(_a_) There will easily arise wide and honest difference of opinion as to whether two given perforated rolls are infringements, one of the other, and even whether a given perforated roll is an infringement of a particular musical composition (if the bill should be retained in such form as to make the original copyright apply to perforated rolls). It is well known that controversies are constantly arising upon the question of infringement as between two staff notations, the second author often claiming and frequently establishing, contrary to the belief of the first, that his composition was an independent one, both having derived their theme from sources in the public domain. A perforated roll presenting a composition only so similar to a public and copyrighted composition as to raise a question of infringement if it were a staff notation, instead of a perforated roll, will raise the same question as a perforated roll. The copyright owner will reap an advantage, it may be, of 10 per cent, upon the selling price of the sheet music, let us say 15 to 25 cents for every copy sold. He will reap a profit of $10 as a minimum upon every copy which he can find in the possession of the alleged infringer, his agents, or employees. Is there any doubt which remedy he will elect? Is there any doubt that he will await his opportunity for finding a large stock in the hands of the alleged infringer? Is there any doubt that a statute so framed would offer almost irresistible inducement to blackmail, which might be perpetrated under such circumstances? The extravagant injustice of the provisions for impounding the "goods alleged to infringe" upon the commencement of a suit and for delivering up for destruction all copies, as well as all plates, molds, matrices, and other means for making infringing copies, have been well discussed by Mr. Walker. It is not deemed conceivable that your committee will seriously entertain such obviously oppressive legislation. On what possible pretense of equity or justice may a complainant, who thinks that his copyright has been infringed, upon that mere allegation lock up his competitor's stock of goods, while he on his part monopolizes the market during the pendency of a long litigation to determine the justice of that which may have been only a colorable charge at the start?