New-York daily tribune., 1856-08-26

The Dramatic Copyright bill became law five
or six DAYS ago It's single object, as our readers
are aware is 10 secure to the dramatic author the
same exclusive right to perform that he possessed
under the preyous copyright acts to print his pro-
duc,ion This right is protected by provisions
which rer der person who shall in'Iipgc IL liabl'
10 damages. 10 be recovered in civil suit aud in
no case TO be less than Sl00 for the first and so
or every suh:oqut nj citn:e.
But for the fact that our Legislators are generally
engrosssd with other measures than those ofpubic
utility ard Il at the supporters of bill such IA wo
are Low speaking of can scarcely have set suiicicat
yslur upon liz passage 10 put Themselves to the ex-
p,rse Of lobbipg it through, even if they had the
requisite meaIs :, il might be matter OF surprise
that it was Tot passed years ago. statute co1'
taiuirg similar provisions @as enacted by the British
Purisn ent so lorg ago a. 1888. five cannot boast
so eood pla, writer's as the English, we have had
almost az any within the same space of time, and
cur ttcateis must pay quite as Well as thelrs ana
sre certaifly as active comp, titors. 1t is obvious
70 ever, body that the chief pecunlary value OF an
acirg play lies in the profits CT public perform
snoes which it is therefore an act OF simple justice
topreseIye to the writer ard to protect from pret-
ica interference.
We shall not venture 20 predict the elect ot the
new law upon what is called our infant dra na
whether the lusty child will grow ln grace and
size, whether our hntratuys will devote their tai
fnts TO its service whether with increase OF pay,
the good old practice of damnlng poor article
hoy no. be reinstattd, are questions We Leave to
Others. But the same principle on which we ap'
Prove of the recent statute-the principle OF CIV
ING to all men the fruit of their brains as we'll as
their nuscle--reuches to two spe,ies OF intel
ltctual product, so similar to that covered Dy
ibis bill as to make us wonder that they are not
also included within its provisions, An Opera
would no doubt fail within the meaning OF dra-
matte piece, but oil other musical compositions
must be outside If its range salute protecting
them was no. psss.d d in III gland t IL 15i2, nine
y,ars after that applicable to plsj Writer'S But,hey
ale sill unprotected in this country, aud come
under the old decisions. In the eye OF the Ia"'
which locks q. things from Literal and pro'aic
point OF view, music is published when printed but
when pla,ed no!-a distinction on which, under
~ pbrusecogy Of the general copyright act, vests
the composers right t. protection IN the first, but
not in the LAST casc. You may copyright a
sheet of music like book and thus obtain
the sole right 20 sell IL; but you
cannot prevent your hes. symphony from being
performed in publ C. rival manages to get hold OF
copy. Considering the proyerbial jealousy and
competition among professors OF music, piracy
must be- and is, if We may believe the critics, less
unusual in the concert room than on the stage.
Considering the progress OF musical taste both from
culture among ourselves and emigration from
Germany, France, and Italy, it deserves fostering
legislation. Now, Bristow's finest strains may be
stoltn ard used to fl the pockets ofano.her; while
a burlfsQue of Broughsms cannot lawfully be
presented without his coDst stnt-the one perhaps
the work Of years, the other Of hours.
The other class Of artt.s to whom we would
call stthticn consists of scup ptors, Eorkers in bas
relief inventors of original designs in marble or
other materials or in pr nts, &c. Their rights are
partially protected nos ny pa,ent law, which
allows them, On compll me- with ;taln conditions
to have the exclusive privilege of making copies
o. casts fr, III their own works. TIE deiect OF
this ut is that il is too liuted Ia point Of
time, eAtn6ig Ia only seven years, with NJ right
cfIenewal. 1he geDcrsl statute gives the Inventor
patent which Lolds COED for furteen years, and
ia certain cases a renewal Tor seven in addition;
while the copyright laws give tie aIthor first
term Of twenty tignt years, with tbo privilege
of renewal for fourteen more, if he be alive at the
expiration Of the twentj.eight, or have left
widow or Child. In other words, the sculptor has
chly oIe thjrd as much time to reap The fruits of
BIZ; perhaps, liteIoi labor, the inventor Of
ly -irsp; aud but a sixth as much as Doe5ticks
and this is the patronage We boast Of extending to
the fLe ants ard native genius. Let US have the
dtc,ncy 10 gisc the man who is doing more for tie
word than ten times ten thousand fyuaps or
Iutied volumes of nonsense an equal cha.ce to ca
what is Iiehfuy bis.
We hope teat Congress viii quickly take these
suggt, ,ions Into consideration, aid extend to the
two classes OF artists We have nuIned the same JUS
tice which they have t,rdy done dramatic authors
Ii We TO have suy general eslation during this
tcs,ioD, no bill could be more just TO the needs OF
the country. 1t would take but II moment 70 draw
Up ana pass II, aid would tend to produce good
ceiling bttWctn the hostile houses
We leorn from TIE Broollyn Ddii, Times that At
q M 6tlng If tie Border Eutiian Drmocracv m the