The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-05-04
Local Musicians Protest Against Loss to Com
posers Through PiratiC Harmony Gamers
By Waiter Anthony

OCAL composers and musicians
have taken a hand in the light
now going on in Washington
and will lend valuable assistance
in securing the passage OF the Kit
tredge bill. This piece Of proposed leg
islation provides that composers OF
music which is recorded in rolls and
other reproducing devices shall receive
a royalty from the sale OF such records
just the same as from the sale Of the
printed music stamped copyrighted
This subject has been referred to
briefly in these columns before. 1t
has been shown that at present COM
posers are suffering deep injustice
and great financial loss through the
unwarranted use OF their compositions
by manufacturers of music rolls and
records for photograph and like ma
chimes. Such use brings absolutely no
gain to the maker Of the music nor 10
the publishers OF the printed notes
from which the records and rolls are
made Moreover the quick spread OF
the music lessons usually its life AID
because OF frequent repetitions By
canned music machines the work
soon becomes stale and the sale OF the
printed pages, from which alone at
present the composer receives royal
". is. thus curtailed in point Of guam
tify and duration
The widespread popularity OF phono-
graphs. mechanical pianos. organs and
other sound reproducing instruments
not requiring printed music. but rolls
or records. can have no other result
than to advance the cause OF good
music. The wedding out process viii
be quicker and the unworthy. cheap or
trashy IN music will find its level in
neglect sooner. The process Of the Sc
lection Of the fittest 10 survive Will not
take so long because even the sturdfest
lover OF coon" and so called popular
trash can only endure his -favorire" so
many times Sooner or later he viii
sieken OF its triteness and the oftener
he hears IL the sooner that will be.
Meantime the spread OF really good
music through the mechanical instru-
ments is increasing and with the best"
familiarity breeds not contempt but
appreciation
But meantime the men whose brains.
training. experience and sometimes ge-
MUS have created the music are en-
titled 10 share IN the profits accruing
from the sale OF their product. whether
the medium between the composer and
the public be an engraved or printed
page or a perforated roll to be slipped
into piano player or a photograph
record TO be whirled behind a mega
phone.
A manufacturer of one of these rec
'ords" has only to buy one copy OF
piece OF copyrighted music. This will
cost him about 25 cents From this he
makes. say. 1e,e00 records. which he
thereupon puts on the market and sells
without rendering TO the holders OF the
copyright even the compliments of the
season or a smile. The creator and
printer have only the popularity OF the
com position to console themselves with
and the doubtful privilege of hearing il
ground out on all kinds and conditions
OF machines
The Kfttredge bill provides that
royalty shall be paid to the owners OF
the copyright on all records and rolls
that are sold, just the same as the pres
ent law provides for a royalty TO be
paid on the sale of a printed sheet.
Sousa Victor Herbert. Reginald de
Koven and several other popular and
leading composers are or have been in
washington working for the passage OF
the Dill, ana publishing concerns COIL
posers and actors clubs. like the
Lambs and other organizations are
backing the fight to win.
The following resolutions We're pro-
posed last week at meeting OF the
Musicians club in this city By Dr. H. J.
Stewart and were adopted by that body:
Whereas Il is-sbe practice OF manufacturers
Of talking machines. monographs, mechanical
pianos and organs and mechanical musical in
struments Of all kinds to sell aud make %
copyright music b. reproducing such properly
protected compositions their records without
compensation 20 the owners OF said copyrights.
thereby practically aboshing the protection
which composers and publishers OF music are
presumed 70 enjoy by virtue Of the law OF copy
right: and
Where's. the aforesaid composers and publish
ers hare ALREADY suffered serious loss and injury
on account Of these unauthorized reproductions Of
their copyrights by manufacturers Of mechanical
musical instruments. and such loss and Injury
still continues. with prospect Of relief BY reg
uiar process of law; be 1t
Resolved. that the Musicians club OF San
Francisco, in regular meeting assembled. hereby