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92 NEW LAW BOOKS.

THE QUESTION OF COPYRIGHT. Compiled by GEO. HAVEN PUTNAM. Second Edition. Revised and with Additional Material. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York. Cloth. $1.75. The first edition of this book " was prepared for the press very hurriedly, immediately after the pas sage of the Act of 189 1, for the purpose of putting into shape the text of the new law, and of presenting a brief record of the international copyright move ment in this country, and a sketch of the develop ment throughout the world of the conception of liter ary property." This second edition, five years later, covers the same ground more maturely and thoroughly. Al though written by a layman, and not intended es pecially for legal use, it is an interesting book to lawyers as citizens, readers and authors, and cannot be ignored by the lawyer who has a copyright case in hand. The chapter devoted to decisions under the Act of 1891 covers only thirteen pages, but the state ment and analysis of the copyright acts of the various civilized nations, the historical sketch of literary prop erty and the evolutions of copyright, and the sum mary of the copyright legislation of the United States, are all as practical as they are interesting. The author in his preface suggests as desirable modifications of our present law: ßrst, the exten sion of the term of copyright to correspond with that of Germany, covering the life of the author and thirty years thereafter; second, provisions as regards works in foreign languages, allowing registration for Amer ican Copyright and a specific term — say twelve months — thereafter, for translation; third, a sepa rate Copyright Bureau, with adequate appropriations, prompter registration, and more satisfactory records; fourth, revision of the regulations as to copyright of works bf art, not now sufficiently explicit. Mr. Putnam further suggests that " the framing of a satisfactory copyright act which shall have for its purpose an equitable and adequate protection for the producers of intellectual property, and which shall be so worded as to carry out that purpose effectively, should be entrusted to a commission of experts. Such a commission should comprise representatives of the several interests to be considered : producers of works of literature, producers of works of art, publishers of

books, and publishers of art works. The commission should include at least one skilled copyright lawyer, and it may be in order to add some representative of the general public." This suggestion is so sound and sensible that it ought to be adopted. Such careful preliminar)' con sideration of legislation would work well in other directions also. Mr. Putnam's compilation can be commended as readable and valuable to all who possess, attack, or defend literary rights.

GENERAL DIGEST of the decisions of the principal Courts in the United States, England and Can ada. Includes all officially reported cases and all cases not to be officially reported which were first published between Sept. i, 1895, and July i, 1896. Refers to all reports, official and un official. Volume I. New Series. The Law yer's Co-Operative Co., Rochester, New York, 1896. Law sheep. This volume is the first of a new series. It is a Digest of Official Reports. All other cases unofficial ly reported during the period of this Digest are in cluded in a supplement which accompanies the vol ume for temporary use, and they will appear in per manent form in a subsequent volume of this series when they are officially reported. It is prepared by the same persons who have made the previous vol umes, and their work is thorough and exhaustive., Wef do not see that it leaves anything to be desired, and we heartily commend it as fully adapted to the needs of the profession.

THE AMERICAN STATE REPORTS. Volume II. Con taining the cases of general value and authority decided in the Courts of the Last Resort of the several States. Selected, reported and anno tated by A. C. FREEMAN. Bancroft-Whitney Co., San Francisco, 1896. law sheep. $4.00. Mr. Freeman manages to keep this excellent series of reports fully up to the high standard which has been the distinguishing feature of his work. His an notations are as voluminous and valuable as ever, and these volumes enable the practitioner to keep well in formed on the recent and most important decisions our State Courts.