New-York tribune., 1880-06-27

perfectly fair and think must seem 60 to any dis
passionate observer. ti H. =
| 1t is true ono American publisher-Mr. George
Haven Putnam-has argued on behalf Of admitting
English and American publishers TO each others
country under the copyright protection and he
| does not fear the result to the busi-
ness Of making books now carried on In
America by Americans Speaking for my
! self as one Observer should not bo inclined to
fear the result either. But the fact remains
that the representing our publishing interests.
which involve many millions Of dollGrs. by no
means all agree with Mr.. Putnam. His view may be
coucurred in after time, but it Is obvious that t
never can be with the present feeling, and until
after experiments in international copyright on
some other basis have been tried.
And, after ALL the question OF copyright is chiefly
an authors question, and in one aspect of it our
publishers are agreed. They wish to protect tie
authors rights in both countries, getting the best
terms for him in the country not his own by max
ing il safe for publishers to pay him a good price
and issue proper edition without danger from
unauthorized editions sold at ruinous rates. There
are. besides the two publics, four Immediately
interested parties the English authors and the
American, the English and American pub
fishers. The American authors have not
much made known their ideas on this subject;
but we may safely say that thew favor fairness
toward members Of their craft, and no monstrous
injustice In letting American publishers issue un-
mpeded for this market the books offoregn authors
TO whom they pay copyright. AS to the English
anthors, we have noted their majority view, as The
1imeSs memorial may be called: and this comedies
with the adjustment which the Harpers have been
energetic enough to propose and other reputable
American book houses understood to support
Thus three of the four immediately interested parties
arc in accord. Only the British publishers stand
out.
1t remains to be said that some part of the general
public in this country does undoubtedly fear that
copyright treaty would issue in a combination be-
tween the English author and the American pub
Usher to make the price of foreign books higher
than it is now and this fear would probably find
some exDOnents in any Senate debate upon
the project. But the greater part of our
public probably wishes to act rightly
toward English authors. 1t may be said to the
doubling part that their fears are exaggerated.
With copyright we could not, of course, buy new
and elaborate English works IN pamphlet form at
20 cents; but it is improbable that Mr.. COurtney's
feigned alarm lest American publishers should put
prices exOrbitantly high would ever be
justified. These gentlemen know their own
interest, and that interest is to please.
ana DC popular Win Uner buyers: 10 commune
sales on their existing large SCALE should any of
them forget this, public opinion and falling off in
business would soon correct the mistake. The
taste for cheap books which they have fosered and
found so profitable. as Mr.. Arnold reminds US that
Levy did in Paris, would not easily be set aside
even were they so short-sighted as to desire ii.
My purpose in this letter is to suggest that, opn-
ion on this subject Of copyright being now pretty
we'll formulated it is time that official action
should be taken Our Department of State has be-
ore it tile draft of treaty modified from that
drawn by Lord Clarendon in 1870, which satisfies
the drift of opinion as thus Ear expressed. There
could not be moro suitable time for bringing 1t to
the notice of England than the present wien Libe-
ra ministry holds office, and when represented
at the Court of ST. James by Of Our most famous
authors, himself admired by the English and es-
teemcd by Lord Granville, who. we are told. Is
ported as saving that he has met no minister with
whom business is more agreeably and promptly
transacted II nothing Is done now, then the Pres
dent and Secretary of State, and through them the
American people, may be exposed not merely to the
clapper-cawing ebulhtions of Mr. Wilkie Collins,
but to the reproaches Of their own self-respect.
G. p LATHRoP.
Tic Waysiae, Concord, Mass. June 81, 1880.