The morning call., 1890-04-01
1s1EuNArIoNAh oorYRIGHT.

The American Copyright League, of
which James RUSSELL Lowell is President.
is concentrating its efforts TO secure the
enactment Of the copyright bill now before !
Congress. "A circular letter issued Gy the
league says that the bill is the cordially
accepted platform of the entire copyright
movement; it accepts the following limita-
lions upon the privileges extended to
foreign authors: First "the work SO copy
righted must be printed from type set in )
this country; second, ''the sale of foreign
editions and plates of works SO copyrighted
is not permitted" With tie permission of
American, owners of copyright, foreign
books may he imported in parcels of two
for use, with view to the benefit Of cob
leges, librariesaand schools that may desire
special English editions. 1t is also pro-
vi3ied that editors may import newspapers
and periodicals for quotation even wien
they contain copyright articles
The league directs attention to plan
for international copyright presented in
the Nineteenth Century by Mr.. Pearsall
Smith, sef when the following are the main
features First, '.that any American pub
Usher shall be at liberty to print editions of
the works of foreign author under the
condition of paying TO such author royalty
VI ~ pei Ctilb Ou JHE Ieldtl ptlCo
second 'sthat this royalty shall be paid by
the purchase from the author, in advance
of the publication of the American edition,
. of stamps representing the above rate, as
many stamps being bought as there are
copies printed in the edition, and each copy
of the book that is placed OH the market by
the publisher bearing one of these stamps
conspicuously affixed" The league opposes
Mr. SutitIl'c nfon frnp. HatIn ri
Spencer to show that the plan would be a
direct interference with the laws of
trade under which the author, like any
ot1fer producer, had the right to select his
own agen Is and to make his own bargains
The league further objects Oh the ground
that no Legislature was competent to de-
termne what was fair rate of profit to
the author" Notwithstanding these objec-
tons the plan of Mr.. Smith would fairly
compensate such foreign authors as Ameri-
can. publishers might desire to reprint.
The international copyright would not of
course affect the right Of the foreign author
TO. make ferns for the publication Of his
Work IN his own country. 1t does, how
eyer, give him a reasonable percentage of the
3reeeiptS:of the American publisher on ac-
count of the foreign work. Possibly the
real Treason why Mr.. Smiths plan is not acz
scepted by the league is that it does not
give TO one American publisher monopoly
of the right to reprint. The league gives
as one reason why the copyright bill should
be passed that it will render practicable "a
large number of international undertaking
which eahu0t be ventured upon without
assured conErol of several markets." Again
the league says: "a large number of I'M
portant English and Continental works,
American editions of which would prove of
material service to American students and
readers,ssit is not practicable under the
present State of things fer American pub
fishers to undertake at all. as in case their
reprints .:are favorably received, any pros
'pectsof profit from these is promptly de-
'stroyed blythe competition OF. rival and I'M
authorized editions, which receive the
advantage of their literary judgment and
advertising" This argument sounds famil-
lar Something like it is advanced in sup
port of such combines as the Standard Oil,
sugar ana the hundred other trusts pro-
pased in Industrial pursuits. Give COM
bine complete control of the market and it
viii promise not to charge exorbitant prices
and in a general way to conduct its bust
ness for the good OF the people. The pub
fishers trust does not differ materially from
several others.