Proprietor

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Owner. In the copyright laws, the representative of an artist or author who might himself obtain a copyright. 5 From the act of 1790 down to 1870, there could be no " proprietor " except the owner of the work of a citizen or resident author, including a transferee of such resident's right of copyi-ight. When, therefore, in the act of 1870, the word "proprietor" is found used, for the first time, in connection with the words "author, inventor, designer," as a person to whom a copyright may be granted, it must be construed, if possible, m harmony with the inflexible policy and intent of the copyright law up to that date, and held to be used in the sense in which the word had always been used in our copyright law, viz., as meaning the lawful owner and representative, whether by assignment, employment, death, or other lawful succession, of the exclusive rights of some native or resident author or artist only." The proprietor of a native work is intended.' See Prist. Proprietary. Belonging to ownership; belonging or pertaining to a proprietor — one who has the legal right or exclusive title to anything, whether in possession or not; an 1 [Pollock, Contr. '0. quoting Indian (India) Conti-act Act, 1872. 2 2B1. Com. 224; 6 Pa. 166. ' L. pio-ponere, to put forward, propose. * L. proprius, q. v. 461-63 (1882), owner; relating to a certain owner or proprietor.! 2. A person in possession: a manager, or operator. A law imposing a penalty upon the " proprietors " of a railroad, for negligence causing death, applies to a corporation owning and operating a road.^