New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-28
THE MAN AND THE BOOK.
THEIR RELATIONS TO EACH OTHER AND ~
THE REST OF THE WORLD

ducton of bulk" is definition which appears Ill Inv
Encyclopedia Britannica and when Is ehuies w
rect, albeit TO many minds it may seem strange i"e.o
i, Il too wide notion that book is a fabric OF paper
and printers ink. produced by a man called pun
Usher through the agency Of various mecllan'cal NC
vices II contains it is true. more or less lhcluen's'
the cgble eN prcssOn Of certain ideas anu lac'9' sup
posed to be prepared for publication Dy d" oD'N"
person, called an author, who receives certain ~
Enumeration from the publisher for so doing But inc
paper and ink and boards and muslin form uic o'on
and the man who makes and puts them togethcr "
the maker of the book: and his rights ana Ills III
erest, which are altogether obvious and taheoic aio
20 primary consideration in every respoo' III
which the book is concerned 1t is TINS raise con1op
ton Of the nature Of books and the Identity OF er
makers that has filed the copyright discussloh WI"
confusion worse confoundcd, and has wrought in''i.
culable and most disgraccul to one on the o9O
importapt classes OF the benefactors of MANKIND.
4 book saws our encyclopaedia, truly. Is literary
production. 1t matters not in what form IL DC Pro
dured: whether leg.bc to the reader, or audible W
the nearer or tangible the finger tips OF the ohd
Thoughts ideas, facts. compose the book not paper
and ink For the volume exists because Of the printed
pages and these because Of the words they bear ana
these again because Of tie ideas they express buV
tho ideas exist for their own sake; they nave no
anterior cause. They form the book, ana inc man
who concevcs them and arranges them coherently Is
the maker Of the book he, and no other The liiad
was Just real and actual literary production when
il only in the memories and on the tongues g"
"A few wandering minstrcs it IS now in It's hundred
TRANSACTIONS, thousand editions and million volumes,
and Homer was as much author then as now.
IL IS the author who makes the book ana the trans
lator transcrtber printer. publisher seller, and all
Others who have to do with its reduplication and
circulation nothing in the world but his agents or
mddemen between him, the producer. and the public
who are the users or consumers OF the book. ms
fundamental fact should be well kept in mind, because
in current copyright discussions we hear vast deal
about the publisher and comparatively little about the
author whereas the exact reverse ought 10 be true
The publisher like Jeshurun, has waxed fat and kicked
lie has usurpcd the prerogatves Of the author. Tie
public under these circumstances has come to regard
! copyright A. measure Of protection TO the pub
| Usher. BIZ which he enjoys profitable monopoly.
And the average publisher is not exactly pauper
the public is naturally chary Of increasing his bounty.
What should be understood. then. explicitly and
a, cphatcalIv a. possible that copyright Is for the
author. first, last and all the time His rights are to
be protected his interests b. cherished. b labor
| to be- rewarded. The issue lies between him and the
public and between them alone No mIddleman, what
ever De- h, special line Of bushes, ha, any right t,
mcddc or to interfere. And il it BE- asked. what Of
the right and interests Of the publisher answer
that he la, none, beyond the common laws OF trade,
except such be may derive, as an agent from his
principal the author
with thi. point fixed, let as SEQ in greater detail
the books, and the pablo. who use them. need
scarcely discuss here the question OF property right
! II tnol" be any who denies or disputes mans
/ ownership II the conceptions Il his own mind am
not addressing him. / take it a granted that all
right thinking folk believe. with Landor. that no pre- D.
crty Is entirely and purely and reiaouNly a mans
own Is what comes t, HIM Immediately from God, with
ont intervention or participation Those who think
otherwise would best east in their lots al once and
altogether with those benign philosophers who seek To
,brugt' the eighth commandment the ground that.
A. property Of any Kind !, myth stealing i, a mere
upper ttlri Eut lei me- commend 10 their con>dera
ton the word, II til Prophet Hlackmore: None but
the wilder tribes Of the West stand out for their wicked
right To- rob the orchards of ,he English laborcr; or
! rather to shoulder his pet lamb and rcnd it in the
mauucr II the Dooncs Worse than any Docne> are
these. who raven only for their gorge bat for
the laying up Of filthy lucc by the sale Of stolen goods,
Tho nation shah arise and them ont and the
wind to>s their leave, away like noisomc stencil
Harsh a, It IT, be such judgment awaits all propa
gator, o the noAou~ notion that the spirit has no rights
which the flesh is bound to respect
since then IL b., conceded that book Is property.
q book the ENJOY clopaeda Britannica defines IT, mind
vou and not merely 30 many II paper and ink.
what follows First, that - owner. the author. has
RICH, ro control it as he will. The author. as an I'm.
Gu,tria producer occupies peculiarly independent
position. lie can produce books or not A. lie please,
| with no regard whatever 10 others The stopping Of
Do, Intellectual activity Is not 10 be compared with
| closing mine or shutting down mill II does not
throw cmpl1ye, ont II work nor disturb the progress
Of trade Ills mind and il activit!c, are compasscd
entirely by M, own individuality and his Interests
and D., no one, else. And II he Is free 10 produce
book, or not he equally free t. publish them OF
| not after be- la, produced them. II is beyond all
possible potency Of human legislation 10 decree that
having conceived a precious thought. man shall
forthwith put paper aud give II Ia the world he
| may keep 10 locked within his mind for hN own telec
| totlnu and lct il perish with Inn when he dics-if
| thoughts ana minds perish and the world i pow
cries, to command him otherwise - We come to vet
another natural richr Of the author. the rght-havns
| produced Il book and having decided {" publish II I"
,hoo-e and to control the tine place. means. manner
and scope of the publication. to determine VINO Shal
bo nj. agent for maxim. copies ard how many copies
| hall H. made and at what price they shall oe sol''
rhi, right i, what We mean by copyright, a right a.
firmly grounded in natural law. and morals. and com
mon sense aud ju,ticc. A. the ii.h of man I" plant
and cultivate and dig pOtaoe'. and Take them - mar
| ket and ,ell them as BE plciNe>.
The. object Of copyright legislation Is 10 protect the
author in tn, right the potato grower l. pr''.c'e'
| I'm hi, ri.hts by the common law. And the object
oi til, protection j., Just a, IN the case OF t"'
nt,o grower To enable the author 10 secure rninrin
tou for his work Not that the author Is thr' u
gct his sole. or adequate. rclni!neiatloh' Literary
production" says Matthew Arnold. wherever It l.
.ound {, II own exceeding great reward which l.
NOT only a great truth, mt a greatly mlNahderN'o"'
and ui>u~cd truth In Indicate, that the value Of
,,,od literary work hlch tht' II cannot b" PAM
far nly i'm dollars aud cents, and that therefore pro
vision IN, been made for certain spiritual reward.
Eut because we cannot pay debt m inll snail We
NOT therefore pay a much rs We can Because We
cannot express, gratitude commensurate WI 4 the bene
fiji reccivcd are therefore 10 utter no word oi
tbanl~l Ana bccaus, the author receives this spirit
nal rcWard-which il no In the ufnte>lmaleSt degree
tn he credited To IL, aud which, moreover, IN MS
,rprnpraio measure every faithful workman of what
ever kind unfiugy receives shall We therefore
withhold from him the minor ptcnnary compensation
which j. hi, due or ought not. for that VERY
! rca on to make tn, Ia ter compensation aN large
and render it. as willingly possible. seeing that