No. 672.
Mr. Winchester to Mr. Bayard.
Berne, August 31, 1887. (Received September 13.)
Sir: Upon a referendum there was a popular vote of 200,000 to 60,000 in favor of an amendment, or rather a supplemental clause, to an existing article of the Swiss constitution, authorizing the Federal Assembly to enact a law for the protection of industrial property.
The Assembly at its December session will doubtless pass some law to that end, but the opposition in all probability will be strong enough to demand a referendum of any action that may be taken. The friends, however, of the measure are confident of its ultimate success, and that within the next twelve months Switzerland will have a broad and liberal general patent law.
I am, etc.,