The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-03
RIGHTS OF THE AUTHORS.
THE HOUSE TAKES UP THE INTER.
NATIONAL COPYRIGHT BILL.

Mr.. Hopkins or Illinois Claims that th6
Measure VIII Foster Gigantic Mo-
nopoly-The Obligations of Authors
and the People Mutual-Great Bene.
fit Derived from Cheap Editions OF
Foreign Books.
WASHINGTON. May 2-In the House to.
day Mr.. Davidson of Florida presented
protest from citizens Of Key West against
the tobacco schedule of the tariff bill. 1t
was referred.
On motion of Mr.. O'Neill of Pennsyl.
vania a resolution was adopted setting
apart Saturday, June 4, for the delivery Of
eulogies on the late Samuel J. Randall Of
Pennsylvania.
The House then resumed consideration Of
the copyright bill.
Mr. Hopkins of Illinois said that the
ostensible purpose of the bill was to extend
the rights OF American authors to foreign
authors, but the measure meant vastly
more than this. The inevitable result Of 70
would be to create gigantic publishing mo.
nopoly which would raise the price of every
book and periodical printed in this country.
and would impose a tax on every reader Of
books, from the boy with his primer
to the college professor with his scientific
work. 1t would affect the reader of every
periodical, and even the reader of the rural
newspaper would suffer. The argument
that the foreign author was robbed OF some.
thing that was his just due, when his works
were published here, and that the American
author was subject to the same species OF
robbery abroad, was based on the idea that
the author was indebted to the state and
people for nothing, and that his works were
not the creation Of his surroundings and his
associations.
MUTUAL OBLIGATIONS.
The most casual observer knew that this
was not true. The state and people had
done as much for the author as he had done
for them. The American author was pro-
tected in the labor of his brain for a period
OF forty-three years. Free schools and free
libraries had given him a constituency of
over 10000. 900 people, who rejoiced in his
success and paid him willingly the price he
put upon his work. The bill could not bs
passed on the idea of justice TO American
authors. The rights Of the American people
should be considered.
CHEAP EDITIONS A BENEFIT.
The benefit derived from cheap editions
OF foreign books could not be too highly
estimated. Congress should not Weld to the
false sentiment urged by the friends of tho
measure; but should look to the needs of the
American peopls, and legislate In their in
terest against all the world. He denounced
as damnable the third section of the bill.
which he declared prohibited the importa-
tion Of foreign books. Foreign authors
had formed a combination with certain
labor organizations for the purpose of
making trust and controlling this market.
The labor organiza ations, when they came to
understand the question, would denounca
the measure.
sIMoNDs DEFENDS THE BILL.
Mr.. Simonds, of Connecticut, argued in
favor Of the bill. The American people
were beginning to understand how great q
wrong was being done to authors, and they
were determined that a stop should be put
to this wrong doing.
Mr., Bland characterized the bill as q
scheme for monopoly.
The bill was further opposed by Messrs.
Mills, Culberson, Peters of Kansas. .(who
held that the bill would strike a blow al
patent insides), Anderson Of Kansas, Stock
dale Payson and Lind, and was advocated
by Messrs. McAdoo, who said the copyright
law was written by Moses in the stone tablets
In the words, Thou shalt not steal; I" Moore
of New Hampshire, who said he had been
a newspaper publisher from boyhood. knew
all about patent insides, and asserted that
the pending bill would not affect them in
anyway; Mr.. Carlisle, who said he would
vote for it on account Of the general princi.
pie involved; Messrs. Lodge, Covert, Far.
quhar, Buchanan of Now Jersey, and But
terworth.
THE BILL DEFEATED.
Five amendments offered by Mr.. Payson
were adopted, but on vote on the engross.
ment and third reading of the bill it was de.
feated-yeas 98; nays 126 Before the an
nouncement Of the result Mr.. Breckinridgs
Of Kentucky, who voted in the Affirmative,
changed his vote to tine negative for the
pose of moving reconsideration.
Mr. Hopkins of Illinois moved to lay the
motion to reconsider on the table, ana Mr..
Adams of Illinois to take recess. A vote
was taken on the recess motion, and it was
defeated, but as the hour of o'clock had
arrived, the chair declared that under the
rule the house was in recess until 8 o'clock.
The motion to reconsider and to lay that
motion on the table go over to be acted upon
tomorrow.
The House at its evening session passed
seventeen private pension bills, and at 10:3Q
o'clock adjourned until tomorrow.