New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-22
COPYRIGHT RETALIATION.
q BOLD CANADIAN THREAT AGAINST
AUTHORS OF THE UNITED STATES.
THE COPYRIGHT ASSOCIATION OF CANADA Pko
POSES TO REFUSE COPYRIGHT TO AMERICAN
AUTHORS UNDER CoERCIvE CONDITIONS
FEATURES OF THE NEW BILL.
fey TEL rFcp Aru To THE TRrBrxE.1
Gsr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUNE-1

lBY TELEGRAPH TRIBUNE-|
Toronto, Oct 21.-A general meeting OF the
Copyright Association of Canada was held lhurs-
day last in this city.
In opening the meeting, the chairman d. hoSs
Robertson briefly reviewed the situation showing
that the Berne bill, which had been introduceu aV
the last session of Parliament, threatened the
most disastrous consequences to the pooR' print
ing and publishing interests of Canada. After
its adoption every British copyright book would
be copyright in Canada, without requiring manu-
facture in Canada (as is required oy
the present law) in order to secure
Canadian copyright. In addition to TINS
the bill excludes all foreign reprints oil
British copyright books, thus throwing the cana
dian market entirely into the hands OF British
publishers and printers. This is where the ooo>
trade and the public deeply interested a. IL Is
well known that the best and most popular DOCKS
are issued in England at very high price at nrs@
and il is months and in some cases years. oeiore
they are issued in cheap editions for the people
Haggard's books afford good illustration OF 'hs
Many thousands of :" She and klng ooionioh
Mines. have been sold in Canada SIMPLY because
we have been able to sell the cheap twenty-five
cent American editions. And yet the cheapest
English edition of these books to-day Is SIN shii-
Iinss sterling. figure utterly beyond the pockets
of the Canadian people
4 rough draft of a bill containing suggestions
for the practical operative clauses for a new 10
minion Copvrght Act, governing the reprinting In
Canada of Imperial copyright works, the pfouuc-
tions of British subjects of the subjects OF those
countries that have an international copyright
treaty with Great Britain then placed before
the meeting and adopted. The following Is d
br;cf synopsis of the clauses Of most interest 10
the trade and public
Sec refuses copyright in Canada to Uniteo STATES
.rthors until such time as the United States Government
enters into an international copyright treaty with 0rcd'
Britain and Canada a.
See rectes the condition for obtaining the oana
dian copyrght be that the work shall he printed anu
,,shad in Canada within two months after first pubiea
tion elsewhere. $1,000,
Sec recites that any intended to be copyrighted
I'm Canada shall before publication elsewhere OF smu-
taneously with It's publication elsewhere be regis
tered In the Office Of the Minister OF Agriculture oy e
antho or his legal representatives which registration ana
compliance with the provisions OF Sec shall secure '
exclusive Canadian copyright to the author or MS ega
representatives. .,., ],
90 copyrigbt under this fail take advantage OF Its
provisions then any person or persons donhci'eu III
Canada may print and publish the work III question: pro-
yjded registration of intention to do has been duly
made with the Minister Agriculture, and the necessary
license obtained is said license to convey
exclusive rights print and publish the work IN quesnoh
This license 10 be granted to all applicants agreeing 10
nay the author his legal representatives royalty oi
IN nor cent ON the retail price copy licensed to
be sold
Sec recitcs that from and after the passing OF TINS
net the importation ntc Canada Of foreign reprints Oh
works Of which the copyright is subsistng IN "rea'
Britain and which have been registered under Secuon'
3 and Of this for republication in Canaoa'
shall be and is hereby prohibited provided the provisions
Of section have been complied with
Sec. reces that this act shall not apply TO Enghsh
copyrights granted prior TO the passing Of this act
It was decided to petition the Government TO
take this draft and incorporate the clauses INTO a
bill 10 be introduced in place of the Berne DILL
and the president was dcputed to proceed TO
Ottawa to interview the Ministers with reference
,o tbc matter. so as to prepare the way for a
larger dcputation. which will proceed TO Ottawa
later on.
Should this bill pass the Canadian Parliament, 1t
has 10 be sanctioned by the Imperial Parliament at
LondCn.