The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-01-29
AMERICAN BOOK MAKERS
Advocating the Protection OF Their
Works by an international
Copyright.
Arguments by Authors and Pub
fishers Before the Senate Conn.,
mittee on Patents.

w AbhlNGION, JduuhTV 20 NC spa
c'ous loom OF the Senate Commit.
tee on Patents was well filed at lC
O'Clock this morning by authors,
publishers and Others directly inter-
e. I'D in the international copyright
question, and by ladies and gentlemen
attracted by the prospect OF hearing dis
tinguished speakers On the subject.
Senator Plat called the committee to
order, announced that the Hawley bill
and the Chase bills were pending be-
FIRE it, and stated that the object CT
to-day's meeting was TO hear argu-
ments on the general subject. Mr.. A.
ID. Sedgewiek, president II the Ameri-
can Copyright Lsague then said to the
committee that DIR. Howard Crosby
had been invited by the League to set
forth the views OF that organization in
regard.to an international copyright
law. DR.. OioIby then addressed the
committee.
Mr.. Crosby advocated Senate bill
No. l9l, known as the Hawlsy bill.
He said: ut is not the object of the
bill ID give the foreign author the
same rights t9at his own country gives
him. 1t ia to give the foreign author
the same right that we give the Ameri-
can author here. / think that should
be clearly understc Cd. We wish the
foreign author and the American an
thor to staad on the sane platform
here, provided the foreign naIions act
in like manner with ourselves.
Another point l would make is this,
That the subject is entirely ser arated
in our minds from the great subjects
of protection and free trade. The
American publishes his book in the
United States and expects 10 reap
respectable benefit from it. He crosses
the st. Lawrence aud finds that his
book is issued there at price that
ruins his expectations. The American
author himself. therefore, is subject to
the grossest injustice as we'll as the
foreign author. All the countries of
Europe are more liberal in their copy
right matter than we are. Not only
the American author, but the Ameri-
can publisher would be bsnefile ell by
such laT Y, for whatever be might lose
in the direction OF foreign work
he certainly will more than make up
by the increase G American author
ship by the strong incentive given to
American authOrp, and by the much
Ia ger proportion OF American works,
and hence many OF our most promi-
nent publishers recognise the eminent
prosperity of this most just law. Au-
other point that it is we'll ID notice is
that all the proper protection which
our manufacturers need will be con-
tinued by our regular tariff regula'
tons. The expenses now Of packing
f,eight and continge 1t expenses are Is
per cent, which, added to the % per
cent. of tariff, makes the protection
now 40 per cert So long as this will
continue the American manufacturers
will be abundantly protected ii this
law be enacted. My only other re-
mark is, that we must understand that
the copyright AZ we hold it and desire
to see it in our country Is no monopoly
whatever. The difference between
the property right, which copyright is,
and monoI o!y is immense. Property
right is the right to enjoy the use Of
the products Of ones labor, but mo-
ropoly is the power to prevent an
other from enjoying what is his due.
Mr.. Clemens Mark Twain) could
see no objection to the insertion OF a
clause in the bill which shall require
foreign books when copyrighted here
to be printed here.
The proceedings OF the meeting
after Dr.. Crosby had concluded, we're
to certain extent colloquial.
Mr.. Sedgwick, Senator Hawley,
George Ticknor Curtis, Henry Holt,
Horace E. Scudder and George Wal
ton Green addressed the committee
more or less informally.
Senator Teller asked, with reference
to the whole discussion, how all this
would affect the price of books in this
country. Noho1Y, he said. had ap-
peared in the interest Of the American
reader. He asked that the question
be considered over night and answered
tomorrow. The meeting adjourned,
after some further discussion, to meet
at 2 o'clock tomorrow, when Mr..
James Russell Lowell is expected to
address the committee.