GENTLEMEN: Referring to the proposed bill to amend and consolidate the acts respecting copyright, now before the committee, I would propose the following amendments: Amend section 3 (p. 3, line 8) by adding continuously at the end of said section the following: "_And provided_, That no devices, contrivances, or appliances, or dies, or matrices for making the same, such as referred to in clause (g), section 1, made prior to the date this act shall go into effect, shall be subject to any subsisting copyright." Amend section 5 (p. 4, lines 2 to 3) by adding, between lines 2 and 3, before the word "photographs," the following: "(j) talking-machine records." Amend section 18, clause (b) (p. 14, line 14), by adding, between the word "composition" and the word "any," the words "any talking-machine record;" Amend section 23 by striking out from the clause marked "First" (p. 17, lines 18 to 20) the following: "or any device especially adapted to reproduce to the ear any copyrighted work." Amend section 23 by inserting in the clause marked "Fourth" (p. 18, line 4), between the words "of" and "all," the following: "any device, contrivance, or appliance mentioned in section 1, clause (g) and". Hoping that these proposed amendments will meet with the approval of the committee, I remain, Yours, very respectfully, HORACE PETTIT, _For Victor Talking Machine Company_. JOS. W. STERN & CO., MUSIC PUBLISHERS, _New York, June 5, 1906_. Dr. D. P. LEWANDOWSKI, _Care of Raleigh Hotel, Washington, D.C._ MY DEAR DOCTOR: We herewith authorize you to represent us and speak in favor of the copyright bill at the meeting of the committee. Honorable Senator Kittredge, or any other honorable gentleman who will do anything to further the passage of this bill, will earn our everlasting gratitude and will be working for the advancement of an industry which has been sorely oppressed by piracy and injustice. There is an excellent opportunity now to show fair play to a body of citizens who have been working at a disadvantage and fighting for years for their just rights and for proper and adequate protection from the Government. With best wishes, we remain, Yours, very sincerely, JOS. W. STERN & CO. _To the Committee of the Senate on Patents, Senator Alfred B. Kittredge, of South Dakota, Chairman._ GENTLEMEN: I appear before you this morning in the name and as the representative of the firm of Jos. W. Stern & Co., music publishers, of New York, and in their behalf I wish to state that the bill on copyrights S. 6330, to amend and consolidate the acts representing copyrights, which is before you this morning, is of the highest importance, for the protection of the authors and composers and music publishers, to protect their copyrights.