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THE:
TO REORGANIZE PATENT OFFICE.
House of Representatives Passes Bill Introduced
by Representative Bulkley and Directing
That an Investigation Be Made Into the Ef-
ficiency of the Patent Office and Various De-
sirable Reforms Introduced—Some Condi-
tions That Might Be Improved.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, Aug. 13, 1912.
The House has passed a bill directing an in-
vestigation to be made into the efficiency of the
Patent Office and a reorganization upon sound busi-
ness methods. The investigation is to be made by
the Cleveland Efficiency Commission, for which
work $10,000 was appropriated. Representative
Bulkley, explaining the bill, said:
"A complaint often made against the Patent
Office is that patents are frequently issued on ap-
plications that do not state real inventions. Is-
suance of patents of doubtful validity and occa-
sionally of no validity cast a bad effect on the in-
dustrial development of the country in two ways.
On the one hand, the owner of a questionable
patent has a color of right to prevent others from
using some machine device, combination or proc-
ess which may, in fact, have been more or less
widely known before the patent was ever applied
for; and this may result in the manufacturer,
through fear of infringement, abandoning the use
of an idea which, in justice, he should have had
the right to use.
"It may result in his paying a royalty which he
ought not to have been obliged to pay, and it may
result in his being subjected to the expense of de-
fending an infringement suit based upon a patent
which never should have been issued.
"On the other hand, the issuance of a large num-
ber of patents of questionable validity creates in
the public mind such a distrust of patents that the
real inventor finds his patent to some extent dis-
credited in public opinion and finds in the courts
no such presumption of validity as to allow him an
injunction for infringement until after the merits
of his patent have been fully passed upon by the
.court.
"Our patent system can far better serve its pur-
pose of stimulating invention and industry if the
examinations in the Patent Office can be made so
rigid as practically to prevent the issuance of
patents except for real inventions.
"It is the purpose of this investigation to ascer-
tain to what extent this can be done by improve-
ment of the administration of the Patent Office.
"The Patent Office for some years has been a
self-sustaining institution; that is to say, the fees
collected have been more than sufficient to pay
every expense of the bureau. Inasmuch as the
office now receives only $15 for the preliminary fee
on an application for a patent and $20 for^final fee
on the issuance of a patent, it is confidently be-
lieved that every expense necessary to bring the
office to the highest efficiency, even including the
cost of erecting a new building, should that prove
desirable, can be met by a comparatively slight in-
crease in Patent Office fees.
"This would not be in any sense a burden on the
inventor, since he would be fully compensated by
the better quality of patents which could be issued
after more rigid examination. The resolution
directs the attention of the investigating body to
this phase of the problem and calls for recom-
mendations to meet all proposed expense out of
increase of fees, so that the improvement can
be made without any expense whatever to the
Treasury."
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MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
DEALER AND MANAGER "SNAPPED."
BRIGHTENING SKIES.
Frank B. Long, of Los Angeles, and F. G. A Glance Around the Business Horizon at
Chicago—General Activity in Industrial
Smith, III, Caught by the Camera's Eye in
Circles Means a Greater Buying Capacity.
Brooklyn — F. G. Smith Business Good.
Frank B. Long, the well-known piano dealer from
Los Angeles, was recently a visitor at^the factory
of F. G. Smith, maker of the Bradbury pianos and
player-pianos in Brooklyn. Just as The Review
man arrived at the plant one day last week Mr.
Long and F. G. Smith III, son of F. G. Smith,
head of the house and manager of the retail de-
partment of the firm, emerged from the door-
way of the wareroom at 774 Fulton street. As
will be seen they were snapped in a happy frame
Frank B. Long, of Los Angeles Cal., and F. G.
Smith III, "Snapped" in Brooklyn.
of mind, even though they hadn't had their
lunch.
As was stated in The Review last week the
retail business of the F. G. Smith interests has
been exceedingly good this summer and is con-
tinuing to be so. Mr. Smith III has been con-
tinually on the job and has ^booked a large vol-
ume of business himself, which has greatly
swelled the summer statement of business.
BUSY TIMES WITH VOSE.
Ambassador Harlow Tells a Story of Increasing
Appreciation of Vose Values Wherever He
Visited—Preparing for Active Fall.
Fred. C. Harlow, traveling representative of Vose
& Sons Piano Co., Boston, Mass., was in New
York this week, calling on George W. Morgan,
manager of the piano department of Gimbel
Brothers. Mr. Harlow expressed himself as being
pleased with the outlook for the succeeding fall
months, and he also said something that proves
the widespread reputation of the Vose, and that is,
the factory is behind its shipping schedule and
has been for several weeks. "The Vose factory
shut down a week in July to make repairs as is
customary," commented Mr. Harlow, "and the
factory has not yet caught up with shipping, which
is a remarkable achievement for a factory in the
'dull' summer months." It is hardly necessary to
comment upon Vose popularity.
Mr. Harlow is making a short trip through this
Eastern territory and will return to shape matters
for a fall trip in the near future.
TO MOVE TO LARGER QUARTERS.
(Special to The Review.)
Uniontown, Pa., August 12, 1912.
The business of the W. F. Frederick Piano Co.,
which was established in this city in 1861 and since
that time has moved several times to keep up with
the growth of the business, will move again in a
few days to a large store in the Thompson Ruby
Building, at the corner of Main and Morgantown
streets. The new quarters have been elaborately
decorated for the use of the piano company.
NEW KANSAS CITY CONCERN.
The New England Piano Co., Kansas City, Mo.,
has been incorporated with capital stock of $10,000.
by A. T. Kirk, R. E. Rice and H. F. Hurxthall.
(Special to The Review.)
Chicago, 111., Aug. 14, 1912.
That there is expansion in business interests
all over the country is unmistakable. The im-
proved demand for money and advance in inter-
est rates, as well as the enlarged bank clearings,
as compared with last year, and with earlier months
this year, show it for one thing. Mills are busy,
and the steel interests are so well sold ahead that
they are able to decline good-sized orders unless
they suit their ideas of prices and time of de-
livery, and a majority are sold up to the first of
the year, with indications that they will be able to
run at full capacity for another six months, and
possibly for a longer period. Labor is well em-
ployed, and there is general complaint about the
difficulty in securing help for the commonest kind
of work, even at higher wages than have been
paid in former years.
Railroad construction and betterments are de-
layed by the scarcity of help, and the same com-
plaint is made regarding all industries. Car shops
are all busy and will be for months to come in
repairing old and building new cars. The loco-
motive factories are full of orders, and will be for
months to come. Automobile factories have had
the best season in their history, and the people
have gone auto crazy, regardless of expense, and
more cars are being bought than ever, and bene-
ficial results as a time-saver in traveling as well
as in regular business are being secured.
Big crops mean lower prices than last year,
liberal purchasing power on the part of the agri-
cultural classes, and more employment for all.
They also mean large transportation business for
the railroads, and it is the belief of best-informed
people in the West that there will be enough busi-
ness in grains and merchandise to keep the rail-
roads busy handling it throughout the next twelve
months. A car shortage is expected by the middle
of autumn, which is likely to last all winter.