The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-21
International Copyright.


rh;s o,,ost,on Now ,ttroct;rc Go much
iii,s ques'ion' no" a''iac'is ~ 'nuon
attehtloh, was very aoly discussed so'he
time since in a series of letters by Henry
G. Carey. the well-known writer on politi-
90, ocoror,v
-.
a,, Mr. oarey's remarks, IN the outset, that
the question: VI an ni.ei ,la.'orlal coPyright
- noe geheraliy SpproaSnea iroul the .rue
point on vleW' Forlnerly, an lnternatiohal
copyrlshe was aayoca.eu y, !ne interests ol
ae e ns NJ Is now ulgeu u ..lc i,'eres.s
OF lew New 1ork puonsners, OF, per-
maps, 10 speak more correctly, IN tne IN
terests OF 'hen ana some Enslisn authors
combined. mr.. carey CONTENDS that an
international copyngnt shouiu De ADOPTED,
or rejected, as the interests OF tne people at
large may determine. IN an countries, he
reminds the reader copyright the creature
OF statute law. no nation mas ever admit
ted the claim, lately set up oy lew literary
men and thelr booksellers, that an author
has a right to levy tax on the community,
at ms own ooption, ior the privilege OF read
ing MS works. ms would be TO bulld up
system OF the most irightial monopolies
ever known. 1t would establish an ire
pealaole tax ON knowledge. The interests
OF society cannot permit this. Hence, in
every country, copyrights, where the exist
at all exist only at the sufferance of the
Legislature. a writer's property In the
production OF his brains IS, and ought to be,
recognized only so tar as IS consistent with
the puDhc veal. Nor is society unjust. In
France and England literature is now very
lucrative pursuit; and even here all authors
OF real merit Contrary to the popular inn
pression) can earn as much money, i'll the
average, as IN any other profession. 1t is
5one thing to pay writer fairly 1t is an
other thing to make HIM millionaire.
Now, II q nation may limit a copyright to
its own citizens, quite as much may it deny
copyright to foreigners. Mr.. Carey con-
tends that the real issue, in relation to an
international copyright. Is, whether the
American people shall have cheap reading,
or dear reading. They must have cheap
reading, # they are to continue the intelli-
gent, active-mlnded people they have ever
been, ana winch they have become, IN q
very CONSIDERABLE degree, because OF al
ways having had cheap reading. Mark the
diiierence between America and England
~ was only ABOUT three years ago that the
copyrights on Slr walter SCOTS novels ex-
pred IN Great britain, and up to that time
SIR walter Scotts novels could only be had
6y the 1lch, because each novel cost seven
+ dollars and hall, Here, for twenty
years, there has been an edition of
Sir Walter Scott at twenty-five cents
novel. The consequence is that tens
OF thousands, perhaps nunareds OF thou
SANDS, nave been sold ana read IN America,
ior every single Thousand sold and read IN
England. nat IS true OF Scott, is true OF
BuiWer, Dickens, and others IN ilctlon OF
Iennyson, BYRON, WORDSWORTH, Mont
gomery, and others IN poetry OF Miiman,
Frouoe, Merivale, Neander, bunson, Mem
pur, ana others IN history; OF Brewster,
Lyeli, Whewall, Darwin, and Others IN
science IN snort, OF large portion OF the
pest BOOKS IN the English language that
represent modern thought, modern lmagl-
nation, or modern knowledge. young
man with limited means, say divinity,
z Jaw, OF medical student, can get together,
mere, library OF standard DOCKS Tor
comparatively small sum whereas, IN
England, he is quite incapable OF DONG 1t.
Ia inc houses OF the people mere there are