MARK TWAIN ON COPYRIGHT LAW.
The editor of the Boston Musical Record few weeks ago wrote Mr. Samuel L. Clemens for his opinion on an international copyright law, and this was the reply: "I am 47 years old, and therefore shall not live long enough to see international copyright established; neither will my children live long enough; yet, for the sake of my (possible) remote descendants, I feel a languid interest in the subject. Yes - to answer your question squarely - I am in favor of an international copyright law. So was my great grandfather - it was in 1847 that he made his struggle in this great work - and it is my hope and prayer that as long as my stock shall last the transmitted voice of that old man will still go ringing down the centuries, stirring the international heart in the interest of the eternal cause for which he struggled and died. I favor the treaty which was proposed four or five years ago and is still being considered by our State department. I also favor engraving it on brass. It is on paper now. There is no lasting quality about paper."
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