Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-15

the Philadelphia Record

From the Philadelphia Record
A trifle over half century ago Jay
Gould was devoting al his remark
able abilities to the tanning industry
in the wilds of Wayne county and
wondering whether he would be able
to keep II head above water COM
mercially speaking The village of
Gouldsboro still stands as nonu-
ment to his activities in Pennsylva-
mia. When he died he was probably
the most universally de'ested man In
Am RIGA because of tn ruthless
methods he had followed IN rolling up
his enormous fortune, which included
control OF the Western Union Tele-
graph Company, the elevated lines in
New York. the Wabash, Missouri Pa
ciflc and other ra roads and great
number of properties of various kinds
On Wednesday George J. Gould,
oldest son of the wizard finahcier,
gave up the presidency of the Man
haitian Railway Company control of
which is reported to have passed to
the Rockefellers. Previously the
Western Union had slipped from the
family grip the Wabash railroad is
hopelessly bankrupt and the Gould
project of controlling a transcontt-
mental line of railroads reaching from
the Atlantic to the Pacific was long
ago given up as an irfdescent dream.
The second generation. now middle
aged, hassproved sadly unequal to the
task of directing the family fortunes
wisely and we'll, and the third genera
ton has shown no apt itude for bus
ness. A fourth generation is already
appearing on the scene.
1t Is an interesting family history,
40 r,f haI
ago to alliances with the decadent
nobility of France and scandals at
home The feebleness of each sue
ceeding generation shows how little
Am RIGA has to fear from the colossal
fortunes heaned mp bv these great
captains of industry. They accumu-
ate millions. and the generations that
follow either scatter them or fail to
add to their volume. Perhaps in an
other half century old Tav's descend
ants may be back in Wayne county
as tanners or trappers.
A Sparkling Patent Monopoly.
From the Brooklyn Eagle.
The decision of Judge Lacombe sus-
tanning the "Canfield patent" on
spark plugs for all gasoline engines
seems to have established If 1t holds
good on appeal, an absolute monop-
oily in the use of a principle perfectly
well known to electricians for many
years, for q specific purpose in en-
gines, the principle being q recess or
open space behind tho electrodes TO
prevent the accumulation of what
m ght interfere with the freedom of
the current used 10 explode gas in a
cylinder, a principle which is COM
mon to all. or nearly all, spark plugs
on the market.
The resulting burden on manufac-
turers of pow er gas engines or boat
motors and automobile motors. will
call new attention to the wisdom OF
our patent legislation so as
to protect only real inventions, not
the application of old ideas. and so
as TO prevent the misuse of patents
to assist combinations in restraint OF
trade.
The whole trust question is bound
I'D with patent monopoly. Until pat
emit monopoly is limited trusts cannot
he effectively curbed. Yet the sub
ject has to be approached with great
care, because no one doubts that. pat
ents have been considerable factor
In the development of mechanics.
though their effect in commerce and
has been open to dis
cussion.
The Remuneration of an Old Orchard.
From the Toronto Globe.
Those who would IKE to under