New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-01
THE BRITISH COPYRIGHT REPORT

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THE BRITISH COPYRIGHT REPORT.
The Royal Commission Copyright, which has
been carefully Mt work for many months, and has
sought the opinions of many English and several
American experts, presents in its report, as sum-
married bv cable. three salient proposals: That
literary, dramatic and musical compositions should
be placed on the same footing. copyright including
the right Of dramatizatIon; that copyright should
be for life and thirty years thereafter; that foreign
productions should have the same privileges of copy
right as British, whether other countries reciprO-
cate or rot.
The first Of these is simply creditable applica-
ton OF common sense, but common sense is not 80
common in official circles that the Commission is
to be thanked the less. There seems to be no good
reason why man who invents book, another who
nvents play, another who invents
musical composition, should not have for their
mmaterial products the same necessary protection
from the State which each equally calls for and if
the invention Of the book is also of value for
a play that element of property should be included.
On the general ground that producer is entitled
20 all the direct fruits of his industry, copyright
should theoretically be perpetual As matter of
fact, there is only one copyright in pGpetuo, that
granted by the English Parliament for Carendon's
History of the Rebellion The reason is the
same which has limited the testamentary DISPOSE
ton of property to a certain number of lives or
years. Practical difficulties arise which make such
a mOrtgaging of the future against that
final consideration of this Unitarian age
public policy" In extending the years OF
copyright by this second proposal, the
commission approaches theoretical justice, and in
sures to the author more adequate opportunity 10
rcap the harvest Of his industry, which often does
lilo ia IrpI
vision for himself as his work has earned for him.
and reasonable extension OF It's returns 10 his in-
mediate descendants assigns.
In providing for International copyright pure and
simple. the Commission throws down gage Of JUS
tire which will be perhaps the most effective appeal
that could be made to the American people.
II may prove indeed that III this case the
highest principle is the most cunning policy.
If Mr.. Longfcllow shall receive hereafter the
fair return for the great good which his worKs
hitherto have given to the English public, IL VIII 20
much against the grain of this country but that MI.
Tennvson shall receive the same justice from Us.
Indeed not only the American public, but American
publishers, are generally willing and de5ir-
Gus that the foreign author should receive here tar
return for what we get from him, and ii isonly the
fear lest English publishers might obtain the means
to CAPTURE the American market that has led
form of international copyright. There
are still comm rcll cDns lerltion' which,
f. certain extent support this position, but these
ar, likely to be made less and less important III the
future development of the country The difference
to the cost of composition. which is a chef dill
Guilty. may ultimately be solved by the American
type-,etting machine, of which new va
riety Is already quietly doing successful
book-worl in this city, But 1t must GER
tanly be recognized that It is the foreign author,
not The foreign publisher who is entitled to the re-
turns of the authors industry il Is the latter alone
who has moral right in the matter and this
moral right he certainly has. The publisher owns
the book only for the market, over which the at-
thor gives hun control The author Is entitled to the
market of the world. which at the best gives him
no such return rs is earned 10y equal ability ana III
dustry in other fields of production.
There is one frequent objection to international
copyright which may as well be abandoned at once.
We hear alternately that the high-price system
of English books would keep books OF III
tcrnational copyright out of the reach OF
our average book buycrs, and that English
pubh.hcrs would so flood this market with
cheap books held under copyright. As TO ruin Amer
lean publishers. Neither i true; nor Is II more
true that the copyright payment would materially
increase the price of English-written books. These
tluugs obey the laws of trade; books which
pay an American copyright or an Eng
lish royalty are, nevertheless, produced IN
that fashion most marketable among our
large miIdle-class of bool-buyers. and sold at a
price which makes the many to buy. The same
would be- true of English books, printed there or
here tor the American market, and II is not inprob'
able that in the long run English au'
thors would find it profitable to employ
American publishers TO sell their books III
America. In short, we believe both that inter-
national copyright ought to Ice. and that there
are fewer practical objections in the way than many
American publishers think. And the English Com
mission is heartily to b. thanked for the liberal
fashion in which ii has proposed to set a wholesome
example.