The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-03-21
WASHINGTON NEWS

terom our washington Correspondent -.
Congress has become somewhat
exercised by a recent decision OF the
Supreme Court, which indicates thal
the greatest %monopolies OF the nation
are the offshoot OF the patent laws. A
number Of Representatives are pres
sing measures to overcome these le-
galizd m~onopolics." OF course every
BODY has known for a great number
OF years that the patent laws ala
these very things, but the importance
of the transgressiOns is borne III on
Congress by the disclosure hat the
natentee OF a machine for fastening
buttons on shoes with metallic fasteh-
ers. sell such machines subject to a
condition that they be used only with
fasteners manufactured by the seller.
In this instance n purchaser OF the
machine becomes a mere ~licensee,
and the use OF it by him contrary 10
conditions. would not only be n
breach OF contract, but a violation or
the patent monopoly. The same con
dition exists in the operation OF mime
ograph machines, wherein the pur-
chaser binds himself to use only the
supplies manufactured by the com
pany which makes the mimeograph.
Congressmen claim the purpose in
tended by the patent laws is not to
extend beyond the matter of infringe
ment upon n manufactured machine
or appliance, and this thing of using
the patent laws as a blanket to shut
off free competition, that otherwise
exists, in the matter of supplies, is
the "~woodchuck'' that must be ferret
ed out.
With Oklahoma turning up a dele
cation for Colonel Roosevelt and put
ting State Chairman Harris in the
shadow, the State jumped into promi-
nent distinction during the week. Per
haps South Dakota and North Dakota
are the two states that are causing
the most speculation at the present
time although the Minnesota situa-
ton is being carefully watched from
the political headquarters
in the Capital. Most of the politici-
ans here from the states mentioned in
the foregoing, declare that President
Taft will be an easy winner, but those
who don't profess to know so much
about the political game are interest
ed in the development Of the Presi-
preference law in South and
North Dakota, and the things that are
likely to happen in Minnesota where
the P~rogressives have gained such
Roadway in the last two or three
Judging from the number Of Ok
and Minnesota Indians, and
those from other states beyond the
Mississippi, who have been in Wash
during the past few months, 1t
Is reasonable to suppose that the red
men are dealing fairly successfully
with Uncle Sam, otherwise, their dele
cations would hardly show the mark
ed increase in numbers.
A part Of the general plan of the
work OF the Southern Commercial
Congress, which Is unquestionably the
greatest organization for the develop
ment OF any portion OF the country
in existence, includes a good roads
conference to be held in Tennessee
next month and a roundup OF the
southern states is being made to Sc
cure the attendance OF road super
visors, legislators, and county offici-
ais, to bring about a practical discus
sion that will result In improved
methods OF road corr.ruction, in cam
paigns for raising funds. and in legis-
lation for highways. 1t may be
somewhat surprising to people in the
east and middle west to learn that
seven southren states rank among
the eleven that have shown the great
est progress Of road Improvement In
the last Eve years. The eleven states
that have taken front rank In this