Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-31
LESS PATENTS.
Falling on the Present YeareaCon.
 necticuA Bills.
From our Special Corespondent.I

Grom Our Special Correspondent)
 Washington, Dec. 31-The report of the commissioner of patents which will be out January 2, shows falling off in the number of patents issued this year from that of last year. The num- Der of patents issued during the year is given as 30,267; designs 557; re-is- sues no; total 30,934. In 1903 there were 31;699 issued. Of trade marks there were issued 2,15S; labels 1,114; prints 297; total 5,569.
 In proportion Connecticut heatS the list of patents of all the states ill the country. The number granted during the year was S2S,. or one patent to every 1,O97 persons in the state. Last year there were S29 Connecticut patents granted.
 The report shows that since the or- ganiZation of the patent office in 1856 there have been issued 1SS, 79O patents. Prior to that the state department had charge of this work, and there were issued 9,957 prior to 1856. The growth of the office is shown by the large 1n- crease ill issues from 1886 when 11O patents were granted to the present day with over 30,00O
 Bills of Interest to Connecticut.
 There are many bills now before congress in which Connecticut con- cerns and business men are interest ed, outside of measures of strictly lo- cal nature, and every day the Connec- ticut members are appealed to, to sup port or oppose various measures of this kind. Just at present the Phil- ippine tariff bill is perhaps the most important one to the tobacco men and manufacturers of the state, but many other bills are of nearly as much con 0srn.
 One of these is the Hepburn pure food bill, which passed the house last session, and is now before the senate. This bill is opposed by many of the manufacturers of catsup and sauces, while the farmers are in favor of 1t. The bill will probably pass ill some form, but the senate has proposed many amendments, and a compromise bill is looked for. Another bill intro duced by Congressman Hepburn of Ifl- terest to Connecticut coiceTns is the one to regulate the traffic among states of intoxicating liquors. This bill proposes to stop the sending sof liquors to prohibition states from an- other state, and seriously affects the brewers of the country. The bill has been reported to the house, and will probably come up early in the year. It is hardly probable that there will be time to have both houses act on it., however.
 Many people are interested in the bill introduced by Congressman Hen ry relative to the consolidation of third and fourth class mail matter, making the rate for merchandise one cent for each two ounces. Merchants and manufacturers are unit in ia yoring such a bill, and the postoflce department is also in favor Of consol- idation. This bill is now before the postoffice committee of the house, and Mir Henry will push it very strongly. This bill is not to be con- founded with another bill presented by MT Henry, and for which he is not responsible, and that is the one 1mak- ing rural carriers act as express mes sengers. MT Henry simply introduced this bill at tic request of James l.. Cowles of Pennington, and it has no earthly show of ever seeing daylight again.
 The list of bills interesting to Con- necticut could be continued almost in- definitely, but those mentioned are especially noticeable at the present time, ito judge from the appeals to the members.