Cheaper Electricity

Tesla, the electrician, has long been endeavoring to devise something to give the public cheaper electric lights, and has just taken out a patent on an oscillator which he thinks will cheapen electricity as an illuminating agent. Everything that promises to give the public cheaper service is good news, but the Rome Sentinel has discovered that it is true that the cheapening process really reaches the people only after years of profit to those who supply the appliances. The patents which protect the inventors give them, or those interested with them, opportunity to reap a reward from meritorious inventions. Hence if Tesla's oscillator has merit it is not likely that it will soon be the means of bringing cheaper electric lights.

Those who control the commercial operation of such invention keep up the prices as long as they can. This is the experience with the telephone and the telegraph. In the end the public will doubtless be benefited, but the benefit does not soon follow the invention.