St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-02-18
NEWSPAPER COPYRIGHT.
WattersOn is Before Congress With
Bill to Protect Newspapers.
To Which They Have as Much Right as Any
Other Industry.

=
and is about to lay before congress.
considerable misinformation, said Wat
terson, sseems to exist as to the character of
the legislation which will be asked of con-
gress. 1t can certainly not be described as
an act entitled an act for the relief of the
associated press" All honest newspapers
and all honest news associations are interest
ed in its passage. 1t simply operates to pro-
tect property in news from piratical concur
rent publication.
Q. And how can this be done?
A. "By clause in the copyright laws,
making collected news the product of skilled
labor, and outlay, exclusive to those who pay
for it, for twenty-four hours.
@. Do you mean news exclusively of the
associated presss
A. mean all news, and news Of every
description and every association; as mat
tiers, are news, and is not recognized as prop
erty at all Every thing about newspaper
office, from the perfecting press to the news
mans pot paste, is property, and who steals
it falls within the reach and compass of the
law. But that which constitutes real value
as newspaper property-its news fran
chises-costing vast sums of money,
and years Of special enterprise, training and
labor has no legal status whatever. 1t is
practically outlawed, and anybody can steal
it with impunity. The proposed measure
protects it from pirated use and concurrent
publications for twenty-four hours. 1t
creates, indeed, new property. that is the
property is news. No one can oppose it ex-
cept those who want to rob others of their
labor and money!
Q.-sHow will it act upon the custom of
copying from one paper to another paperl''
Att will not affect that in the least.
The twenty-four hour limitation gives all
the latitude needful to honest and legitimate
transactions from one newspaper into another.
The country press is in no wise touched,
and l can see no other interest on its part
than to approve of measure calculated to
elevate and dignity the profession of journal
ism, by giving certain legal validity and re-
sponsibility to the collection and distribution
of news"
Q.-"What are the prospects of passing
such bill!'
Ar have consulted the best constitu-
tional authorities during my sojourn in Wash
ington, and there is a general agreement
that there is no constitutional objection to
the measure. I have also seen and talked
with members of both houses of congress. I
dices against the associated press, the off
spring of misadvisement in the main, and
some confusion as to the re-
lations of the associated press
and Western Union Telegraph company.
There are, of course, no relations except
those of customer and common carrier, and
barring these immaterial objections which
discussion will clear up. there is an interest
ed and friendly feeling in congress. The
| question is a novel one, and embraces the
whole principle of modern journalism. The
railway and telegraph, which have within the
! last half of century wrought such changes
/ throughout the world, have completely revo-
| lutionized the newspaper. That which we
| call news is a modern invention, as much as
| gutta percha or the reaping machine. 1t de-
mands the very best and rarest of skilled la
Dor. 1t involves forecast of organization
and outlay. 1t is an intellectual and mater
ial product. Why has it not the same right
| to legal recognition and protection as other
clases of property. Let US take an ex-
ample. Suppose newspaper published in
the city of New York, and sold at
three cents, obtains at great cost and pains,
column, or five columns of interesting and
| important matter. Should newspaper, issued
right alongside and sold at one cent be al
| lowed to get an early copy and issue concr-
rently this very same matter without paying a.
nickel for it? There is no present law for
bid this. Take another example: The diff
| ference in time between points relatively east
and west, in our vast country; enables pub
| Usher who chooses to do SO, to make use of
the enterprise of others. Should a thief at a
distant point be enabled by use of the tele-
graph to steal the property OF those men who
have gone to great care and cost 10 obtain it!
Under existing laws, I can make a
com mpilation of telegraphic news
matter, and issuing this in book, may
copyright, but if I write and wire the Courier
Journal page of valuable matter, anybody
who sees fit to steal and publish it, may do
so for the cost of the type setting"
@. '.How do you propose to do, define, or
pescribe news to be of copyright!'
A. ST should include all original, special
and general matter, exceeding one hundred
words, sent by post or by wire, and embrac
| ing original communications of information
of any and every description. Such an act
cannot operate in favor of one newspaper,
and against another, OF one neMs association
over another. It is simply bar to rogues
and fixes the same penalty upon the stealing
of news, which the law visits upon the steal
| ing in other forms of property. How can
| any honest journalist object to thats"
Q.-'.Can you formulate such measure
| so that it will stand the congressional test?"
| Ar think I have done so. 1 have
drafted bill and prepared an argument to
go with it, which, though by no means per-
feet, believe will give practical application
! and bearing to the question. You will un-
derstand that have no personal Interest at
stake, and am not acting for myself at all
At the last meeting of the Associated Press I
was made chairman of the committee which
was appointed to present the case to con-
gress Thus commissioned came here, and
| have proceeded with great deliberation and
| care, because was fully conscious of the
| largeness and newness of the question, and
the practical difficulties in the way. In the
| beginning was not at all clear in my own
| mind, but the more I have considered and
| discussed it, the more convinced have l be-
! come that the time has come when the law
should recognize and protect new species
of property, which others have recognized
and protected, and which modern inventions