Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-09

tenn of district courts-sevcral Of them fire.
quently in q single state-to enter titles for
entry in the district where the applicant re-
sided. and this was frequently matter of
doubt. involving special inquiry. Moreover,
they we're required to go to the expense and
trouble OF transmitting copy OF the work,
after publication. to the district clerk and
II both copies we're mailed to Washington at
once this double duty would be diminished by
half. Next, the books would be received at
Washington while fresh from the press. in
stead Of, as formerly, several months after
issue, or not all. Then the copyright records
would be constantly at hand where the copies
to which they relate were deposited l.. This
would simplify and facilitate reference to the
greatest possible degree. In the then existing
complicated system one seeking to establish
the validity of q copyright must sometimes go
to two or more widely separated Localities to
verify the various points of evidence, and
would perhaps fail at last from the very i'm
perfect manner in which the law regarding
copyright entries and deposits was executed.
The saving of time and trouble in transacting
the business through the mails instead of by
special messenger, was obvious. Out OF the
many thousands Of authors and prOprietors of
copyrights in the United States it is probable
that less than 200 resided in the immediate
vicinity Of district clerks Office. The un-
necessary delays and expenses, therefore, in
the registry and deposit of publications were
clearly much greater under the once existing
system than under uniform system of registry
| at Washington, as in the parallel case Of
patents. which have been registered in one
central Office at the seat of government from
the beginning. We're the whole business, from
the initial entry OF ii tie to the final deposit of
copies. to be placed i'll charge of a single re-
sponsible officer much trouble and insecurity
would be saved to proprietors Of copyrights
an to the legal profession.
THE NATIONAL LIBRARY.
2. The advantage of securing to our national
library a complete collection Of all copyright
publications can scarcely be over-estimated.
If such q law as that enacted in 1870 had been
enforced since the beginning of the govern
ment we should now have in the library of
Congress complete representation of the pro-
duct OF the American mind in every depart
ment of science and literature. Many publica-
tions. which are printed in small editions. or
which become ''out Of print from the many
accidents which continually destroy books,
would owe to such library their sole chance
Of preservation. We should have one compre-
hensive library in the country, and that be-
longing to the nation, whose aim it should be
to preserve the books which other libraries
have not the room nor the means to procure.
These considerations prevailed with Congress
to effect the amendment III copyright registra-
ton referred to. The commissioner OF patents,
Hon. Samuel 3. Fisher. gave his hearty CO.
operation 10 the measure, ana the Hon. Thomas
A. Jenckes OF Rhode Island, whose committee
on patents had charge OF the whole matter,
brought the resources OF his active and vigil
liant mind to formulating the law. to answering
objections and to carrying the measure through
Congress.
COPYRIGHT REGISTRY.
The .uccess which has attended tho ,dr,;n;s-
80 a.. -, - ..I
'rauon VI uio sy''Sm Vi copyHgn' registry,
under the new conditions, IL its best vindica-
ton. Practical operation is the sure test to
which all theories must yield, and this has been
eminently case where results have more than
justified expectations. More than twenty years
operation OF the law has been fruitful of bene-
fit to authors and proprietors Of copyrights in
simplifying their business with the Office of
record, and the government has reaped the adj
vantage Of securing greatly more deposits of
copyright publications than could have been ac-
quired under any other system. All questions
involving the security OF literary property can
now be answered, SO far as the records of title
and the deposit of copies are concerned, at the
central Office of copyrights. +. Manifold have
been the searches made and the duly certified
copies of record supplied to parties engaged i'm
litigatian concerning copyright property or
having reason to apprehend such litigation.
The act Of 1870 provided for the removal of
the coiieouon OF copyEshs books and other
oa .o .o Shrorv " W Connrass pa'ent Of
cations were the ORGANIZATIONS of about eighty