The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1884-03-06
PROPERTY IN NEWS.

itor Of the Louisville Courier-Journal,
after giving the subject long, careful aud
considerable attention, has prepared, and
will soon have introduced In congress
very important measure for consideration
touching the protection OF property In
news. It 10 proposed by this measure to
insert clause in the copyright laws max
ing collected news Of every description the
product Of skilled labor and outlay, exclu-
sive to those who pay for II, for twenty'four
hours. Under the present law, news 10
not recognized - property ct ALL
and that which constitutes the real value
Of newspaper property, lis news franchises
costing large sumo Of money and years OF
experience, enterprise and labor. has no
legal status Whatever.
But very few OF the many readers OF tho
HERALD have the remotest idea OF the OF
pense, toll and labor attendant upon the
publication OF even one dsy's issue, aud
this new proposed law 10 specially draws
with the view Of giving the HERALD, and
other like publications, the same right to
legal recognition and protection for Its toi
and labor and expense ss other classes OF
property. And this 10 % II should be. The
adoption Of the measure BY cougress sould
infict no wrong, no hardship upon any
class OF psbl,cstions, but only pro-
t.cts for ore days duration those
who display enterprise and push
and who expend large sums OF money
In the collection Of the current events
Of the day for the benefit OF their readers.
It 10 true the question is . novel one, but
4. is certainly the outgrowth of the rapid
progress Of the times. 1t embraces the
whole principle OF modern journalism, and
In discussing the feasibility Of the PROPOSE
ton the author of the bill very pointedly
and truthfully says that the railway aud
the telegraph, which have within the last
hslfce1tury wrought such Oh snges through
out the world, have completely revolution
lied the newspaper. That which We call
news is q modern invention, a. much az
gutta perchs or the rsapinE machine. 1t
demands the very best and rsrest Of
skilled labor. 1t involves forecast, orgsni-
cation and outlsy. 1t il an intel
lectual and Q material product. Why
has it not the same right to
lsgal recognition and protection as other
classes OF property" Certainly no one can
ohisct to the enactment Of any law that
offers and affords protection to any and all
Legitimate branches Of trade and industry
aud that seeks to encourage. and at the
same time protect, the fruits OF ones labor,
akill and expenditure.
Some publishers OF country newspapers
have been misled as to the purport and Of.
feet of the proposed law, and have vehe-
mently cried out against its adoption, la.
boring no doubt under the erroneous i'm
preston that it is intended as relief fol
the associated press and inimicable to thell
interest. Such, however, is not the case
1t simply creates new property, that is
property in newsstand at the same time pro-
tects that property, which, as we said before
cost large sums of money, much toll ano
labor, from pirates, the same as the laws
of Texas, protects the owners OF any kind
of property in their rights. 1t creates nc
monopoly. but gives equal rights and priv
jleges to all who have enterprise to push
forward and expend their time and means
in gathering the events as they daily Occur
throughout the world and present them tc
the public. It is intended, too, as a chech
to what are known as newspaper pirates
aud fixes the same penalty upon stealing
news which the law visits upon the stealing
of horse or other property. And, as It'll
on sration is confined to the larger cities OK
clusively, the country publisher is moi
harmed in the leIst.
Hence, the whole object and operation o.
the law, as we view It, will be for the pro
lection only OF genuine and legitimate
journalistic enterprise and will tend to
higher elevation of an already exalted pro
fession. and we hope, in the interest OF hon
est enterprise. public spirit and progress
that the proposed or similar measure may
become law.