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THE MUSIC TRADE
CHANGE FOR BETTER NOTICEABLE
In All Departments of the Music Publishing
Field—August Destined to Make a Good Rec-
ord—A Review of the Business Situation.
REVIEW
ENGLANDS' NEW COPYRIGHT BILL
Now a Law of the Land—Thanks to the Effective Labors of T. P. O'Connor, M. P Full Text
of Bill Herewith—Interesting Chat with Mr. Goodman, of Chappell & Co., London, on
the New Measure, for Which English Publishers Have Been Fighting for Seven Years.
After weeks of dulness a change for the better
One of the last bills enacted into law by the
is noticeable. July was very quiet, according to
general report, but this month has opened up House of Lords of the British Parliament, pre-
with a brighter outlook. This week particularly vious to adjournment Friday last, was that em-
the mails have been heavier, and their specific bodying the musical copyright act, which had
significance of more account, orders from all over already passed the House of Commons. The law
the country being in receipt by the leading pub- went into effect immediately, or, rather, after re-
lishers, perhaps in no astonishing totals, but of ceiving the royal assent; which is given when
sufficient size to indicate an awakening from the the measure receives the approval of the legal
lethargy that has marked the trend of trade for a officers of the crown as to its constitutionality,
comparatively long time. Prices may have been etc. The bill was introduced in the lower branch
squeezed down further, and it seems a new aver- of Parliament by T. P. O'Connor, the popular
age has been created which is not altogether Irish member and well-known writer, newspaper
conducive to the general tone of business. The man, publicist and litterateur, on July 1G. After
current market is doing one of two things— seven years of hard and discouraging labor on
namely, compelling publishers of grit, capital the part of a few prominent music publishers,
and unassailable standing to present a firm front they unexpectedly found their cause, what almost
on sales and hurrying the concerns to the wall seemed a forlorn hope at times, finally receiving
who must realize at any figure or "bust." The the support of Mr. O'Connor, a gentleman whose
sooner the latter happens for the worst offenders motives have always been considered disinterested
in this respect the better it will be for all con- and on the highest plane. His advocacy was
indorsed by Mr. Balfour, late prime minister of
cerned.
the
party recently ousted from the control of the
While business with the publishers is "soff in
many spots, a few houses, with notable catalogues Government; John Redmond, leader of the Irish
and clear-cut connections, speak of the present as party; Keir Hardie, representing labor interests;
being unusually brisk. In fact, one of the best- Sir Alfred Thomas, Enoch Edwards, Messrs.
known concerns in the country declared "last Crombie and Sloan, each at the head of different
Friday was the best day they have had since shades of political opinion. The bill was taken
up by the Government and was acted upon in
being in business"—a period of fifteen years.
Commenting on the situation, the manager of record time, and is now the law of the land. It
is not as comprehensive as the proposed copy-
an influential firm said to The Review Monday:
"Business is opening up quite encouragingly this right bill now before Congress, because it deals
month, our order book this morning presenting a solely with musical works; but it is satisfactory
call for goods from nearly every section of the to the publishers, and is certainly summary
country—not large, but enough to show the trade enough to meet any emergency; for "any consta-
is waking up for a splendid fall season. Prices ble may take into custody without warrant any
are still—well, you know how they have been, person who in any street or public place sells,
and 8 cents is spoken of as the limit. The small, exposes, offers, or has in his possession for sale
turn-me-quick or get-out houses may believe this any such copies" of private musical works. As
figure as the highest attainable, but concerns with was noted exclusively in last week's Review, the
the goods simply hold fast to their stuff for the expressions "printed copies" and "plates" does
regular 12 1 /. cents, unless an introductory price not include perforated music rolls or talking ma-
chine records, this exemption being explained,
is considered."
very thoroughly and clearly, in the appended in-
Mayme Remington added to her act last week
formal interview with B. Goodman, a director of
the ever-popular Remick cowboy song hit, "Chey- Chappell & Co., Ltd., London, Eng., who is now
enne," making a special costumed feature of this in New York on a visit to George Maxwell, their
spirited number. At present she is going the representative in this country, and also manager
round of the Orpheum circuit.
of Boosey & Co.'s American house. The full text
of the new act follows:
Complete vocal score and Separate Numbers of
Section 1. Every person who sells, exposes, offers,
ii
THE ROSE OF THE ALHAMBRA"
Book and Lyrics by CHAS. EMERSON COOK.
MUBIC by LUCIUS HOSMBR.
Featuring the well-known prlma donna,
Mme. LILLIAN BLAUVELT.
Supplementary Songs In the following productions :
EDNA MAY'S New Musical Play,
"THE CATCH OF THE SEASON."
"RAINING"
By Jerome D. Kern
BIIUBEBT BROS.' English Musical Comedy Success,
"THE EARL AND THE GIRL."
"HOW'D YOU LIKE TO SPOON WITH ME."
Max. C. Eugene's hit, "IN ROSELAND" Intermezzo
Published bv
TV B. HARMS CO.
26 West 44th St.
NEW YORK
SPECIAL TO THE TRADE
Any SPECIAL SUMMER OFFERS
that you may have received are only
good to Sept. 1st next, after which
time regular rates will prevail.
BETTER ORDER NOW !
GUS EDWARDS CO.
1512 Broadway,
N. Y. City
41
or lias in his possession for sale, any pirated copies of
any musical work, or has in his possession any plates
for the purpose of printing or reproducing pirated copies
of any musical work, shall (unless he proves he acted
innocently) be guilty of an offense punishable on sum-
mary conviction, and shall be liable to a fine of not
exceeding five pounds, and on a second or subsequent
conviction, to imprisonment with or without hard
labor for a term not exceeding two months, or to a
fine not exceeding ten pounds. Any constable may take
into custody without warrant any person who in any
street or public place sells, exposes, or has in his pos-
session for sale any such copies as aforesaid.
Sec. 2. i l ) If a court of summary jurisdiction is sai-
isfied by information on oath that there is reasonable
ground for suspecting that an offense against this act
is being committed on any premises, the court may
grant a search warrant authorizing the constable
named therein to enter the premises between the hours
six of the clock in the morning and nine of the clock
in the evening, and, if necessary, to use force for mak-
ing such entry, whether by breaking open doors or
otherwise, and to seize any copies of any musical work
or any plates in respect of which he has reasonable
ground for suspecting that an offense against this act
is being committed.
(2) All copies of any musical
work and plates seized under this section shall be
brought before a court of summary jurisdiction, and
if proved to be pirated copies or plates intended to be
used for the printing or reproduction of pirated copies
shall be forfeited and destroyed or otherwise dealt
with as the court think fit.
Sec. 3. In this act the expression "pirated copies"
means any copies of any musical work written, printed
or otherwise reproduced without the consent lawfully
given by the owner of I lie copyright In such imisic:il
work; and Hie expression "plates'" includes any stereo
type or other plates, stones, matrices, transfers or nega-
tives used or intended to ,be use for printing or repro-
ducing conies of any musical work :
Provided, also,
that the expressions "pirated copies" and "plates" shall
not, for the purposes of this act, be deemed to include
perforated music roll.< used for playing mechanical in-
struments ; or records used for the reproduction of
sound waves, or the matrices or other appliances by
which such rolls or records respectively are made.
Sec. 4. This act may be cited as Hit 1 Musical Copy-
right Act, HKM.
E. Goodman, director of Chappell & Co., Ltd.,
London, Eng., when seen by The Review relative
to the foregoing law, said: "Yes, we have been
finally successful in securing the passage of a
copyright act which we feel assured will
strengthen the publishing business and once
again put it on a proper footing. Seven long
years have we worked and waited, as Jacob did
for Rachel, you recollect, for this law which
sounds the death knell of flagrant and flagitious
piracy. All honor is due T. P. O'Connor, the
popular Irish M.P., who espoused our cause so
heartily, knowing how the publishers had been
defrauded of their property in the most shame-
less manner, that his attitude toward the bill at
once drew arounu him the leaders of all factions
in its support. Every night previous to its final
passage by the Lords, the 'old guard' stood watch
and warden in the gallery until ;> o'clock in the
morning listening to the droning speeches of tedi-
ous speakers on the flimsiest and most ridiculous
objections. Then we had to get home on Shank's
mare as best we could. The gentlemen who have
been closely identified with copyright matters for
years and were in attendance upon the closing
sessions of Parliament, included Arthur Boosey,
head of Boosey & Co., and a director of the Music
Publishers' Association; William Boosey, presi-
dent and managing director of Chappell & Co.;
David Day, of Francis, Day & Hunter; H. Percy
Beecher, attorney for the association, and your
humble servant. You will remember that Will-
iam Boosey was the nominal plaintiff in the prose-
cution of the music pirates, the chief of whom
we convicted, sent to prison and established a
new precedent in the enforcement of the criminal
law for conspiracy, no small feat in England,
where loyal proceedings are governed by ultra
NOTICE TO THE TRADE
ON AND AFTER
Julv ist, igo6, all the Francis, Day er" Hunt r
publications previously handled by The T. B. Harms
Publishing Co. must be ordered direct from us.
The F., D. & H. Catalogue includes all
the music from
•• FLORODORA *'
"THE SILVER SLIPPER"
"THE SCHOOL. GIRL"
etc.. etc., etc., etc., etc.
Francis, Day & Hunter,
LOOK!
HAPPY HOME
IS THE MOST TALKED OF
MARCH T W O - S T E P .
Do you play it?
JEROME H. REMICK & CO.
45 West 28tti Street,
New York