Mr. CURRIER. That was a perfectly satisfactory provision.
Mr. OLIN. That was a perfectly satisfactory provision, both to the copyright owner and to the typesetter; but then the general public were heard, and they said "no;" an English edition may be better than an American edition, for one reason or another, and you must not deprive us of the privilege of getting the best books. Libraries were heard, and individuals were heard. And Congress then hit upon this expedient, which was very simple and on the whole has been very effectual. Congress said:
But this prohibition shall not apply in the cases mentioned in certain specified sections referred to of the tariff act.
The sections of the tariff act referred to enumerated a certain number of classes which Congress had thought were worthy of benefit from the Government to the extent of allowing them to import books in limited numbers free from duty. So there was ready-made for the hands of Congress a certain list of people who import books who might be allowed to benefit at the expense of the copyright proprietor, just as they had been theretofore benefited at the expense of the customs. That is the law as it stands to-day.
Then Congress added this further provision, that any individual also shall be allowed to import not exceeding two copies in one invoice on payment of the duty thereon, for use, and not for sale.
Like every other provision of a law after it has been duly tested by use, it is fair to bring it before the legislature again and to call attention to its results, and that is especially true where the provision of law was necessarily adopted with haste and was obviously a mere expedient for arriving at a wished-for result. And when this conference convened the publishers said: "To some extent this section has worked badly in certain ways," which I shall now point out. The librarians in libraries and the colleges have generally availed themselves of this privilege, being coupled with the privilege to import without the payment of duty, and have imported copyrighted books in those ways in large numbers. How far individuals have availed themselves of their privilege it is impossible, or at all events would be difficult, to tell; probably not to any great extent. The number of men who care so much for an English edition of a book that they are willing to write for it to a London bookseller and import it themselves is not very large.