The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-22
The New international Copyright Law.

At last. after half a century of cndeavOr, an
international copyright law stands on the
statute-bOoks of the United States a country
which should have been in the forefront IN
doing iusticc t. authors, but which has here
tofore Jagged far behind Its sister nations,
large and small. The law is q compromise-
like all compromises. IN its details satisfactory
70 no one party. but in its general principle
satisfactory 10 all. because il makes 70 great
stride forward, and in Its degree reaches every
interest involved II is now fairly 20 bee eX-
pected that each interest which has been a
party to this compromise shall unite in work
ing heartily for the success Of this measure IN
the public INTEREST," eayinG'any further quos-
tons ID allegiance until some years expert
cnce has shown how and where it can use
fully bc amended. IL is our own ConylctlO n
that when that time comes, the effects oi tins
bill upon American literature and American
interests generally, as well as rs relations 10
justice in a large sense. VIII have borne such
fruit that those who have stood most siuuhcn-
" for the manufacturing clause and other re-
stuctions in the bill Will JON hearnlyln ouny-
ing American copyright law into more full
harmony with the copyright law II other IA
tons Until that time comes, lct MS all DO the
best we can 10 make the best of tins all-lmpor-
tant measure. The bill escaped defeat bva very
narrow margin because of the uuwiliuguc-s Of
this or that interest 10 concede this or that
feature when il seemed 10 leopard the hnal
success of the bill but it Is safely passed, and
'bygones are bygones." The American au-
th0rs. as represented 10y the American Copy
night League have yielded the most. for their
desire has been from the beginning for
copyright law pure and simple, which should
give 70 their foreign brethren, unencumbercd
bv restrictions, the same rights of property
which they themselves hold. The publishing
interest. as q class, has never been "a unit as
10 what kind Of copyright il preferred. and IN
the first discussions of the past few ycnrs u
has proved that the number Of publishers
who did not look upon the manufacturing
clause as of the first importance IS cousldera-
bly, greater than those who regard tins
n sine qua n0n The typosraphi-
cal unions, however have felt through
out that their interests required such
a restrictive clause. and IT has been
largely through their effective help that the
bill has been pressed upon the attention Of
Congress and passed. I'm justice u the pub
fishing interest,". which has been accused Of
maintaining a lobby at Washington for selfish
purposes in connection with tins bill, 1t should
be said that almost all 90 the work toward cn-
listing public sympathy for this measure has
been voluntary. the only exception beng the
occasional employment Of a sentinel at Wash
ingtOn familiar with the methods Of legislation
and capable therefore. of notifying the COM
mittee especially when none Of its members
were III Washington. Of the course Of the lill.
But IL il not simply the interests involved. it is
the whole American people who are 10 be con-
graduated on the passage Of this biu.-PUb-
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