The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-19
THE INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT
RITZZARD,

of the American people in the literary markets
of the world. From Dickens down to the
Ned Bilntlines of English literature, and from
Victor Hugo to the most insignificant pur-
veyor of the merest novelette, in France, all
are eager to flesh their literary swords in the
fat sides of the American hog. To the mag
ination of these literateurs, some of whom are
men of genius, and many more men OF
doughty words signifying nothing, this
people appears their bacon. But we
have every reason to believe that the
administration of President Arthur is not
going to. be the goose cooked on that spit.
Yet so undying and persistent is this foreign
purpose of saddling the American people,
through some unwary administration, with
that stupendous fraud, an international copy
wright, that we would like to see declara-
ton of the sense of Congress on the subject.
The LIGHT trusts some able member will
draw up preamble and resolution setting
forth the enormity of this foreign pretence
and declaring that our government can have
no right, and derives from the people no
power, to tax them for the benefit of foreign
authors, or worse, to authorize foreign au-
thorS to tax them, and that the charter of its
powers is the constitution, and that no inter-
probation of that instrument can make such an
act less than one Of injury, usurpation,
spoliation and fraud. The proposition medi-
tates international copyright by treaty, but it
is not subject for the treaty-making power.
The people have nowhere delegated to it any
such authority. Only by primary expression
of the public will can burdens in favor of
foreign peoples be imposed. When the
American people want to tax themselves for
the purpose of putting endless millions of
their money in the pockets of foreign scrib-
blers, and of depriving the majority of
Americans of access to foreign books,
there must be an international Congress
convened, not at the dictation of cabinets who
can confer no powers they do not possess, but
chosen by the people of the countries con-
cerned, for that and like purposes. Let the
American people, when that time shall arrive,
who will, of course, have power to do that
and similar acts. But at present there is no
international Congress, and it is certain that
neither our National Congress-. nor any of the
departments of our government can act as
desired.
A few months ago, when danger of inter
national copyright was imminent, the LIGHT
went into tine discussion of this question, not
however, suggesting the objection here
preached, but objections enough to sink
to the bottom of the sea all thought and sur
mise of such monstrous doctrine as inter-
national copyright, and the writer thinks
like opinion in brief terms should at once be
placed on record by Congress.
These remarks were led to by noticing the
virulence with which the publisher of the Sea
side Library is assailed by certain journals for
presenting the American people with his
cheap edition of irst-class foreign works.
The endearing expression of pirate
is the most familiar epithet with
which he is assaulted. But all these are
mouthings of journalistic aristocrats whose
cue is had from the New York Evening Post,
the paper, for near half century, of William
Cullen Bryant. Mr.. Bryant was an American
author of merit, and would doubtless have
liked to copyright his poems in all the coun-
tries of Europe severally, and would have
obtained that privilege, if in his power, by
''giving away" his countrymen; that is to say,
by compelling them in return to pay So so for
a work which Mr.. Munroe now furnishes for
from IS to 20 cents. 1t may be that the
inheritorS of Mr.. Bryants journal may
not have inherited his genius and
yet fallen heirs to his ideas, and
would conscientiously ''give away" the Amer
lean people in like manner. But Mr.. Mon
roe is no pirate ;" he is benefactor and, if
he receives the slightest accommodation from
a foreign author, invariably pays literally for
it, which proves that he is likewise a gentle
man. The demand of these authors that they be
privileged to tax an American of wealth to any
excess upon their works, and to deprive the
great mass Of Americans of them altogether is
most impudent and not TO be endured. An
author is the owner of his works and will dis
pose of it where and as he chooses in all or
any of the markets Of the world. He may do
so simultaneously in every country on the
globe and in each get what he can, or he may