Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 March 1891 — McKinleyism Gone Mad. [ARTICLE]

McKinleyism Gone Mad.

Thc copyright law recently enacted by Congress contains one piece of protectionism much qaore crazy than anything in the McKinley tariff law. The latter measure allows the importation of English books not more than twenty years old, upon payment of a duty of 25 per cent.; but the copyright act thkes away the privilege of importation altogether, except that any person may import one or two copies of a book for his own use. Importation for purposes of sale is obsolutely prohibited in the case of all books print d in the English language less than twenty years old, and copyrighted in the United States. Even so extreme a protectionist as Senator John Sherman opposed this piece Chinese protectionism. He offered an amendment permitting the importation of books upon the payment of the duty just as is the case with all other articles; and this amendment was passed by the Senate. The McKinleyiteS of the House, however, refused to accept the Sherman amendment, and the Senate had to back down, Senator Sherman voting against the whole bill by reason of the failnrc of his very sensible amendment. And thus it goes forth to a wondering world that the only things which our McKinleyites absolutely' - shut out from the channels of trade in this country are obscene books and pictures, drugs to produce abortion, and—tell it not in Gath!—all English books not more than twenty years old! Now let the Chinese become civilized and shut out American books. Let the Hottentots catch the inspiration of our example and prohibit the flood of pauper-made Bibles!