New-York tribune., 1886-02-13
THE COPYRIGHT QUESTION.
Disclosures OF A "BOOK PIRATE"
IMPORTERS SAID 10 De TREMBLING IN THEIR
BOOTS.

IMPORTERS SAID 10 DE- TREMBLING IN THEIR
BOOTS.
WAsuINGTON Feb. 12.-The Senate Commit
Zee on Patents continued lis hearing upon the interna-
t,ouoI cppyrght bill this morning. Roger Sherman Oh
phoelp,a laid before the committee his objections to
thc passagc OF any international copyright bill In the
eourse of his remarks he avowed himself Of the
American pirates and said that he had the black e
flying lie charged that the encyclopedia Britannica"
reprint Of which he the publisher, imported at
less than its lawful duty, and this was done under
false ruling OF the Treasury which had been obtained
for IL consideration. II he dared lie woud mehuon
names He suggested reference TO report OF specai
Agents Dutton and Williams. which, be said, was sup
pressed it implicated every importer OF books
In the United States in irregular practices. They were
all trembling In their boots because OF the disclosures o
was to make Cheap literature was arEe ldo'oi 'n
eheap education. An international copyright "ii
wopld Weld the American market TO Eaglish manuac-
urers market they took part III creating ana whose
creation they would havo prevented II the! could IL
was n mere prctence that native authors could not
live in competition with free literature Inc
American market was READY ana "illIus
TO take moro good literature than native talent conld
oner and was compelled seek foreign productions The
works OF foreign authors stimulated native authors TO
vreater efforts IL would &c wrong to force the people to
pay for what they can now have free Dana Esies OF
Boston replied briefly Mr.. sherman He was glad the
Committee had heard from one who avowed himself
Mr. ShcrmanS 0l1CCtlOnS answered
He wond protect the laborer by tariff but would stm
uate authorship by active competition Tho proposition
was absurd. Mr. Sherman the publisher OF reprint
of the Cyclopeda Britannica" lie represented himself
alone his argument and wished to delay the passage
of an international copyright law until he could bring
out the remaining volumes OF that work He was the
only successful pirate OF foreign works. Mr. sherman
had not told the committee that the man who hTst con
ceived the of reprntng that work was now bank
rupt
j. II. Sypher, of Philadelphia an attorney who makes
copyright law specially, addressed the committee upon
legal features OF the pending questions lie took up
Hawey and Chace bills and pointed out in detail his
objections them. He said that author might receive
ten cents a copy upon book, the publication OF when
should cost nut thirty cents which would bo sold for
two dollars or two dollars aud hall volume
II such work not protected 1t would he sod az
profit for 20 cents Why, he asked not pay the author
his 10 royalty and then sell 1t for 80 cents
volume The reason why this WAS not done was tDat
the protection given by the copyright law LEFT the pro-
choice between making large proht on snall
edition a small profit on large edition lie sug
gested that Congress provide for the granting OF
royalty TO authors of foreign books. lie would nave
publishers, VINO would comply with certain restrcu0s
licensed by the copyright office in Washington ana
would permit all such TO publish the book requiring OF
them quar- returns OF the number OF volumes pup
lished and would provide by law proper means OF Sc
curing to the author royalty ana OF preventing un-
licensed publication. THIS would he believed give tho
author his rights without creating monopoly ana INA
terfally increasing the price OF books