Instead of buying the music, we find that for economy the church has been persuaded to hire or to borrow copies that have been used elsewhere. Imagine the large and well-dressed audience assembled on the night of the performance. Listen to the delicate arias, the grand choruses, the pealing organ, and notice the swelling enthusiasm of the people during some of the climaxes. Picture this brilliant and enjoyable scene, but let us also not forget the one man whose brain and heart created this music and made the entertainment possible. The pittance of $1.80 which he would receive is all too small; but such as it is, it should not be taken from him. When copies of the music are rented or borrowed and not bought, all the composer gets is glory and applause. Now, glory is all well enough, and applause to most men is sweet. But we wish to say to you, gentlemen, that glory alone will not put a coat on that man's back; it will not help him to protect his wife; nor will glory alone clothe and feed his children. Furthermore, and in closing, in giving the above supposed entertainment a fair admission price has been charged, or in lieu of a fixed admission the plate has been passed; and few of us would care to listen to the music and neglect the opportunity to contribute. So that we may say that there is practically no such thing as performances of this kind without a revenue. In giving such an entertainment everything else is paid for. The light and heat are paid for, programmes are paid for, parties from whom the books are rented are paid, the organist--even the sexton is paid--but not the composer. We, the signers of this paper, do not believe that American churches are so poor, or American societies ever so needy as to make this injustice necessary; and it is hoped that your committee in protecting the American people will also at the same time not forget fair play toward the American composer. VICTOR HERBERT, _Composer_. REGINALD DEKOVEN, _Composer_. BRONSON HOWARD, _Author and Playwright_. HARRY ROWE SHELLEY, _Composer and Organist_. _Constitution and by-laws of the Music Publishers' Association of the United States._ CONSTITUTION. ARTICLE I. This organization shall be known as the Music Publishers' Association of the United States, and shall have for its object the uniting of the music publishers of the United States for their own interest and the general welfare of the music trade. ART. II. The officers of this association shall consist of a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer, and an executive committee consisting of five members, who shall be elected at each annual meeting, to serve one year from the date of their election, or until their successors are elected; and the president and secretary shall be members of the executive committee ex officio.