New-York tribune., 1878-12-21
HONORS AT PARIS.
AMERICAN PUBLISHERS.
THE HoNoRs THEY HAVE wOS-THEiR E1HIBlIS-
THE coLLRcrIvR CATALOGUE.

style in which IL IA announced In ltsei anu III is
honorary results the exhibit of American publishers
is one of the most remarkabl in the United states
section If it had been the fortune Of any visitor TO
fall in with copy of the Catalogue OF the Collec
tive Exhibit of the American Book Trade and OF
Kindred Interests.n before reaching the building,
Ire would probably be prepared for display both
magnificent in it's proportions and choice in ITS Sc
lectons He would very likely be surprised to learn
that the business had attained to so great dinen-
slons in America aud that SO many glgahlic COD
Germs we're engaged in it, he found described anu
enumerated IN tho catalogue On reachlhg the ca
hiblt, his surprise would take new dlrectlon' lhe
modesty that led our publishers to restrict 'hoh-
selves TO the three sides of square. scarcely large
enough TO give room for the table ana chalr OF
single attendant must have commanded the le-
spect of our suppOsitiOus visitor, while his astos-
ment as ne looked upon the numerous placards
announcing the winning of medals OF all grades
would be excited by the problem as to now inc
Jurors cOntriyed to distribute s" many nohoi'
within space so small!
Con ,iderng the extent to which American puo-
fishers are dependent upon foreign authors and the
absence of an international copyright law, their ap
pearance here taken in connection with the recep-
ton accorded them, must be regarded as success
full experiment.. In referring to subject so dell
cate as copyright, and one also that could not
very well be left unnOticed, the writer of the hIst
predatory notice in the catalogue says: No writer
not citizen of the United States or intending clt-
zenshIp can in anyway obtain copyright but most
publishers pGy an equivalent royalty to foreign
authors with whom they have permanent relations,
and the courtesy of the trade usually entities
publisher to reprint without interference WORK
which he has announced first or works OF an author
whose previous books are published by HIM. The
,,,,I,1 ,1rp "a
divided in sentiment rs to international copyright"
1t is not claimed that either usage il universal
Books are published in America upon which no
ROYALTY is paid to the foreign author and 1t is not
very unusual thing to find rival editions of the
same foreign work launched simultaneously upon
the American market. But the statement quoted
must be accepted if accepted at ALL as disposlng of
q widespread misrepresentation to the effect that the
American publisher paws the foreign author
unless induced TO do so by purely business consd-
erations, such the securing of advance sheets
The Harpers make an independent statement upon
the same subject. They say that despite
the absence Of International copyright the
honse paws large sums to foreign authors,
as much as $4,000 having been paid
on single book. though this royalty gives no pro-
lection" IL only secures advance sheets, and
thereby enables the contracting publisher 10 be the
first to enter the American market II Is also to be
borne in mind that ON many of the foreign books
published in the United States nothing more Is
realized than reasonable return for the outlay and
risk The publisher could not afford to pay a roy
atty, and in many cases none would accrue to
the author even il the publisher entered into the
usual contract with hun. By " usual contract"
mean. not as stated in the catalogue. copyright
payment of 10 per cent on the retail prices
for all sales" but similar payment upon
all sales over and above certain num-
Der OF copies reserved by the publisher as, at
least partial. return for his actual outlay. IL
would, think, occasionally happen that the sale
OF the foreign book, would cease before the pub
hsher's shelves had been cleared OF the edition in
which the author has no direct interest.
These statements are made for the purpose
OF showing the contained in the COM
mon remark that what Isworth republshing
is worth paying for. II it had TO be
paid for it would very often not be repub-
lished. At the Same time in view OF the interests
of honorable publishers and of authors, both Amori
can and foreign. there can bo no difference
of candid opIniOn-whatever may be the
diversity of sentiment to the eminent desr-
ability of an international copyright law. think,
further, that the American publishers would have
siren gthened the position taken IN tho catalogue,
based, it is upon usage that is not generally
known TO exist, If they had stated precisely the
number of cases in which they have paid royalty
to a foreign author. / have reason for believing
that an exhibit of the kind would have decided
tendency toward silencing the reprOaches of those
who insist upon regarding tho American publisher
as an individual who grows fat upon tho unpaid
fruit of foreign brains. That there some ground
for these reproaches is beyond doubt and it wonld
be we'll to distribute them where they rightly be-
long. No opportunity coud have been better than
the holding Of an international Exposition.
To RETURN however, to the catalogue, the state
ments made in it in reference to the several exhib-
itlng houses have been prepared with view TO
giving an idea both OF the general character of
their respective publications, and of the magnitude
of their operations. Though tho information bear
ing upon the former point 8 sometimes vague, that
bearing upon tho latter is always impressive. OF
Harper a. Brothers, it is said that :" tho buildings
contain about sixty presses; about 800 hands are
employed and that "the house has published since
its foundation up to January, 1878, 1901 works
in over 1000 volumes, of which about One-half
are original American works." The firm Of HOugh-
ton Osgood & Co. follows the consolidation Of
houses representing the highest achievements In
American literature and book manufacturer" :" "in
literature proper it is represented by the greatest
names in England aud America, both historical and
living" The house Of Scribner. Armstrong & Co.
franks as one of the four great publishing firms of
the United States the Noahly is the most dis
tinctively American magazine published" and
Franks among the best illustrated periodicals. of the
world :" while of ST. Nicholas ii is said that parents
critics and the press Of both England and America
conceded it to be the best magazine for children that
had vet appeared" IvisOn, Blakoman, Taylor g.
Co are among the largest and wcalthIest of the
publishing houses of the United States" "durng
the busy season. beginning about the LIST Of Au-
gust the house often receives orders from single
firms for as many as 100 600 volumes of their books
at one time. and the largest number ever ordered
at once was 1876 .OOG volumes. th rider coming from