, 1875-07-22
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.

Mr. CHARLES REApE, the novelist, laa nd
dressed MI open letter to tho New York
Tribune upon tho question Of copyright, in
which he takes tho broad ground that copy.
right is not monopoly, and senaationally
names oortain refcreoa to docido it. The
letter ia written in his customary inaated aud
Btilted style, md abountls with little moro
than his customary vanity, solf-conceit, md
personal abuse. All who oppose his propoai.
tion are set down NJ " 1nuddle-hcnds, knaves,
fools, aud pett;foggcrs," Tlaat Mr.. READE
himself has not suffered by wnnt Of copy
right is shown by the fact that ho admits
tour home 1nnrket il not seriously injured by
American piracy, but hts (tho American's)
home market il" and lie odds:
Tho remuneration Of the established American
austor IL arulcally lnwored by tho crushing compe
ton of atnsn goods aud, for tbs youug American
AUTHOR however promising lila genius, hs Is gsreray
nt1pcd III tho bud. can giro tho very process. liz
brings the publisher lila manuscript which rrprtaons
months Of labor, and of debt bsaauso Ill the una
man II writing without va*os Tho butchers bill ami.
bsterh sre growing fast and high uta natuacript Ii
tho work ot sn at4o novice: there SIC genuine
observations Of American hfe aud manners. and sono
Rpasks Of truc mental fro; but tleso are defects Of
workmanship; tho man net4lu sdytco md rxnctloo,
Well under just laws, Lis eounsrsman, tho puttahqr
would nussa him but things Arc h declines to
buy, 1t orer cheap rata, Tho work Of rromisc be-
ho Obtain gratla woskh written with certsin
mechanical iexsotty By humat1lm but peaoa!cad En-
gNsh wrt.era.
Atstho risk Of being rot down in Mr..
nEADE's category Of muddlo-hoads, knayes,
fools, and pettifoggers," we very soriouay
question whethor American gonius is being
driven out Of tho book-,narket at all by
"Amcrican pirncy," as A1r. RkApE calla it.
Stale EtuI md tr1,sh may suffer in tho com.
petition with English stale stuff md trash,
but respectable and competent authors al
wnya find market for their work at fair
price. The publishers will benz witness that
tho market il now overstocked with authors
English boDks arc IN tho main cheap, and
under tho spur Of the competition Of cheap
ness, American books arc mado cheaper.
Being made cheaper, their aale Is enhanced
Cheap English books means cheap American
books, and ried Uersa, Protect Englizh books
with O copyright monopoly in tie United
States, and immediately the prico will be
pnt mp. Tho dollar book will become two
dollar book. The two-lollar book O three OF
four dol1ar book, and SO OIL. The American
books will follow suit. Tile absonce of m
international copyright means full market
of choap-selling books, aud wide diffusion
Of knowledge aud information. Tho COPY.
right can hive no other effect than to increase
tho price, and eventually make itarature q
costly luxury. As only high-priced books
can hold their own against tile monopoly Of o
copyright, all cheap labor must bo crushed
out, and favored few will enjoy tho e1tor.
tomato amolumenta Of their profession.
H;gh-priced and ligll-toned authors may
have rights, but the public also has rights,
and, il 1t has ono right more positive than
another, it Ia that Of obtnining knowledge as
chcaply o. possible,