2. The act of March 3, 1891, introduced an additional prohibition of importation, namely, of copies of authorized editions of foreign copyrighted books, or of authorized foreign reprints of American copyright books, unless printed from type set within the limits of the United States or from plates made therefrom. To this prohibition of importation certain exceptions were enacted in favor of private book buyers, educational institutions, and libraries; and some paragraphs of the free list of the act of October 1, 1890 (permitting importation without the payment of duty) were taken over into the copyright law to insure that the articles named in these paragraphs should be included in the exceptions to the prohibition of importation of copies of authorized editions of books. It was not supposed that Congress intended that these exceptions to the prohibition of importation should apply to unauthorized editions, but upon the matter being submitted to the Department of Justice an opinion was filed by the Solicitor-General ruling that the exceptions did extend to unauthorized reproductions of American books. (See Opinion of Holmes Conrad, April 19, 1895; Synopsis of Treasury Decisions for 1895, pp. 495-498.) 3. In the provisions of the new bill dealing with importation a careful distinction has been maintained between unauthorized (fraudulent) copies and copies of authorized editions not printed from type set within the limits of the United States. In the case of all unauthorized reprints of books the prohibition of importation is absolute, and any such copies introduced into the United States are subject to seizure, forfeiture, and destruction. (See sections 26 to 29 of the bill.) In the case of copies of authorized editions not set in the United States, such copies if imported are seized and exported, but not destroyed. (See copyright bill, sec. 31.) All exceptions, therefore, to the prohibition of importation of authorized editions in the bill concern only authorized copies, and there is no permission in favor of any one to import any unauthorized, pirated copies. Very respectfully, yours, THORVALD SOLBERG, _Register of Copyrights_. Hon. FRANK D. CURRIER, _Chairman House Committee on Patents, House of Representatives_. The CHAIRMAN. It seems that a Mr. Davis, who represents some manufacturers of musical devices, does not understand that he is to have any part of the hour assigned to the gentlemen mentioned yesterday. Is Mr. Davis here? Mr. PUTNAM. I think Mr. Davis has not yet come in.