The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-02-18
NEWS COPYRIGHT
HENRY WATTERsoN's PET SCHEME.
ns Proposes 10 Have ali N,uu Copyrighted for
TWsnty.foar AOaru After PubilcatIon-Hl,
Plau.ibis Arguments In Favor Of the y.
iJll Billie Thiaks u VIM Pas.

WASHINGTON, D. O., February 1.-THE
following interview has been had viii
Henry Watterson touching the PROPOSED
measure Of newspaper copyrights, which
Wptterson has in charge, and is about te
lay before Congress. 'i52 z
considerable misinformatlon, said Wat.
teison, ;''seems 10 exist as TO The character Of
the legislation which will be asked Of Con.
gress. II can certainly not DO described
% All act entitled an act for the relief Of the
Associated Presa. All honest new spapers
and all honest news associations are inter.
esteed in Its passage. 1t simply operates to
concurrent publications" 4t. a'Ni;
And how can this be done7" n 4
.."By clause in tho copyright laws max.
ing collected news the product OF skilled
labor and outlay, exclusive 10 those who
pay ior ittor twenty four hours" .i
"Do you mean news excluaive Of the
Associated Press?" NJ. Iz =
4 u mean all news, and news OF every
description and Of every association. As
matters are, news is not recopuiz ID as
property at all. 1, Everything about a news.
paper office from tho perlecting press to
the news mans pot OF pas'e ia
property, aud he who , steal, Ii
ialls, within the reach and com.
pass Of the law. But that which con.
stitutss the real value OF q newspaper
property, its news franchises, costing vast
sums OF money and years OF enterprise,
training and labor, hes no legal status
whatever: 1t is outlawed. Anybody can
steal 1t. The proposed measure protects il
from pirated use and = concurrent
publication for twenty.iour hours,
1t creates indeed new property. that Is.
properlyin news. No. one can oppose Ii
except those who want to rob o,hers OF
their labor and money, !. \ !
bow, will it act upon the custom of
copying lroin one paper by another pape,?"
1T will not affect thatin the laast. y The
tWentyfo hours limitation gives all The
latitude needtul to honest aud legitimate
uanscfiptionsl from one Newspaper into an.
other. The; country press ia in no wise
touene', and can see no other interest
on its par, than to approve measure cal.
calatea 70 elevate and dignity the proies.
sion OF journalism by giving certain legal
validity and responsibility to the cole c,iou
and distribution Of news" --,".'i
What are the prospects Of passing such
4 bill2 ',.,--s - ~ = = '-".'o'>si
y haye consulted the bes, constitutional
authorities duripgm my sojolrn in Washing.
ton, and there is a general agreement that
there ;is no constitutional objection
10 the q Z, measure tI,- hova o1oo
seen and talked with number
Of members Of both houses Of Congress-. I
hsve been surprised to find some hfzy
prtjadicts against the Associated Press,
tae offspring of nisldvise,nent in the
nam, and some confusion as to the rela.
slens Of the Associated Press and
tho Western Union Telegraph Com.
peny. There are, Of course, no relations
except those Of the customer aud common
carrier Barring thess immaterial obiec.
uons, winch discussion will clear up, there
Coagless." - " NJ i I : Il ~ A'es - -