuniary interest in the
adoption OF his inventions by the United
States, because foreign nations would
be strongly influenced to use the same
inventions by knowledge of the fact that
they had been adopted by America, and
the value of Capt. Crozier'S patents in
foreign counties might therefore be
made much greater than the value on
the patents of the same inventions ta-
ken out in the United States
Further than this, even though Capt.
Crozier had so arranged his affairs
to leave him no pecuniary interest
whatever in his patents at home
abroad, he would still be disqualified
the statement declares, from taking z
position where he would sit in judg-
ment upon his own inventions and upon
those of a similar character belonging
to other men, because the natural pride
of an inventor in his own production
would prejudice him in their favor
His attention being called to this pro-
test, Capt. Crozier said: THE evident
purpose of the objections filed against
the confirmation chief of ordnance
is that l would, as inventor, be
against the adoption of ordnance inven-
tions similar to my own
In regard to this 1 can only say that
the entire rights with reference to the
Buffington-Crozier disappearance car
riage have been assigned to the gov
ernment for it's free use. The rights OF
the invention have been retained only
with reference to such foreign countries
as might use the device. Therefore no
pecuniary compensation has been re-
ceived or can be claimed by the invent
ors for any of these carriages manufac-
tured by or for the use of the United
States government.
My intention has also been declared
not to charge the government any
guns in accordance with my design
should it ever desire to make use of
them.
As to the prejudice which might feel
against the inventions of other persons
because Of having myself produced ord
Judge. must 'e'''s - 0'''eiS 70
In justice to the ordnance department,
however, l. must say that there are now
and have been in the service many arti-
cles of armor adopted by that depart
ment, but not now the production of its
officers. Among these may be mentioned
(on hand) the smith and Wesson revoi-
yer, the Colt revolver. the Krag-Jorgensen
rifle. the Hotchliss revolving cannon the
Driggs-Schroeder rapid fire 0i"' gun the the
matte matt. machine gun. the Calling gun, the
finder, the Quinan field sight and the
Scott telescope sight
Congressman Calderheads attention was
called to a covert criticism from a Fifth
district paper concerning the esta blish-
when the inspector last visited the dis
trict he was provided with petitions and
his endorsement for about one hundred
ed favorably on twenty and unfaVorably
on three, and then hied himself to other
ment promises return an inspector
to the district for further work
Congressman Calderhead has returned
to his work and finds himself appointed
chairman of the subcommittee of
the committee on invalid pensions for the
district embracing Illinois and all states
west of the Mississippi except Texas He
held this same craftsmanship in the last
Second Lieutenant Winston Pitcher
Fourteenth cavalry, troop A is relieved
from duty Fort Grant Ariz. and di-
rected to join his troop at Fort Riley.
BEHIND THE TINES.