New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-25
4 LESSON FROM EXPERIENCE.

The Senators VINO oppose inc Ihuernatioha
Copyright bill are probably governed by MIR
Beck's idea that books will not be so cheaI
under the proposed law as they are now. They
are doubtless unaware that with regard to one
form of literature-the drama-this country has
enjoyed for number of years the benefits OF
system practically amounting to international
copyright, though in an imperfect form. Since
the courts decided, about fifteen years ago
that play could be acted without ccaslng To
be the property of the author at common law,
provided it was not published, the authors Of
plays have had something Of the same pro-
lection the Chace- Breckenridge bill would ex-
tend to the authors of published works. Ii
ought to be possible to infer the effect Of the
proposed law upon American books from the
effect of this situation upon American plays.
What has it been?
Mr. Bronson Howard made striking state
ment ON that subject before the Commonwealth
Club the other night. Formerly if the Aneri-
can dramatist got anything for his play beyond
the thanks Of the manager, he did well. Every
body interested in the subject has read how that
when certain distinguished actor, now dead,
paid $500 in cash for an original play, 1T was
considered handsome price. and as prices
went in those days it was. Twenty years ago
the American dramatist who received five or
ten dollars performance was prospecting. The
American play market was in precisely the con-
dtion the book market is in to-day-fooded
with stolen foreign productions, so that no
American dramatist could make living, Just
as now very few American novelists can make
living But when foreign authors became
able to control their plays by ceasing to publish
them, their prices steadily rose, and the prices
of American plays rose with them, until now
American dramatists can command higher
prices here than are given to English dramatists
in England. Last year $50 was paid In adj
vance in cash, with a large royalty for every
representation so long as the play should be
produced, for a piece by dramatist whose
name Mr.. Howard was too modest to mention.
SO much for the effect upon the author What
Of the effect upon the public Does it cost
any more to 90 to the theatre than 1t did No,
although plays are now produced with q
sumptuousness never before known in the his
tory Of the stage On the contrary, taking
into account the theatres Of popular prices,
where the best plays and the best companies
are seen, the average cost of theatre ticket
has materially declined since the war. The
change in the character of plays is also marked.
The security afforded to the author has re-
suited in the development of American play
writing. Many American plays now hold the
stage, and whilo they do not as a rule, show
the same degree of technical and literary skill
as the most successful foreign plays, they are
uniformly pure in tone, thus taking their color
from our civilization. and are far healthier diet
than the imported stories Of vice and crime.
The American play has thus helped TO purify
the stage-a benefit of almost incalculable
value-and to bring society and the theatre into
closer relations. All this has been possible,
simply because the American dramatist has
been able to make sure Of pay for his work.
This he must and should have, just as Con-
gressmen must and should have their salaries.
An international Copyright law would have
precisely the same effect upon books. Books
would not be dearer except perhaps some Eng
lish and French novels, mostly of an inferior
sort. There would be fewer foreign books
published and sold More American books
would be published. The American author
would make living and American literature
would be developed The American book
printer, whose earnings are now small, because
publishers cannot give steady work. would be
greatly benefited. SO that while ii Is true that
the law is one Of Justice to the foreign authors
which is reason enough for passing tit is
also one Of justice and of great benefit to every
class OF Americans engaged in the making Of
books. "