June 5 Saturday — In Redding, Conn. Sam replied to a non-extant letter from James Beauchamp (“Champ”) Clark, House of Representatives, Washington.
Dear Champ Clark: / Is the new copyright law acceptable to me? Emphatically, yes! Clark, it is the only sane, & clearly-defined, & just & righteous copyright law that has ever existed in the United States. Whosoever will compare it with its predecessors will have no trouble in arriving at this decision.
The bill which was before the Committee two years ago when I was down there was the most stupefying jumble of conflicting & apparently irreconcilable interests that was ever seen; & we all said “the case is hopeless, absolutely hopeless—out of this chaos nothing can be built.” But we were in error: out of that chaotic mess this excellent bill has been constructed, the warring interests have been reconciled, & the result is as comely & substantial a legislative edifice as lifts its domes & towers & protective lightning rods out of the statue book, I think. When I think of that other bill, which even the Deity couldn’t understand, & of this one, which even I can understand, I take off my hat to the man or men who devised this one. Was it R. U. Johnson? Was it the Authors League? Was it both together? I don’t know, but I take off my hat, anyway. Johnson has written a valuable article about the new law—I enclose it.
At last—& for the first time in copyright history—we are ahead of England! Ahead of her in two ways: by length of term, & by fairness to all interests concerned. Does this sound like shouting? Then I must modify it: all we possessed of copyright-justice before the 4th of last March we owed to England’s initiative.
Truly Yours / S L. Clemens
Private. I’m coming down next winter to suggest a slight change in one of the clauses to you [MTP].
Sam also replied to the May 31 from Mrs. Amelia Dunne Hookway.
Dear Mrs. Hookway: / I have been deeply moved by, your letter. Beyond reasonable question you must be the happies[t] woman “on live”—to borrow the quaint phrase of the Arthur-Tales—because you are so near to the children; so near to so many children; so haloed with them, so submerged in them, so set round about with a glory of them; so a part of their very life, & the best part, the most precious part, the joyous part: yes, & contriver, creator & promoter of that joy. If I were going to begin life over again I would have a Children’s Theatre, & watch it, & work for it, & see it grow, & blossom, & beat its rich moral & intellectual fruitage; & I should get more pleasure, & a saner & healthier profit, out of my vocation than | should ever be able to get out of any other, constituted as I am. Yes, you are easily the most fortunate of women, I think.
If praise were needed for Mr. Bennett’s article I could furnish it, but it needs none; & I should not be able to express all the delight & deep satisfaction it gives me, in any case.
Instead of writing to thank you when the photographs come, I will thank you now. / Sincerely Yours / ... [MTP].
Sam also wrote to Robert Underwood Johnson in N.Y.C.
Dear Johnson; / I had just finished answering a note from Champ Clark when your letter came this morning, I kept a copy, & will mail it to you with this. I judged he meant me to write him unprivately, & I did. Paine had a copy of your Post article on hand, & I borrowed it & enclosed it to Clark. / Yours evermore /... [MTP].
Sam noted in his after Sept. 25, 1909 letter that on this day, “First Saturday ‘At Home’ of ‘Mr. & Mrs. R.W. Lyon-Ashcroft.’ It was utilized in scurrying away from home.”