Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-09-29
COPYRIGHT LAW
NOW IN FORCE
MORE REVENUE is RECEIVED BY
THE GOVERNMENT.
REQUIREMENT OF PRELIMh AIRY
APPLICATION BEFORE PUBL.
CATION.

The Washington correspondent or
the Chicago Evening Post has the fol-
lowing interesting review of he oper-
alton Of the new copyright law passed
by the last session of congress ana
approved by the president March 4,
1903. It has been in effect since july
last and appears to be working
smoothly, although some publishers
and authors have not yet become ia
miiiar with its provisions, and are
fling applications for copyrights as
required under the old law.
Under the law enacted in 1874 to
secure a copyright on any publica-
ton, Photograph, musical composition
or work Of art it was first necessary
to file with he register Of copyrights
an application setting forth the title
of the proposed publication, the right
under which the copyright was claim
ed, such as author, publisher or own
err; citizenship, and where the pro
posed work was to be printed.
The fee for this filing was SO cents.
If a certificate was desired an addi-
tionai fee of 50 cents was required.
This did not protect the copyright
To do that il was necessary to depos-
it with the register Of copyrights two
complete copies of the best edition
OF the work before same should be
offered TO the public, and every copy
issued was required to have on some
part Of it notice to the public that
The work had been copyrighted. Civ
big the name Of the owner of the
opyrigh- and the year when granted.
Radical Change in Regulation.
Unless all these conditions We're
complied with the copyright WIS of
no effect Under the new Law these
requirements have been materially
changed.
Now it is not necessary to file a
formal application in advance. The
author or publisher issues his work,
having printed somewhere on 1t the
statement that it had been copyright
ed, promptly files two complete cop
les of the, best edition of the work
with the registei and pays a fee Of
one dollar, except in case of photo
graphs, where no certificate is de-
sired, the fee is so cents.
In the case of boohs or periodicals
the deposit copies mus. be accom-.
panied by an affidavit that the books
or periodicals have been printed from
type set within the limits of TIE Unit
ed States, with the place where n
such printing and binding v as done.
The notice of copyright must give
the name of the proprietor with the
year. On certain articles, instead OF
using the word copyrighted" It is
permissible 10 use the single letter
Q, surrounded by circle, together
With the initials or monogram of the
proprietor
To print just the word "copyr sit
ed" is not sufficient to protect against
infringement.
Warning, Then Fine of $to0.
If the party seeking the protection
of the copyright law fails or neglects
to deposit the copies required by the
law, together with the fee of one dor
lar, promptly after publication, the
register IS to make demand on him.
If he still neglects he is liable to
fine ri 800 and to pay the librarian
of congress double the retail price
of the best edition of his publica ion,
and his copyright becomes void.
It is too early to determine wheth-
er the change in fees will operate
against the treasury or not, but the
ind cations are it will result in quite
an increase. For instance, all the
50-ceht fees, except for photographs,
where no certificate is desired, have
been lone away with. Under the old
law foreign copyrights were required
to pay $50. Now all fees are one
dollar
Under the old law about 10000 fees
OF $3.50 were paid annually. AS
against this there were about 100000
which paid only so cents. Under this
law the so cents is doubled, which
will much more than make good the
loss caused ny reducing the foreign
fee TO one dollar.
During the fiscal year of 190S-9