New-York tribune., 1886-05-24
A PUBLISHER on JUSTICE TO AUTHORS.

right - a paper by Mr. AlrNdnucr \. MCO4uI2'
the CT icago publisher, in the May number OF
The Dal 1t is valuable because Mr.. Meetings.
position as n member of an important and
reputable firm gives him particular facilities
for Judging of the practical consequences OF
the proposed reform but 1t is still more valu-
able because he places the question at once on
the true ground of moral right, the only
ground upon which settlement can ever be
effected Having shown what justice requires,
Mr. McClurg tn n takes the pains to demon
strate that the right course will also he llnme-
diatcly and decidedly profitable TO us but it Is
upon the consideration Of justice that he lays
the stress of his argument, and he has little re-
spect for those who would make the decision
turn upon the question of eXpedlency. In this
he offers refreshing contrast t0 the dsheart-
enng report of the Senate Committee on
Patents. accompanying the Chaco copyright
bill, in which the dishonest principle is frankly
avowed that our "paramOunt duty is to pro-
tect the material investments of our OWN peO-
pie in an uniust business ana that the rights "
Of foreigners are to be respected only so far as
they do not interfere with the " income OF
labor in this country.
Mr. McClurg, who seems to think that one of
our paramount duties is not to steal, states the
authors natural right to the literary property
which he has created very clearly and forclbly.
If we admit the right OF property at all, it is
hard to see how We can maintain that men may
own lands and houses which they have bought,
Inherited, or taken by gift. and yet may not
own books which they have created, which
would have no existence bat for their inge-
nuty and labor. 1t is nconccivablc that our
natural right of possession and enjoyment
should be more absolute in anything than in
what we have called into being. Yet while We
recognize an authors property in his purse or
his coat everywhere we insist upon cIrcum-
scri5ing his right 10 his book by geographical
boundaries. 10 take away an Englishman's
gold on its arrival in New York, or to submit
for one moment to an American citizen being
"robbcd of his personal effects on their arrival in
" London, are things which could not be thought
" Of. But to plain common sense is there really
- any difference between this and the cOniiscat-
ing of the foreigners book Granted
" the abstract tight of an author to property in
" his writings and that right cannot Justly be
" limited by tn boundaries of his own country
" but must follow him the civilized world over.
" America as his trunk, and the Americans
" book is as much his own IN England as his
coat or his hat This is elementary ethics
but great many American writers and
speakers on copyright have not yet learned it.
Oar own is the only civilized country in which
the right of literary property is practically de-
MED. We are fond of cXcusing ourselves by
the plea that our authors are no better treated
in England than English authors are treated
here. Our books are pirated in Lon don when
EVER they are popular enough TO make that pro-
cess Iay ; and so We imagine that we can retOrt
upon the old country. d" If our bands are foul,
yours are no cleaner" This is not true NO
" matter what stealing is going on on either
" side of the ocean, we alone are responsible.
" England has done Ill in her power to stop II,
already grant copyright in Great Britain to the
authors of all countries whose laws make par
allel provision for the rights of Enylish au-
thoro; whenever we adopt the principle of
Other heightened nations. that an author has
Il right to his own the world over the whole
as between is and Great Britain. will
disappear without further legislation on her
part Civilization waits fol- America to make
the next move.
Mr. McClurg speaks very strongly OF the in
jury inflicted by the piracy system upon Ameri-
can literature. ut Is the custom to-day of
:" many, perhaps of most, of the American pub
:" fishers to refuse even to read an original man
usciipt from an unknown American author"
How can they afford the doubtful venture of
an experiment with a new writer when there
are so many Englishmen of established renuta
ton whose books they can take for nothing
Only a few days since "A prominent Boston
publisher testified before a Committee of Con-
e gress that fo two gears hv had not read an
" American manuscript" But it is not only the
author who suffers. Mr.. McClurg shows that
n DlIghtng American literature We wrong the
whole people lt is not enough to give them
,heap literature they want a national lterl-
urc, without which no people can be strong.
Individual, or even independent. As matt.r,
stand nov, we are reading novels of English
society, learning English ways and English
slang, thinking English thor gifts, considering
english problems which do not concern us.
studying history under English masters. re-
iglon under English preachers, science under
english professors. We know more about the
saxon Kings than our own Presidents. and we
lave pondered over the British Constitution
lntll 80 ne Of oar dilettlntc pubIicsts are pro-
'Oslng 10 make our own conform TO il. @Tbev
work the great Law of compensation and retri-
button. We enjoy our cheap imported fruits.
which have been carried too far from their
n,tivc fields to De entirely hca!thful for Ms
and while We enjoy them We unconscously
destroy the possibility of that rich and
abundant and healthy native growth which
should be springing up all over our own
broad land" These are wise words. We
7ish that we could anticipate for them a care
al reading among members of Congress. Too
ew OF our legislators have yet risen above the
oton that the rule of action in considering
opyri2ht bills is to make sure Of getting some-