New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-08
THE PUBLISHERS AND THE COPYRIGHT
ASSOCIATION.

A WIDE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO WHAT
ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN BY CONGRESS.
We print below letter presenting with
cearness and moderation OF the views Of leading
publishers upon this vexed question of interna-
tonal copyright. After many years OF agitation
there now seems possibility OF inducing
Congress to take some decided action, and it Is TO be re-
Crettcd that serious difference has arisen upon the
threshold between the Publishers and the Copyright AS
ISOLATION We present also the draft OF bill which
the Executive Committee Of the Copyright Association
presented to Congress Among the members OF this
Committee Henry w. LOngellow, Dr. Leber, George
W. Curtis DIR. s. Ireneus Prime, President Barnard Of
Columbia College, Richard Grant White William c. Bry
ant and the publishers, George p Putnam and Henry
Holt.
Their proposed act is as fOllOws
AN ACT TO SECURE AUTHORS THE RIGHT OF PROPERTY IN
BE II enacted by the Senate and House Of Representatives.
Of the United states Of America, az Congress assembled:
All tights OF pSPer secured to o11 1a on Ge
the United States hereby secured 10 the citizens and
cures reciprocal rights to citizens Of United States.
H. THIS act shall take effect two years from the date
OF its passage.
THE POSITION OF AMERICAN PUBLISHERS.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: This subject is now exciting good deal
OF popular attention. and doubtless will continue TO do
so until it is definitely settled Few persons have any
doubt that with advancing civilization and the spread'o
over the world making will finally he granted 1t is
important 20 the public that the present aspect of this
discussion be clearly stated.
The question has been asked why cannot we have
genuine authors copyright, recognizing the authors
absolute tile that property which he creates" This
question like all others be looked at from
point of view 80 far as understand the position Of our
leading publishers they would give the foreign author
absolute title to his property American has They
will probably ask that II the foreign author desires to
avail himself Of the benefit Of Copyright laws he
shall do Just the American author does enter hls
book the Library Of Congress and publish IL through
OF the $50 TO 200 American publishers. II this
point is not granted, and we made 10 depend only
on the edition Of English publishers, should
not only pay the foreign author copyright,
but also the foreign publisher still larger
percentage OF profit for producing the book
should only be obliged TO depend the costly Eng
kind OF protection the English publisher, as
| against publishers and would soon return TO
colonial experience when the mother country absO
lutely created all literature for The foregn
author after securing his copyright must absolutely
with the right 10 multiply copies OF Lis books, 10
one either the English American publishers he can
not do II himself. In the interest Of tie public ask
where this right 30 most safely lodged, with the
English publishers, where high prices and costly editions
and large profit small sale the rule, with
some of American publishers who make books cheap
10 meet the popular demand, depending Tor their profits
large sale2 The works OF most popular writer's have
far larger sale in this country than In England for
the probably that do not Depend circuat
ing libraries as they do. The English publisher expects
to make as much profit the st edition Of 1909 of
three-volume popular novel as an American publisher
would on 10000 copies II would seem that both the
public and authors would be the gamers by placing
the right TO publish book which the cOpyr lht
secured under laws, in the hands Of American
| house. s.
| Neto- York, Feb. 6, 1872.