Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-18
NEWS UNDER COPYRIGHT
HENRY WATTERSON EXPLAINS
HIS BILL ON THE SUBJECT.

An Idea of the Labor, Enterprise and
Expense Incident to Modern Journal
ism-Why News Matter Should be Pro-
tected frsm Piracy-News as Pro-
perty.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.-Henry Wat
tersOn, of the Louisville Courier-JOurndI.
has prepared bill providing for the copy
right Of newspaper matter, which he will
shortly present to Congress. He has also
prepared an argument which he will sub
NIT with the bill. Mr.. Watterson is chair
man of the committee appointed by the
Western Associated Press at its last an
nual meeting to present the subject of
news copyright to Congress, and has
given much time and labor to
the preparation of the bill. In an
interview with him upon the proposed
measure. Mr.. WattersOn said cOnsid-
cradle misntOrmatiOn seems to exist as
to the character of the legislation which
Will be asked of Congress. 1t simply op-
crates to protect property in news from
plratlcal concurrent publication. This
can be done by clause in the copyright
laws making collected news of every de-
scrlption the product OF skilled labor
and outlay, exclusive to those who paw
A llaIJHrS
are news Is not recognized as property at
all. Everything about a newspaper
office, from the perfecting press to the
news mans pot Ofpaste, is property, and
he who steals it falls within the reach and
compass of the law. But that which con-
stitutes the real value of newspaper prop
erty, its news franchises, costing vast
sums Of money and years of special enter
prise, training and labor, has no legal
status whatever. 1t is practically out
laWed. Anybody can steal il with impu-
nifty. The proposed measure protects it
from pirated use and concurrent publica-
ton tor twenty-fOur hours. 1t creates,
indeed, a new prOperty-that is, property
IN news. No one can oppose it except
those who want to rob others of their
labor and money. 1t will not affect in the
least the custom Of copying. Twenty-fOur
hours limitation gives all the latitude
needful to honest and legitimate trans
actions from one newspaper into another
The country press is i'm no wise touched.
and can have no other Interest than to APP
prove the measure, calculated to elevate
and dignity the profession of journalism
by giving a certain legal validity and re-
spOnsibility to the collection and dlstri-
button of news. have consulted the best
constitutional authorities during my
soJ0urn in Washington" said
Tn4r1
a general agreement that there is no con-
stitutiOnal objection to the measure. The
question is novel one, and embraces the
whole principle of modern journalism.
The railway and telegraph. which have
within the last halfcentury wrought such
changes throughout the world, have COM
pletely reVOlutiOniZed newspapers. That
which we call 'news' is a modern inyen-
tlOn as much as gutta percha or the reap
ing machine. 1t demands the very best
and rarest of skilled labor. 1t involves
forecast organization andloutlay. 1t is an
intellectual and material product. Why
has it not the same right to
legal recognition and protection as other
classes of property. Let us take an eX-
ample: Suppose a newspaper published
in the city of New York, and sold at 3
cents, obtains at great cost and pains a
column or five columns of interesting and
important matter. Should newspaper
issued right alongside, and sold at 1 cent,
be allowed to get an early copy and issue
cOncurrently this very same matter
without paying a nickel for it? There is
no present law to forbid this. 1t is pro-
posed to include all original, special and
general matter exceeding 100 words sent
by post or by wire, and embracing
original communication Of information of
any and every description. Such an act
cannot operate in favor Of one newspaper
and against another, or one news associa-
tlOn over another. 1t is simply bar to
rOgues, and fixes the same penalty upon
the stealing of news which the law visits
upon the stealing Of other forms Of prop
ertV