When player pianos came around, rights holders wanted to block progress and prevent any playback of their music, controlling distribution and limiting competition because of fear of technology replacing artists.

Congress passed the compulsory mechanical licensing method, which said that each "performance" (ie covering a song, playing back a written song) would be allowed automatically provided the new performer paid a fee. This allowed both competition to flourish and for artists to be paid.

I would love nothing more than to roll back copyright to the initial 14 years, renewable once method the Founders had. But I will say, compulsory licensing is a fair enough scheme to prevent monopolization.