Music Trade Review
Issue: 1896 Vol. 22 N. 8 - Page 4
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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
LVMAN BILL
Editor and Proprietor.
PUBLISHED
EVERY
SATURDAY
3 East 14th St., New York
SUBSCRIPTION (including- postage) United States and
Canada, $3-00 per year; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
Insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts . special dis-
count is allowed.
REMITTANCES, In other than currency f01122, ebould
0* made payable to Edward Lyinan Bill.
hnttred at tht New York Post Office as Second Cla ,s Matter.
NEW YORK, riARCH i4, 1896
"THE BUSINESS MAN'S PAPER."
HE bill which was recently introduced
by Representative Treloar to revise
the copyright law, and referred to in the
editorial and news columns of the issue of
T
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW of Feb.
22d,
has
excited considerable interest in music and
book publishing circles throughout the
country.
There is an almost unanimous feeling
that the introductory sections relating to
the creation of a Commissioner of Copy-
rights and a better government of the de-
partment is not only desirable, but very
necessary. Everyone will agree that the
sooner the mismanagement which has been
rife during the Spofford regime is done
away with, the sooner will the community
have faith in the proper conduct of this im-
portant department of the Government.
Section 13 has provoked considerable
criticism from the representatives of Ameri-
can authors who contend that the bill ren-
ders it uncertain whether the work of a
foreigner can be copyrighted otherwise
than through the assignment of his inter-
est to a citizen of the United States, and
that its effect would be to bring about a re-
vocation of the copyright relations entered
into under the act of 1891 with foreign
governments.
In this connection a delegation repre-
senting the interests of authors, photogra-
phers and publishers appeared before the
House Committee on Patents Thursday of
last week, when resolutions were presented
to the above effect. A protest was also
presented from the American Publishers'
Copyright League, principally against that
feature of the bill stipulating that musical
compositions and reproductions of works of
art in the form of engravings, etc., must
be manufactured wholly in the United
States to be copyrighted.
The Treloar bill, as we mentioned some
weeks ago, has many good points, but
many more are open to criticism. It is
hard to come across music publishers or
others unanimous in their views of the bill,
and no doubt suitable action will be taken
by those interested so that the matter will
be intelligently discussed at the formal
hearing which will take place on March
18 th.
We understand that the Music Publish-
ers' Association of the United States are
responsible for the introduction of this bill,
and Representative Treloar being himself
a music publisher, is no doubt thoroughly
acquainted with the necessity for its enact-
ment. The bill is framed for an honest
purpose, to protect the interests of Ameri-
can publishers, to prevent piracy and to in-
sure better business methods in the copy-
right department. In this respect it is
worthy of all praise. In the meantime the
legislation already enacted anent the copy-
right question has been only obtained after
long continued effort, and any change pro-
posed to be effected should be widely dis-
cussed, and if a law is enacted it should be
clean cut, definite and unambiguous. The
great fault which has been found with
copyright bills so far, is that they have
served to enrich the lawyers and enabled
the Librarian of Congress to do as he
pleased.
touch with the progress of our friends in
the West. Speaking of this matter, the
Journal says editorially:
"New York should not allow Chicago to
steal or cajole Southern trade. That
Chicago is trying to do both with assurance
thoroughly characteristic is apparent to
every well informed merchant in New
York, and although the wiles of the giddy
young charmer will not be successful, she
is none the less confident and energetic in
the use of them. The facilities and advan-
tages of New York for the exchange of
Southern products for the merchandise of
the world, including that which is first
marketed at Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston,
New Orleans, San Francisco, Louisville,
St. Louis and all other cities, are unparal-
leled and unlimited. Of course, Chicago
is compelled to 'hustle' to overcome the
difficulties under which she labors in com-
petition with New York, and she is hustling.
"Her first play for Southern trade was a
banana train from Mobile. Next she put
up a monument to the Confederate dead.
During the Atlanta Exposition Chicago
promoted its success in many ways. The
papers published Exposition extras, and
ran special trains to carry them. Chicago
provided a fine exhibit, and on Chicago
Day there was a great crowd, while on
New York Day there was a small one. The
railways have put on fast trains between
Chicago and Atlanta, and finally, Chicago
is proposing to hold a Cotton Exposition.
"Admitting that all these allurements
are necessary, and that even then Chicago
is not able to counterbalance the great
natural and commercial advantages of this
world market, it behooves New Yorkers not
to rest supinely, while, with her busy and
bustling ways, Chicago creates the false
impression that because she is queen of the
lakes she is a rival of the queen of this
hemisphere."
#
#
At this time, when a certain amount of
unrest prevails in business circles through-
out the country, it is highly questionable
for a trade paper to go out of its way to un-
duly exaggerate the condition of things.
#
#
We fail to see the sense of giving cre-
Chicago's activity in looking up South- dence to or publishing the abundance of
ern trade has evidently resulted in sorao "small talk" which has been rife in trade
little concern in this city. During the circles for the past month. It is simply
past two weeks the papers have been an epidemic of distrust which has been
devoting quite some space to the mat- virulently contagious, and when we come
ter, but for some reason or other, these to analyze its source we find it is not
articles have been more noticeable for fa- an honest one.
cetiousness than argument. They may
While this "small talk," which has dealt
have an effect meanwhile in "waking up" free])' with the names and reputations of
New Yorkers to the fact that they must be houses great and small, might obtain with
"up and doing" if they wish to keep in some, yet it should be the duty of a music
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
LVMAN BILL
Editor and Proprietor.
PUBLISHED
EVERY
SATURDAY
3 East 14th St., New York
SUBSCRIPTION (including- postage) United States and
Canada, $3-00 per year; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
Insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts . special dis-
count is allowed.
REMITTANCES, In other than currency f01122, ebould
0* made payable to Edward Lyinan Bill.
hnttred at tht New York Post Office as Second Cla ,s Matter.
NEW YORK, riARCH i4, 1896
"THE BUSINESS MAN'S PAPER."
HE bill which was recently introduced
by Representative Treloar to revise
the copyright law, and referred to in the
editorial and news columns of the issue of
T
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW of Feb.
22d,
has
excited considerable interest in music and
book publishing circles throughout the
country.
There is an almost unanimous feeling
that the introductory sections relating to
the creation of a Commissioner of Copy-
rights and a better government of the de-
partment is not only desirable, but very
necessary. Everyone will agree that the
sooner the mismanagement which has been
rife during the Spofford regime is done
away with, the sooner will the community
have faith in the proper conduct of this im-
portant department of the Government.
Section 13 has provoked considerable
criticism from the representatives of Ameri-
can authors who contend that the bill ren-
ders it uncertain whether the work of a
foreigner can be copyrighted otherwise
than through the assignment of his inter-
est to a citizen of the United States, and
that its effect would be to bring about a re-
vocation of the copyright relations entered
into under the act of 1891 with foreign
governments.
In this connection a delegation repre-
senting the interests of authors, photogra-
phers and publishers appeared before the
House Committee on Patents Thursday of
last week, when resolutions were presented
to the above effect. A protest was also
presented from the American Publishers'
Copyright League, principally against that
feature of the bill stipulating that musical
compositions and reproductions of works of
art in the form of engravings, etc., must
be manufactured wholly in the United
States to be copyrighted.
The Treloar bill, as we mentioned some
weeks ago, has many good points, but
many more are open to criticism. It is
hard to come across music publishers or
others unanimous in their views of the bill,
and no doubt suitable action will be taken
by those interested so that the matter will
be intelligently discussed at the formal
hearing which will take place on March
18 th.
We understand that the Music Publish-
ers' Association of the United States are
responsible for the introduction of this bill,
and Representative Treloar being himself
a music publisher, is no doubt thoroughly
acquainted with the necessity for its enact-
ment. The bill is framed for an honest
purpose, to protect the interests of Ameri-
can publishers, to prevent piracy and to in-
sure better business methods in the copy-
right department. In this respect it is
worthy of all praise. In the meantime the
legislation already enacted anent the copy-
right question has been only obtained after
long continued effort, and any change pro-
posed to be effected should be widely dis-
cussed, and if a law is enacted it should be
clean cut, definite and unambiguous. The
great fault which has been found with
copyright bills so far, is that they have
served to enrich the lawyers and enabled
the Librarian of Congress to do as he
pleased.
touch with the progress of our friends in
the West. Speaking of this matter, the
Journal says editorially:
"New York should not allow Chicago to
steal or cajole Southern trade. That
Chicago is trying to do both with assurance
thoroughly characteristic is apparent to
every well informed merchant in New
York, and although the wiles of the giddy
young charmer will not be successful, she
is none the less confident and energetic in
the use of them. The facilities and advan-
tages of New York for the exchange of
Southern products for the merchandise of
the world, including that which is first
marketed at Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston,
New Orleans, San Francisco, Louisville,
St. Louis and all other cities, are unparal-
leled and unlimited. Of course, Chicago
is compelled to 'hustle' to overcome the
difficulties under which she labors in com-
petition with New York, and she is hustling.
"Her first play for Southern trade was a
banana train from Mobile. Next she put
up a monument to the Confederate dead.
During the Atlanta Exposition Chicago
promoted its success in many ways. The
papers published Exposition extras, and
ran special trains to carry them. Chicago
provided a fine exhibit, and on Chicago
Day there was a great crowd, while on
New York Day there was a small one. The
railways have put on fast trains between
Chicago and Atlanta, and finally, Chicago
is proposing to hold a Cotton Exposition.
"Admitting that all these allurements
are necessary, and that even then Chicago
is not able to counterbalance the great
natural and commercial advantages of this
world market, it behooves New Yorkers not
to rest supinely, while, with her busy and
bustling ways, Chicago creates the false
impression that because she is queen of the
lakes she is a rival of the queen of this
hemisphere."
#
#
At this time, when a certain amount of
unrest prevails in business circles through-
out the country, it is highly questionable
for a trade paper to go out of its way to un-
duly exaggerate the condition of things.
#
#
We fail to see the sense of giving cre-
Chicago's activity in looking up South- dence to or publishing the abundance of
ern trade has evidently resulted in sorao "small talk" which has been rife in trade
little concern in this city. During the circles for the past month. It is simply
past two weeks the papers have been an epidemic of distrust which has been
devoting quite some space to the mat- virulently contagious, and when we come
ter, but for some reason or other, these to analyze its source we find it is not
articles have been more noticeable for fa- an honest one.
cetiousness than argument. They may
While this "small talk," which has dealt
have an effect meanwhile in "waking up" free])' with the names and reputations of
New Yorkers to the fact that they must be houses great and small, might obtain with
"up and doing" if they wish to keep in some, yet it should be the duty of a music
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