The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-10
Cry Cor Connrirht
rom the London 4 AthenRum,

Ory AOr Copyright.
From the London 4 AthenGu1n
The demand for n law TO protect iptcllcct,oi
property on both sides of the Atlantic is increas
ing in volume day by day. The communications
WhlCh IOlloW express portion of the American
sentiment. The first letter is from Mr.. Leland
the author of the "Hans Breitmann Ballads and
tells Its own story i'm wav TO impress we
should imagine, the official mind with a due
sense oil the wrongs under which American
authors labor In this country. For Mr. Leland,
Us inc communication shows, suffers not only in
his purse but i'm his honorable fame. When
Douglas Jerrold was before the Committee OF
the House of Commons dramatic copyright,
ne was asked by member OF the committee
whether, under the then existing law dramatic
authors were not in fact ''robbcd p to which the
wit promptly replied "Yes sir! both robbed
and murdered!" Now, this is exactly Mr..
Leland's case. The unauthorized repTuteT of
his works has not only helped himself without
leave to the "Hans Breitmann Ballads but has
presented them in form which Mr. Leland pro-
tests is both garbled and incomplete.
Mr.. Leland very properly declares that the
only cure for such manifest wrongis just copy
right law between the two countries.
The second letter is n portion of communion
ton from the eminent publishing firm of Mcssrs.
Lippincott q Co., Philadelphia. These gentle
men enter into some detail as to certain repub-
lications of English books by themselves and by
the Messrs. Harper, of New York. which we
omit as the statements made by Messrs Harper
d Co. have not been laid before our readers. [
will suffice for us to give the summary Messrs
Lippincott like Mr.. Leland. conclude by an
earnest prayer that the present uncertainties
with regard to intellectual property may be
brought to an end by the patriotic wisdom of
Congress.
PHILADELPHIA. April G, 1s6s.-It is with great re.
luctance that as stranger, with claim on your
generosity, venture to beg room in your publiCa-
ton for few remarks which certainly would not
make were they not offered with the sole intention
of benehtng gentleman who is well regarded by
the literary world. refer to Mr.. Nicholas Trubner
nf nn1n IN Nyhn I in NTH ug.f
literary men in America, have been for many years
under obligations for acts Of the most dsinterested
Kindness.
In the autumn of 1865 Mr.. Trubner, influenced as
several concurrent circumstances testify, rather by
the desire to crafty than by the hope of benefit
ing himself, ventured the hazardous experiment
OF reprnting book OF American rhymes, the CLANS
than this he advertised it extensively, incurred
much expense for it IN many ways, and took great
pains to insure the success OF. the work AT least
with much greater profit to himself, had he simply
published these ballads at half price, and reserved
nothing for the author, who, far from complaining,
would only have been gratihed at the opportunity to
Obige his friend the publisher.
After the "Breitmann Balads'-thanks to MT.
Trubner's enterprise-had reached fifth edition,
another bookseller in London wrote to me, Offering
to pay me to give him the publication Of these
poems" answered him curtly that Mr. Trubner
was the only person in London who authorized
by me to publish the ballads in question, and that
would not withdraw the right from him for ten thou
sand pounds. After, however, recognizing by this
very request a right in me to select my London re-
publisher and receiving a refusal this applicant has
drought OUT reprint OF the American edition OF
the ''Breitmann Ballads" at half the price of Mr.
Trubners This OF course, will compel the latter
gentleman to reduce the price OF his edition one-hal
which renders impossible for the author to receive
any benefit from the sale, and, what is much more
to be regretted deprives Mr. Trubner of profit after
all his pains.
is to state that, to remedy as well as can the evil
so far my publisher is concerned of this CHEAP
tions and additions to my "Breitmann Ballads as
will make his future editions OF them the only CON-
pete ones and that in fact, the series which he now
publishes contain several entire poems first published
and copyrighted in England. This is especially the
case with the volume entitled "Bretman as Politi-
clan" which is altogether imperfect and incomplete
in any shape save that issued by Mr.. Trubner The
original American publication OF 'Bretmann as a
Politician" having been issued in haste, is extremely
faulty and it is this which is now issued in reprint
to the English public by Mr. John Camden HOtten
In California, the man who does nothing himself
but watch the operations OF the industrious gold
miner until the latter has found spot which pays,
and then 'umps his claim" or deprives him of it by
craft, is promptly hung or shot by committee OF
intelligent citizens, appointed in general meeting to
investigate the case. do not commend such rough
justice as applicable to highly enlightened and re-
fined society, but l may be pardoned for showing
what the untutored and unprejudiced mind thinks
CHARLES GODFREY LELAND.
PHILADELPHIA, March q, 1s69-We beg leave one,
more to call the attention OF the public to the tw'
Of.direct violation by the Messrs. Harper of "th
courtesieS of the trade.' /. They do not deny ina
O1r edition of "Greater Brtain'' was announced il
May, 1865 q They do not deny that Immediately oi
their own announcement they were notified by lette
that we had made an arrangement for 1t with thu
English publishers; and 3. Theytdo not deny tina
they nevertheless persisted in reprinting it. Thei
admission Of these points we hold to be sulficen
10 sustain our complaint in regard to 'Greate
Britain
But there was another charge brought by us in ou
letter OF January l. Vlz that the Messrs. Harper ha
previously, in like violation OF our rights under TIL
usage OF the trade, repubished an edition OF Trol
lope's "North America" after they had been mad
aware, through personal interview, that we ha
entered into an exclusive arrangement with tn
author for its publication in this country. To thi
statement the Messrs. Harper make reply what
ever and we are justified in inferring that thei
course in the matter is ineXcusaDle.
Furthermore, we would say that, by special arrange
ment with the author, we recently published she
Majestys Tower" by Mr. w. Hepworth Dixon
few days after the appearance OF our edition, tn
Messrs. Harper issued an edition OF the same wor
in inferior style, at a nominal price, compelling
to reduce to the price, thus preventing
remuneration to either author publishers this
otherwise might have been derived from the sale
the work.
Here we might close; but a review OF these fact
naturally suggests the reflection that the interests
the bOoktrade in this country, no less than the pr
lection of authors in their just rights require furth
legislation at the hands OF Congress- 1t is high tin
for the passage of a wel-considered Information
Copyright Law, such will wipe away from OF
country the reproach OF what are known as 'plrate
editions. D. D. LIPPlNCorT Co.
Noted Libel Suits.
The Cooper libel suits, says n New York co