San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-05
The Daily Eight.
MONDAY. DECEMBER 3, 1892.
International Copyright a Failure

International Copyright n Failure
Under the heading "Foreign copy
right with q string" the following
circular was freely distributed t.
members of the United Typothef@ o
America convention, which met a.
Toronto, August Is, 1892:
1.-THE international copyright law
has now been almost a year in opera
ton, and as we predicted some time
back, has proven an utter failure. AS
it now stands, It is almost
practically useless, protecting only
wealthy corporations. For instance,
books, etc., must be copyrighted
simultane ously in the different coun-
tries in which the copyright is soug Rt,
and published from plates manufac-
tured in said countries, with the ex-
ception of France and perhaps some
other countries not as yet in the
treaty. A small publisher or author
has on this account no moro protec-
ton than heretofore, for unless he has
an agent or publisher in such coun-
tries he cannot protect himself. It is
often the case that an unknown au-
thor cannot obtain q publisher at
home much less In q foreign country.
In such strait, II he has money enough,
he may publish his own works and
obtain the copyright for his own
country, but the valuable protection
in foreign countries Is lost to the very
man who most needed it.
This, then, is the farcicsl new
copyrjght law that gives with one
hand ana takes away with the other.
,.TAo A. ~. al 20 ., aa,,,
publication clause has by this time
Desn pretty we'll proven, and we
think the following provisos will COM
mend themselves to all: Let the
author or publisher be permitted to
take out in his own country the copy
rights required for other countries,
said author or publisher paying the
librarian the amounts required, and
furnishing copies required, which
would be forwarded by such librarian
to the countries desired, this to Sc
cure tor the author or publisher
the copyrights with the pro-
vision that said work or works
when placed upon the market
in said countries, be produced from
plates made, etc, as the laws respec
lively demand. The time for this to
be limited to from six to twelve
months. This would enable the pub
ii her either to produce the work in
10 eign countries himself or make
euch arrangements with other pub
fishers in said countries as would
perfect his copyright and make 1t
valid. If not produced in such time
the copyright 10 be void. All pub
lisners know what trouble 1t is to
produce and place upon the market
new work, and that in the case OF
many works il is quite an undertak.
ing. BY enabling authors and pu blish-
els 10 gain the necessary time the real
about. AS it Is, the new copyright
law Is q gilt with = string. If the pro-
lection for q period of six OF twelve
months be granted, the countries
themselves would profit by Issuing
hundred copyrig hts, when at present
not five are taken out. Besides. the
poor man of brain and the poor pub
lister, to whose benetitthe law should
apply as we'll as it does to the rich
monopolies, would be done full JUS
rec to. 1t is hoped that these pro
VISIONS will meet the approval of the
present congress"
The above was printed and distri-
buted at his own expense by Mr..
Charles Kuukel, OF st. Louis, editor
and publisher OF Kunkev sMusicalRe
view, one of the foremost musical pub
locations in the world 1t speaks the
truth and verlfies the predictions
made by the editor of this journal in
opposition to the passing OF the Chace
aud Simmons bills AS the law
stands IL has been repudiated by
Canada, notwithstanding the prime
minister OF highlands assurance
that it would be accepted by
me English colonies, otherwise Presi-
dent Harrison would not have signed
the bill. Mr.. Kunkel is q distin-
guished musician and composer, who
has fully realized the impracticabillty
OF the law. The manner in which
his bill was "rail-rosded" through
congress is a blot on the legislation
of the country. Senator John Sher-
man. OF Ohio, was right when he said
the EFFECT of the law was to make
copyright an exclusive monopoly"