Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-12-27

Sion acts which assure pension 10
every man who served in the Union
army during Tue ti.lI war, and VINO
wns honorabiA discharged when ne
shall have reached the age OF O.. Tn
der this new law thousands OF soi-
diers, FOR whom special acts were in-
troduccd last year have been pension.
ed. Yet nearly evory one OF those bills
has been rciutroduced In this Congress.
They win he printed. of course. ana
viii serve to still further longest the
space devoted 10 the storage OF print
ed matter Ia the capitol. Thousands
of dollars are wasted In this manner
during each session of Congress ana
from the present indications the RECORD
for useless extravaganza viii be beat
en- during the present session. The
cost OF the useless printing VIII prob
ably reach 100000 at least and no
possible benefit can come 20 anyone
az a result.
THE COPYRIGHT BILL.
or an legislation pending before Com
gross the bin attracting probably the
most attention is the copyright BILL
introduced in the house by Mr. Currlcr
and IN the senate by Mr.. smoot These
TWO bills are practically Identical cN-
ccpt that the senate bill is a little more
explicit with reference TO the use Of
mechanical or automatic musical in-
struments. This element OF the ques-
tion has been the subject of the strong
est possible fight Last winter the COM
mittees held joint hearings In the Con-
cressional library. These hearings at
tracted great interest and speedily de-
veloped into struggle for supremacy
between the music composers ana pub
fishers on the one side and the manu-
facurers OF musical Instruments on the
other. Specialists from all over the
country were brought here by both
sides aud the array Of legal talent was
very able and brilliant The manufac-
turers seem I. have won. Both of the
pending bill9~ expressly eliminate the
perforated paper roll and similar me-
chanical devices from the realm OF
copyright
Among those who addressed the COM
mittces were Mark Twain. Thomas Nell
son Page. Edward Everett Hale. Joaquin
Miller John Philip Sousa. Reginald de
koven, Victor Herbert, and many 9TH
crs equally well known 10 fame. The
legal aspects were discussed by Nathan
Burkan of New York. in behalf OF the
composers. The opposing interests
were represented by Prof Walker and
John j. O'Connell Of New York and by
Mn George W. Pound OF Buffalo. II
was the contention OF these latter gem
tlcmcn that the interests OF their clients
Moul4 Do seriously threatened Dy tho
passage Of the bill. as first proposed.
because of the charge. aC made by them
ana vchemently denied by the opposing
counsel, that the Aeolian company of
Now York. a -milliOn-dollar corpora
ton, was apparently behind the entire
agitation and had boo advance secured
contracts with AN the leading publish
crs In the United states reserving 20
itself the exclusive and sole right 10
use all copyrighted music on all me-
chanical instruments such as piano
players, self-playing pianos, phono-
graphs, etc. These contracts ran for
periods from 80 % IS years This would
mean the practical confiscation of the
business Of the manufacturers.
This situation was finally established
by Mr.. Pound. who obtained one 81
these original contracts and in his argu-
ment before the committee in closing
iu behalf Of the manufacturers pro-
luced and submitted Il In evidence
There never was much doubt after
that as to the final isue. Mr.. Pound
had won the great fight