nies have benefited pecuniarily by reason
of the many belated victories they have scored in the courts. To this
question a strict regard for truth compels the answer that they have not
been benefited at all, not to the extent of a single dollar, so far as
cash damages are concerned.

It is not to be denied, however, that substantial advantages have
accrued to them more or less directly through the numerous favorable
decisions obtained by them as a result of the enormous amount of
litigation, in the prosecution of which so great a sum of money has been
spent and so concentrated an amount of effort and time lavished. Indeed,
it would be strange and unaccountable were the results otherwise. While
the benefits derived were not directly pecuniary in their nature, they
were such as tended to strengthen commercially the position of the
rightful owners of the patents. Many irresponsible and purely piratical
concerns were closed altogether; others were compelled to take out
royalty licenses; consolidations of large interests were brought about;
the public was gradually educated to a more correct view of the true
merits of conflicting claims, and, generally speaking, the business has
been greatly unified and brought within well-defined and controllable
lines.

Not only in relation to his electric light and power inventions has the
progress of Edison and his associates been attended by legal controversy
all through the years of their exploitation, but also in respect to
other inventions, notably those relating to the phonograph and to motion
pictures.

The increasing endeavors of infringers to divert into their own pockets
some of the proceeds arising from the marketing of the devices
covered by Edison's inventions on these latter lines, necessitated the
institution by him, some years ago, of a legal department which, as in
the case of the light inventions, was designed to consolidate all law
and expert work and place it under the management of a general counsel.
The department is of considerable extent, including a number of resident
and other associate counsel, and a general office staff, all of whom are
constantly engaged from day to day in patent litigation and other legal
work necessary to protect the Edison interests. Through their labors the
old story is reiterated in the contesting of approximate but conflicting
claims, the never-ending effort to suppress infringement, and the
destruction as far as possible of the comme