New-York tribune., 1875-09-25
COPYRIGHT UNION.
A LETTER FROM MIR. CHARLES READE

TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: An egotist has been defined "a man who
will burn his neighbors house down, to cook himself
two eggs"
fit be true that three tour American publishers
are the sole obstacle 10 international Stage-righ
and Copyright, the definition applies; great Is the
injury they do, little, if any. the advantage to
themselves. How would International Stage-rght
iniure thcml Yet it is they who crush it, and
demoralize theatrical business and Kill the
national drama How would even intcrna-
tional Copyright. on the conditions L have
offered, njure thcmi Ii could not hurt them AT
present. Ii must improve their condition In the
end. The professors of arithmctcal fog call II " Il
present to British authors" The idiots! is II any
more boon to English than 10 American authors
II is present 10 neither. On the contrary II oners
the publisher his hi chest remuneration for ms small
& est outlA Take popular English novcl--it is not
unusual 10 sell 1000 copies, at one dollar Under
Piracy by law established one Publisher does not
GET the sale Often the thing is torn To pieces: but
LET u limit the publication to -four persons. Assun-
ing that each sells about 1000 copies at proit OF
25 cents that gives 700 dollars. | admit that.
under international Copyright. seven per cent must
be deducted for the British right But then the
publisher who pays the Briton, will sell all the
books Now 10000 copies at a profit OF - cents
minus - il gives u total of 21 600 dollars Ana
here YOU may the reason why copyrighted books
can bc sold cheaper than pirated books. yet yield
good profit
Publication of boois is. in general way. poor
busipess Men of enterprise and talent would not
descend to IT, bu; for the great prizes therefore
reason fairly in taking book of large sale Tor trade
sample not that 600 copies is a very large sale
IN the United States. | know books that have
quadrupled that figure in years sale.
PROFIT TO AMERICANS.
Under International Copyright the American pub
Usher dealing either by purchase or otherwise with
British Copyright. could also levy just and mod
crate tariff on the 100 or 800 Newspapers that
now steal any popular British book. SO much for
the American side. But the American Publisher
would also by his position and intelligence. secure
many of the American Copyrights in England and
even if he contented himself with an authors
percentage there. that would be at least a set off,
though il needs no set off. But if, on the contrary
he should take the public advice have given him
and have a place of business in London. which Is
the great game, all manner OF lucrative comblna-
tions would arise under International Copyright.
That great boon would not change the nature oi au-
thors and make them class hard bargainers' or
even good men of business. They deserve seven
Der cent in each market: but they would not be
sharp enough TO get ii one time i'll 30.
When yoa add to all this that international Copy
night would relieve the American author OF the COM
petition of stolen goods which is sitting him. and
make the most intellectual country in the world
hotbed of intellectual productions. by which the
American publishers mast necessarily profit most.
their opposition to international justice and public
policy will, hope. cease; for it would be egotism
beyond the definition supra. 1t would he the blind
egctism that sacrifices national honor and the clear
interests of all producers and Of the public reader
to one sham interest
With this letter send one to powerful American
firm, offering them again, what offered them years
ago that under international Copyright, they shall
he nv London publishers, if they please the very
terms will demand of them in New-IOIk. seven
per cent the retail price which is seven per cent
on the trade-sae price. As am popular in America,
and perhaps no writer, under International Copy
right could make better bargains, and | pass for
screw, this should tend 10 convince reasonable
Americans that international Copyright, though
great boon to authors and honest publishers on both
sides the water, is not tax upon any one Consider
for passing my books through their hands, i'll Lon
don offer an America GTm all will ask i'll New
York for having written those books. For having
written those books will ask more III the United
States than offer them for Just passing the books
through their hands in London. Please bring your
unnds TO bear on this, you tina, possess mind.
So much for petty expediency and financial fog.
Ought these TO stand in the way of national Justice
national mpaTtiality, and national literature
Ought classes important as the American authors
the American spectator of plays and the American
reader TO he mOrked with the title of republicans,
vet misgoverncd and outlawed by Venetian OIL
garchy mere handful OF short-sighted traders
clinging bliudly 10 Piracy. az some men cling 10
drink: not that it does them an atom of good, but
just because they have got into the habit.
Those medevals whose lofty methOd-conjectnr
" cvdence-Sir Joseph Yates follows in copyright,
discovered that witches, who rode upon the whirl-
wind aud led the storm, could be arrested III their
furious career 10y two straws placed across. When
consider with what pitiable the ye-fold
iniluity has been defended. and is even now de
Tended against Mr. Reyerdy Johnson. and these let
ters. seem to the men OF the dark ages laying
down their sraws All! and so you think national
Justice Honor and Humanity, are three old Bel
dams that will never pass your strawS! | deem
more nobly than you DO of the nation you disgrace
aud miscad. The people that were in trouble yet
relieved the British cotton-spnners. must have a
heart not bounded by the ocean: the nation that
could at a cost of blood and treasure, forogo the
two-lecgel beast of burden, and make the negro
man. must have a conscience; and onr turn will
come please God, though my head and heart may
both have ceased to ache at mans bad logic and
mans Injustice. Yes. The great Republic has
raised its negro to tho level of man; il will one
day admit its authors 20 the level Of negro
FAREWELL WORDS.
Farewell. Won four fogs Farewell, You r0gues
and fools who made thcml ] leave the pettyfogger
who reasons priOri against evidence. and divincs
that the common law abhors forfeiture OF night
unless il is held by an author-and reads implied
contracts as " exchange OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
enc of the parties is authOr-and II an author
1;res a written copy without reserve, and abandOns
,bt lliSi hat : mn m