The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-02-20

trucClOn OF Trees suouIu 10 w
vented.
: WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.-The fol
lowing interview has been had wit
t Henry Watterson, who proposed
measure Of newspaper c0pyrigt
which he has in charge, and is abou
to lay before Congress:
considerable misinfOrlnatlOn,
said Watterson, "seems to exist as t
the character of legislation whicl
will be asked of Congress-. 1t car
not be described Is an act entitled a
act for the relief of the associate
press. All hon st news association
are interested in its pass age. 1t sim
ply operates to protect property il
news from piratical concurrent pub
Iication."
And how can this be done?"
"By an act in the copyright law
making collected news the product o
skilled labor and outlay, exclusive t.
Those who pay for it, for twenty
four hours"
"Do you mean news exclusively o
the Associated Press?'
II mean all news and news of ev
cry description and every associa
ton. As q matter of fact news Is no
recognized as property at all. Ev
erytning about a newspaper office
from the %perfecting press to thu
newsman's pot of paste is property
and he who steals it fall.
within the reach and compass
of the law. But that which
constitutes real value as q newspaper
property, its news franchise, costing
vast sums of money and years Of
special enterprise, training, and
labor, has no legal states whatever.
1t is practically outlAwed. Anybody
can steal it with impunity. The pro.
posed measure protects it from ptrat-
ed use and concurrent publication
for twenty-four hours. 1t creates
indeed new property; that is, proper
ty in news. None a oppose it ex-
cept those who want to rob others of
their labor and money"
"How will it act upon the custom
of copying from one paper by anoth-
er paper??'
1T will not affect that in the least.
The twentv-four hours limitation
gives all necessary privileges. The
country piess Is in no wise touched
and l can see no other interest on its
part than to approve. The measure
is calculated to elevate and dignity
the profession of journalism by Civ
ing certain legal validity and respon.
sibility 10 the collection and distribue
zion of news"
What are the prospects of passing
such a bill ?"
II have consulted the best consti-
tutional authorities during my So
journ in Washington and there is a
general agreement that there is no
constitutional objection to the meas
ure. / have also see and talked with
q number of eminent members of
both houses of Congress. I have been
surprised to find some prejudice
against the proposition. RAILWAYS
and telegraphs, which have within
the last half century wrought such
chances throughout the world, have
completely revolutionized newspa
pers. That which we call news Is a
modern invention, as much as gatta-
percha or reaping machines. Il de-
mands the very best and rarest of
skilled labor. It involves forecast,
organization and outlay. 1t is
an intellectual and material product
and why has it not the same right to
legal recognizance and protection as
other class of property? Let us take
an example. Suppose a newspaper
published in the city Of New York
and sold at 8 cents, obtains at great
cost a column or five columns of in
teresting and important matters,
should a newspaper issued right
side and sold at one cent be al
lowed to get an early copy and issue
concurrently this verv same matter
without paying a nickel for it? There
is no present law to forbid this Take
another example. Difference in time |
between points relatively east and
west, an hour in this vast country
enables a publisher who chooses to do |
make use of the enterprise o fothers.
should a thief at q dis ant point be
enabled by the use Of the telegraph
steal the property Of those men
who have gone to great care and cost
to obtain it? Under the existing laws
can make a compilation of tele-
graphic news matter, and issuing this
q book may copyright it, but l
write and wire the C0urier-J0Wnal
page of valuable matter, and any,
who see fit to may steal it.
The proposed legislation prevents
his, and how can any honest Jour-
lal object to that?"
Can ynu formulate such q measure
% that it will stand the congression-
Il tests ?"
II think l have done so. l have
lrafted a bill and prepared an a:gu.
nent to 60 with 1t, which, though
lot perfect, 1 believe will give prac-
lcal application and bearing to the
question. You will understand that
have no personal interest at stake
nd am not acting for myself at ALL"
DENVER, Col, Feb. ls.-The snow
lockade throughout the San Juan
~lstrict, Colorado, still continues.
he SilvertOn wire worked a few
ours to-day, when it went down
nth a snowslide. 1t was the
rst communication silverton has
ad with the outside world since the
d instant. Business of all kinds is
lspended at Silverton and Ourav
camps The snow is six fee.
eep on q level; in some canyons ,
here roads run it is 80 to 60 feet (
eep. People have to use snow
1oes to visit their neighbors.
: Is thought the blockade cannot be {
roken before April. Most camps are .
at OF coffee, sugar and coal oil, but !
ave a supply of meat and -four to {
st another month. Snow slides oc. 6
'r daily but no loss Of life Is re- /
'rted, miners being careful to keep {
II OF tnel way. The -now is con-
led entirely to the mountain dis. G
lets, none having fallen in Denver T
+ the past two weeks. c