New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-11
TIE FATE or INTERNATIONAL COPY
EIGHT

nv III !.
Whom the international Copyright bill passed
the House it was generally and reaSohap'!
believed to he out Of danger. l here may DE
no real necessity for alarm at present, DIV Yc'
those advocates Of the measure who are specaI
~ charged with the care of Il do undoubtedly
feel no little anxiety a. 70 lis tate senator
Plat. of Connecticut will endcayor 10 CAL II
M during the morning hour tomorrow ana il
il then gets before the Senate the obstacles now
opprehended may he found not TO east or q"
be less troublesome than vague reports nave
made them II is perhaps happy augury tha'
the bill obtained larger majority in the House
than was expected II would indeed be a cruel
disappointment 70 the country and the Worid
if thc Senate should bctray the confidence when
has boen reposel in is intelligence and par
TALLY to justice.
The danger lies in the amendments which a
few Senators are expected TO urge. NOBODY
orctendS that this is an ideal measure, ana Ger
taiply those who are mos, Jealous for rs passage
will not object 10 notifications which leave me
principle intact. after it has become law
They do not now stop 10 argue against INC
character Of the proposed changes hut m'reI!
insist that any amendment whatsoever whether
intrinsicaly good or bad, Is at tins time ne
plorable. If the bill j. altered IN the senate
!, must 90 back 10 the House, bccom" me SUD
inct Of dcliberation in conference. and 50 re-
now thc weary fight for life under the most
di,couraring conditions, and almost inevitably
die At las, with the expiring session. ms
gloomy proSpect has been pressed upon ihe a.
tnntion Of Senators during the last few day :.
and We cannot suppose that single one o.
them is inSensble Of the harm which II j. III
his power to do and likewise in part 20 aver.
Some. however. even Of those who arc not
unwilling 10 support the measure with mon
votes. NAV be inSenSible Of the carnc>tnc~N WIN
which the intelligent opinion oil III" country
desires the enactment Of this just measure.
| pom that point wc may say without "Heh"
that senators arc naturally not the best Judges
II is i'm newspaper Offices that the NuicN' ana
most abundant evidence exists n 10 the PIE
vailing sentiment respecting international copy
right. and we believe there j. ample warrant
for the assertion that only at rare intervals are
American journals 50 nearly unanimous ~ Their
views of public measure. il is highly credit
able 10 the press OF the country 'hat j ~h""'
be 50 uniformly ranged upon the side o. honor
and honesty. Comparatively H." editors We
suupo>c have made a special study oil the SUD
iert. but an overwhelming majority nave nTH
hold upDn the simple truth that the nights OF
those Vho create intellectual property are not.
IN the words Of Horace Greeley. less real bcnci
cent and dcfcnSible than the nights oi those
who produce or transform material substance.
" For tho craftsman merely fashions adaptS, or
rccaSts materials coeN>tcnt with the earth ana
which may be regarded rs in some sense the
common property Of mankind; while the in
ycntor the poet, builds into the void space
makes chao, luminous, and adds potentially.
and as it were by original creation, to the en-
during wealth Of mankind