New-York tribune., 1891-02-19
REVERSES FOR COPYRIGHT.
THE BILL PASSED IN THE SENATE WITH
HOSTILE CHANGES.
VOTE on THE PASSAGE SO TO 4-THE SHERMAN
AND FRYE AMENDMENTS ADOPTED-A CON
FERENCE COMMITTEE APPOINTED.


Washin cton Feb 16.-The Copyright bill passed the
Senate this afternoon by vote OF 80 TO a. but hot
until 10 had been loaded down with three additional
ard hostile amendments. Two of these-the so-caled
FRYE and sherman amendments-Operate 10 diminish
ssrjo,sy the value of the bill to the various interests
which have been pressing It, and, II insisted upon by
NE senate in conference almost certain to destroy
the hope of any copyright legislation by TINS Con-
gress. 1t must be admitted, however, that the votes
today by which the Frye and Sherman amendments
were adopted the most decisive OF the whole
contest in the Senate, and show clearly that that body
is unwilling to accept the House bill without radical
alteration. The majority for the Sherman proposillon'
which had been described by Mr. Plat as fatal to tho
whole copyright principle, twelve TINS afternoon
as against one last Friday, and that for the Frye
chromo' clause had grown to seventeen, as against
three on February o. Rather curiously the threa
oOnerPees appointed to represent the Senate IN case
the House should refuse TO concur in the amendments
made to tho bill and demand a conference were all
originally opposed to making any changes in the
House measure. Mr. Patt voted consistently against
every amendment which offered Mr. Hiscock,
though he supported the chrome" clause this after
noon, sided with the Committee Patents on all
other questions which during the consideration
OF the bi and Mr.. Gray also cast only one vote, that
the Sherman amendment, with the opposition
The cOnferrees will be expected, however, to follow
the instructions Of the senate, indicated by todays
voting
The marked decline in the strength Of the copyright
forces on tOdays roll call resulted chiefly from the con-
vcton the part of most senators that the bill would
have go to conference in any event. and that ii made
little difference whether few additional changes were
made not. Several Democratic Senators who had
hitherto opposed all amendments to the House bill fol-
lowed Mr. Carlisle in voting for the sherman prOpo
stion, and on the Frye amendment there was still
more pronounced drift from both parties TO the winning
side. Mr.. Daniel tried to take advantage OF the cur
rent and fasten few hostile clauses the bill.
t;,la
and the Virginia Senator's propositions were rejected
The votes in detail given below, compared with
previous tests of strength the bill, show some glar-
Ing inconsistencies and unlookedfor changes OF view
the part of Senators, and 1t would be tedious
and Improbable task to enter into serious ANALYSIS
OF the various divisions.
When the bill again taken up the pending
question was on the Sherman amendment as offered
yesterday by Mr.. Power-to admit copyrighted books.
etc. printed in foreign countries, payment of tariff
duties. 1t was agreed to-YeaS, So; nays, "a. as
follows:
burn CAN, Carlisle Cocire Coke. Cullom. Daniel, Eus
It's Faulkner, George, German, Gray, Hale. Hampton,
Harris ingalls,, Jones (Ark), Mitchell Paddock Pasco,
Payne, Pcttigrew, Plumb, Power Pugh, Ransom. Rea-
gan Vance, Vest, Walthal, Wilson Qowa) Wilson (Md)
SO.
Nays-Messrs. Blair. Carey. Davis, Dawes. Dixon,
Doph Edmunds, Farwell Hawley. Higgins, Hoar. Nc.
Milan Manderson, Morri. Pierce Platt. Sanders Saw.
Wolcott-2i.
Mr. Frye renewed the amendment heretofore offered
by him adopted in Committee of the Whole and disa-
greed to in the Senate) requiring maps, dramatic or
musical compositions engravings cuts prints, photo
graphs, chromos Autographs to be printed from
plates made in the United States
in the course Of discussion on Mr.. FTye's amend
ment somewhat amusing cOllOquy took place between
Mr. Wolcott and Mr. Pumb-the former intimating that
views which Mr.. Plumb had expressed on art and
artistic and literary property might suit the ideas OF
Kansas in these latter days, but were not generally
accepted elsewhere and Mr.. Plumb retorted that such
a remark did not become the Senator from Coiorado'
and that when the time came for them to hahg out
their soiled linen the National clotheshe, ne tMr.
Plumb could say many mean things about COLORADO
as Mr.. Wolcott could say about kansas-eVeh II lho
majority of the population of Colorado had come from
Kansas.
"But they have not" said Mr.. Wolcott
81 like to know that they have not" said Mr.
Plumb
leres INDUCED in laugh.
The vote was taken on Mr.. frye's alhenomepl' anu
1t was agreed 10, yeas Al, nays "a, as follows;
Yeas-Messrs. Allison, Berry, Blackburn, Blair, Call,
Carey casey Coke Cullom Daniel Davis, Dixon, Evsts,
Tarwell Frye George Hale Hiscock, Ingalls, Mcconnell,
Mcmillan MandersOn, Mitchell Morgan, Paddock, Payne,
Pettgrew Pierce Plumb, Pewer Sanders, Sawyer shoup,
spooner Stanford, Stewart, Tufple' vance, Waithsli'
Warren, Wilson (Iowa)-il
Nays-Messrs Bate, Butler, Carlisle, Dawes DOlph,
Edmunds, Faulkner. Gray, Hampton, Harris, Hswley,
Higgins Hcr, Jones Ark), Morrill, Paseo, Plat Pugh'
Reagan, Stockbridge. Vest, Washouln Wilson (Mdh
Wocott-24.
Mr. ingalls, moved to strike out Of section tho
proviso allowing the publisher Of newspaper or
magazine to import two copies of any newspaper or
magazine published in foreign country, and to
insert lieu thereof the following and except in the
case OF newspapers and periodicals. which are hereby
exempted from prohibition of Importation" Agreed
TO without division.
Mr.. Daniel suggested amendment to Section 3.
which requires a printed copy of the title of the
copyrighted book, etc. to be sent to the Librarian OF
Congress. before the day of publication in this
or any foreign country. The suggestion was 10 make
the section read within six months after the day
Of publication
Mr. Platt deprecated any further change in the BILL
Mr. Daniel then suggested recommital of the
bill so that the committee might respond to the sense
of the senate on the Subject, aud prepare bill in
conformity with the judgment pronounced on the
pending bill.
Mr. Plat thought that he could hardly be ex-
pected 10 make such motion. OF course he could
not prevent its being made. But every knew
that rccommittal of the bill would be the end of any
hope to obtain copyright bill at this session.
Mr. Daniel-Then offer the amendment which
have suggested
Mr. Carlisle, responding to remark of Mr.. Platts
that the provision which Mr.. Daniel sought TO amend
had the approval of the American authors except one
read from an article i'll The NewYOrk Tribune of Feb
ruary 10 adverse to the Frye amendment and de-
carfg that it proposed TO sacrifice the interests of art
10 the clromo lie also read from document Issued
ON the part Of the Authors League expressing surprise
and regret that the first response of the Senate 10 tho
demand for copyright should be sweeping denial OF
il TO the painters dTaughs etchers and engraVcrs
OF the world, because fnat would inevitably be tho
effect Of the lthoeaphe amendment Mr.. Carlisle
closed by saying that he would have to vote against
the bill.
The vote taken Mr.. Daniels amendment, and
disagreed
Mr.. Daniel then moved TO amend section 3 by
striking out all of The provisos. The amendment was
disagreed tO-yeas II, ~.
Mr. Pasco declared himself In favor Of copyright til,
not complicated with other interests. He had prepared,
rather hastily, bill which indicated the sort of meas
that he favored and that many other Senators
favored and he offered il substitute for the pend
l,iII IlAo Ar.A farAd. n