New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-22
N1ERNA,IOAAL C0PYGiGHE
A LITTER FROM PROFESSOR SIMON SEwcoMB.

LITTER FROM PROFESSOR SIMON NEwCoNB.
10 g., "a. ,or o. me .r.pHtt
SIR: Tie lcttrro Mr.. Gcor.c W. Smallcy in your
issue of riday. October Is. moves me 10 submit
few remark, the English view OF the proposed
international copyright lIcity. Al tho lurisu
objections and uuiavoraDe comments upon the
treat which ! have seen r.po,e on tHo points:
F,.~t The ,cluN, motive which induces the Amer
can publisher 10 propose IT: .""ud HE "a cc
mon hs limit within Which the for iyn author must
bring ont an edition OF Li~ book. Ia pushing th,.
first pomI, the English publisher seemed 10 as,uMc
il az IN axiom too obvious to De eli p ted dat u
Lcircaiy ~ gong 10 advance the interest, OF the
Americans pabiahcr an insUprrabc objection l.
thus raised to It. II must be admitted. ! think.
hat they hud no Serious uincrHy in
showing i, 10 be TACT that the buol, trade OF
America will assume - more normal form If the
treaty Is apIrcl 10. But it would bo iutrrc,iin 10
NOW how universal they regard tho IrncpLr.
which srcms to be about this: that if il can b..
shown that any parry propOHugau agreement "a
actultc by motives o. selfish interest or Is in any
way 10 he bcucnled hy II, scrou- # not m.upcr-
able obi ctiou il raIs al TO their acrep,iupiL Tn,
persistence with which this argument is raised and
repeated ~ ccrainly curious and interesting
phase III The discussion. Perhaps The En.lBh pub.
IshcTs can give Il, some instance IN watch "A boov of
business ncn ~ England have expended money IN
promoting a nation Il business tIcIty the solo mr.
pose Of Which, WAS 10 Denclt bOuy o, iorc.g nrr,
wheel, they never saw, and which was not IN any
way 10 promote their own interests.
The argument against the three nontaS limit
has a much more valid basis, and the obi,c.ions nm
tnat score wor lay of the most serious attention..
But what 10 most sinking Ia connection with this.
is tha, lac opponents oi the Treaty In England do
g..II.
Guilty which thar clause Is designed to avoid. In
the first place frankly and freely adm that tic
g.ani OF an absolute and iIdc, eldent copyright
to foIe On uihors. without imposing any rest,ic-
ton upon tine choice OF an a-en through yb,o,
her works shall Ice circulated. H. ia the abQr,ct
qut. feasible Under snch a plan the Erctist,
authur would have the "a gut TO refuse any arranye-
mout looking u IN American e.ItiOu OF his book
aud cnuId icave the American public 10 depend unon
the En-hsh publisher. Now. however p.act,,.,.,lo
thus course may be IN the slrsc, II is politically
inadmissb,e. or the simple reason TIA tDe Amer,
can uulc wlli no. enter into any treaty lea lin, IN
such result be utterly sets IN spirit which tJey
thus display may be a subject OF a. much ani,na -
version as tncy choose, bus lhc fact T. 10 Ice ncce,d
as VIC accept any other unwe'cone stale OF hmm
| cs peciay note that Mr. Sna4cy says: Meou,bt
not to consent 10 such treaty a. that, AMI Ger
tany shIl not" Now ARISES tins dinicu.tv.
How are wo to say that the ELglisl author al
have the exclusive ngIt to print and circullts In,
book in America, and yes restrict his chuce of nm
agent through 81 Inch 10 shall be done II no r.
strcion IS placed upon bis choice. then the trea.v
will be the very one which Air. Smalrv sa.. Va
I'll uld nos entcI HtO. IL mu,t Therefore be mr.
yiucd in the treaty taat TIE LugIIsn autaor - a
have his book manufactured wI,hin ne UnIt1d
sta, Blt suppls he fads 10 do inis, "a nat snail
happent j. hc 20 iOsc ms cOpyrgh. Then bc -
wore Oh 'hn wlta thc thicr inOLths linn. los
sIblc rGclol 0i t.c IA wOuia be tnaG h.t,,,g
verIliS.cd EIlslisa coDies VI las LOOK W clr-