The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-22

The much discussed question Of intcrna-
tional copyright between England and the
United States seems to have entered on new
phase. For many years the demands OF au-
thors In both countries have been withstood on .
grounds which. whether substantial or not.
havo invariably commended themselves to n
majority Of the Federal Legislature. Some Of
our leading publishers have been foremost in
opposition TO the proposed measure. and tho
striking feature oLthc present situation is their
change Of attitude. When several Of the most
influential firms in the American book trade
intimate their conviction Of ts necessity we
cannot hut think a treaty assuring tho rights
for which authors have long clamorcd may. at
no distant day. be sanctioned.
II appears that the Mcssrs. Harper have iatcly
addressed to English authors circular inyit
ing such suggestions upon tho subject Of in
tcrnational copyright as the latter may deem
necessary or useful The firm still decline. we
underetand, 10 view copyright from tho purely
abstract point Of absolute right and thoy reitcr-
ate soma sensible objections TO tho expensive
form in which so many English books esuoci-
ally works Of poetry ami fiction. arc issued.
They claim that under any arrangement they
should bc allowed privilege conccdcdto Cana
dian publishers. viz. that Of manufacturing
books in such a style as may accord with the
needs. habits. and tastes of our own people.
With these pro,isos. however the Mcssrs lIar-
per are not indisposcd apparently. to support
a measure which should confer protection on
English writer's who may happen to find read
ors in the United States. 1t IL natural that such
n declaration on the part Of great publishing
house should DO received with satisfaction IN
Great Britain.
In the first place. the conditions under which
1.rt
pose the project of international copyright have
been good deal changed In the course Of q
generation. Thirty years ago We were already.
as We stil are. tho greatest book dcvourng
people upon the earth but We were then al
most exclusively consumers. and produced lit
tie or nothing which WAS in demand for export.
English books enjoyed much the same mo-
nopoly OF the American market rs French
books possessed in Germany during the
second quarter of the last century. 1t is
idle to say that our writers were stiled.
though they may have been somewhat
discouraged by tho absence Of international
copyright. 1t required no such forcing house
to develop the splendid growth OF German
literature. although the cases are well nigh
analogous. all Of Lcssng's contemporaries who
read books at all being nearly AZ familiar with
French rs with their native tongue. When a
country needs n literature Of its own. the thing
will be created. neither earlier nor later. in
spite Of stimulus on the one hand or discour-
agement upon tho other. To-day we have
American writer's Of Poetry and fiction who
can appeal successfully 10 q cultivated au-
dience. not only at homo. but in Great
Britain. 1t is known. for Instance. that the
poems Of Longfcllow arc moro widely
sold in the United Kingdom than those Of any
English poet. with the possible exception Of
n la 4 Ira IT
els. Of Esgeston. and Henry James Jr.. nre
perhaps as we'll appreciated In London as in
Now York. In other departments OF letters our
native writer's are evincing breadth of view
and q degree Of technical merit FAR above the
standard OF thirty years ago. Altogether. as we
have said. those publishers who stand in the
position Of prominent middcmen or distrib-
utors have reason To consider the conditions ot
the American book market much altered. The
idea Of satisfying consumers with native pro-
ducts is no longer wild and visionary, If tits not
yet wholly feasible.
II may be that another argument has had
some weight and although it seems to be con-
cerned with tho private interest Of publishers.
it is scarcely the less reasonable ON that ac-
have been able to secure the advantage Of pri-
GRITTY through Offering some remuneration TO
English authors, by way Of premium. for ad-
vance sheets. In the species OF moral property
thus secured they have been usually protected
boy what Is called the courtesy of the trade. and
some houses further insured themselves by
setting apart a considerable sum for swumpins
10y cheap edition any attempt % eucroa.h
upon thcir privileges. These guarantees
II would appear. haye now become in
operative. Certain publishers in this city
and in Chicago hlyc lately reprinted q
great number of English books. usually sold for