Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-08
THE COPYRIGHT BILL
Hearing by Joint Congressional
Commission.
Mr.. HEDGELAND'S CHARGES
Declares Measure Will Result in a
Monopoly.
REPRODUCTION OF MUSIC
Mark Twain Brings to Close With
Laughter Day of Argu-

The hearing of the congressional joint
commission in charge of the proposed
copyright bill. held at the Library of Con-
gress yesterday was opened in very breezy
manner by Mr.. Frederick w. Hedgeland of
Chicago, an inventor of musical instru-
ments. who claimed that there has been
some talk of manipulation in the framing
of the proposed copyright bill by which it
had been dominated by the influence of the
American Publishers Association. He claim
ed this influence had been exerted in be-
half of the provision now in the bill for
copyrighting reproductions of songs and
other music by the photograph other
methods. He asserted that the Aeoleon
Company of New York had already brought
up the right to such reproductions in sew
eral instances, their contracts to go into
effect as soon as this bill becomes a law.
BY that method. he declared. monopoly
would be thrust upon the country.
The joint meeting of the Senate and
House committee was presided over by
Senator Kittredge of the Senate commit
tee and Representative Currier of the House
committee There was a large attendance
of members of these committees, as well as
of publishers. artists. authors and repre-
sentatives of every class of people VINO
are in any manner affected by the pro-
posed copyright legislation.
Mr.. Hedgeland's Testimony.
Mr.. Hedgeland's testimony was the CHIEF
feature of the morning. He said that he
had been given permission by the librarian
of Congress to go over the correspondence
and files at the library relating to copyright
legislation and he had discovered no letter
of any composer asking for the protection
of his composition that might be rendered
by any mechanical device such as the
monograph. He had deduced from the
Information gathered in this investigation
that this demand for legislation did not
proceed from composers. but came from
the Aeoleon Company. through the Musical
Publishers Association, the AeoleGn Com
pany wishing to monopoliZe the reproduce
ton of popular music
Mr.. Hedgeland went into this matter with
considerable detail, and the inference was
drawn from his remarks that there had been
some sort of a conspiracy entered INTO by
which a monopoly was to be established to
the detriment of competing firms. In reply
to questions, he said he had no complaint
to make of the lack of opportunity TO be
heard after the congressional committee
took it up but he did complain of the treat
ment that had been given the matter in its
earlier stages which led up to the framing
of the bill now before the committee.
"Of course remarked Representative
Currer, 'you know that no members of
about the bill until it was recently laid be-
fore them
Mr.. Hedgeland said that the contract for
the cont; OI of these musical productions had
been ma Re to cover thirty-five years be-
tween the Publishers Musical Association
and the Aeoleon Company of New York
city, by which exclusive rights were given
MI. Putnam's Statement.
AS soon Mr.. Hedgeland took his seat
Mr.. Herbert Putnam, librarian of Con-
gress, arose and commented at some length
upon the charge of unfairness that had
been made. Mr.. Putnam, in humorous
manner, proceeded to state that he himself
could recall dozens of instances of things
that had occurred since the framing of this
bill was begun to indicate that a conspiracy
of some kind existed. He went on to say
that this same matter had been fully set
forth by Mr.. Hedgeland in a communica-
ton which he had sent to the President of
the United States and also to the Musical
Age. Mr. Putnam said that he had replied
to Mr. Hedgeland's communication to the
President, but that he had taken no notice
of the periodical publication
when we began to frame copyright
BILL said Mr.. Putnam, zone thing was
sure the moment we took it up, and that
was that we should suffer loss Of credit
as the result of the conflicting opinions in
volved in the framing of such measure.
The bill permits legal monopoles, and
monopolies are not popular now. Interests
authors, publishers. artists, etc. are OPP
posed to this bill and will criticise On
the other hand, those who receive favors
will not be filled with enthusiasm because
they may not get all they desired
Mr. Hengeland will include in his testf-
mopy detailed statement concerning va
rious events which he looks upon as sus-
picious and as indicating some sort of con-
spfracy to secure a monopoly of the repro
duction of popular music by mechanical
process actually existing.
One of the interested spectators who
desires to have such protection was Mr..
John Philip Sousa
Mr.. Charles E. Burton Of Chicago. a man
ufucturer of musical Instruments. explained
various details of the amendment he pro-
poses to the bill.
London Prejudice.
Mr. George W. Ogilvie said that England
Is filled with pirates. who publish Ameri-
can books without placing the American
copyright on them and ship them back to
this country for sale. This publication,
when complete, made from type set in
America. he said was legal He asserted
that this omission of the American copy
right was in the interest of prejudice
against American books.
''The prejudice in London" said Mr. Ogil-
vie, is so strong that when l was In bust
ness there as a publisher l had to hire an
Englishman to look after my front Office, be-
cause of my American pronunciation
Mr.. Johnson, representing the Harpers.
remarked laughingly that he did not regard
Mr. Ogilvie's deductions sound. He said
the American copyright mark was left off
the books simply because 1t was not Gus
tomary in England to put such marks on
their books. He said some of the Harper
publications that had been reprinted in Lon
don We're without the American copyright
mark simply because of this English custom
OF not putting on such things.
Mark Twain's Argument.
Samuel l.. Clemens mark Twain brought
to a close with laughter a day of argu-
mentatve strife over the terms of the
copyright bill. He followed brief state
ment by Rev. Edward Everett Hale, chap
lain of the Senate. Mr.. Clemens COM
mented on the impossibility of understand
ing the legal phraseology of the copyright
bill and said he allowed all credit to 1.-The
trained legislators" who were wrestling