Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-21
A CASE OF DISHONESTY.

4
The distinction between honesty and
dishonesty is by some'so finely drawn that
the severest moralist and most astute
logician cannot discover it. The agency
of the Methodist Book Concern of North
America has gone into the business of
booming rattle-trap compilation of Afri-
can travel and exploration, that is put
forth in way to deceive the public-or,
at least that portion not well posted as to
the tricks of the book trade, into the be-
| lief that the work substantially covers the
! travels of Stanley. Now, as matter of
| fact, it is a case of cool and unblushing
! robbery, which the Methodist Church must
repudiate. If it excuses it, ii will apollo
gize for clear steal.
The simple, unsophisticated and fair
| dealing man will be able to see that any
book of that character thrown upon the
market at this time is intended to net
profits arising out of the public interest
| in Mr.. Stanley's heroic adventures. He
has returned from perilous journey, that
has resulted in great benefit to geographic
cal science, and generally to humanity He
sits down to write up his travels and send
his Ms. to print in good shape. Clearly
this is his human and exclusive right, and
it is nothing less than thievery for any
one to compile book that will in any way
supplant Mr.. Stanley's by Cutting the
market and thus limiting the ability of the
people to buy Stanley's volume, when it
does appear. Under proper international
relations this could not be done-in its alb
sence piracy of another's literary property
| is legitimate but only legitimate because
there is no law afixing a penalty for the
crime Indeed, we incline to the belief
that there is greater dishonesty in putting
out book at this time to sell on the
! strength of Stanley's safe return, that does
not purport to be written by him, but that
| does purport to tell all about the equatorial
region of the Dark Continent, than in
issuing a book that purports to be the
genuine Stanley volume, but which is
counterfeit. The one act is rank decep-
ton, the other is half disguised cheat, and
sort of pious fraud that is as mean as it
is dishonorable.
But in the case of the Methodist Book
Concern the book is called, or is advertised
as ''The New Stanley Book" What is
this but cheat? That is not all, the COM
pilation does not give credit to the sources
from which it is stolen, it is therefore
a mean theft. Worse yet, it is so grossly
indecent in its nude illustration that re-
putable journal declares that no decent
man will put it into the hands of his
children. Yet religious organization
fathers it? Not long..ago the New York
Times charged the Methodist Book Con-
Germ with all these things, and especially
with the immodesty of the book. There
upon the Christian Adrocate took up the
defense of its colleague, the Book Con-
about the nude pictures, nor any reply to
make to the charge that in an earlier edi-
tion there We're sixteen wood cuts so gross
ly vulgar, that from the religious edition
they have been omitted
Concerning the charge of piracy the
Christian Aduocate says in reply to the
Times.
Like all compilations the author got his facts
somewhere, though quoting from many sources
eendensing, and paraphrasing, but did not in
fringe copyright. Whether a good, bad, or in
different book. we do not say, that is a-matter
of literary criticism; but it is not plain theft'
Two thirds of II were written before Stanley
emerged. and what he said about his last tour
is not flehed from copyright matter, American
or foreign.
So, so; then had there been copyright
protecting the originals the Book Concern
would have been estopped. But because
there is no copyright is it any less steal
ing to take that which you do not own, or
create, and ralm it off for profit? Is it
not clear to every one that had not STAN
ley been engaged on book of travels for
his own profit, or had he not by his trav-
els and courage and iniexible will accom-
plished so much, the Methodist Book
Concern would not have issued book on
African travel illustrated by pictures of
naked men and women, or otherwise?
Is it not clear to every man and woman
who believes in fair play and open-faced
honesty that it is Mr.. Stanley's human
right to have the profit Of his book with
out any shearing by substitutes that are de-
ceitful in that they lead many TO take the
false for the true? Is it any more honest TO
compile, print and sell book on the
strength of Stanley's capital, than it
would be If one had invented mechanical
device of great value, for another, by
trickery, should "get in" ahead of him
and Gust him from the privilege Of profit
ing by his genius We shall expect the
Methodist Church to rise up and repudiate
the moral code OF its Book Concern-it
cannot afford to condone its offense, and at
the same time preach that honesty is
basic law of true life
As WE anticipated in the remarks made
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