The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-04-12
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.

|
We gave place in a recent Issue to an
article by Mr.. X. U. johnson, secreta-
~ OF the American Copyright League
of New York, in answer TO an editorial
article which appeared in these columns
some weeks ago.
We might rest any reply That we
NAV feel called on to make TO Mr..
Johnson's article, on his W statement
that his society has supported every
International copyright bill that mas
been presented in congress since the
society was organized. This must have
included some very bad bills, as they
could muster but little support In
1887, and since 1868 nearly every COLI
Qress has had its international copy
right bill, and we have heard more OF
less OF the "scrambling" method OF
publication, of "literary piracy NC
but the proposed legislation has
uniformly been beaten, n generally
by such majorities as to lead TO nat
encouragement which MIR. Johnson
even now seems to feel when he sayslt
Ia the Chase Breckenridge bill or
nothing. If, then, Mr.. Johnson's CO.
laborers have supported all OF these
bills they have given their aid to bad
bills simply to accomplish the purpose
as we are led to b~elieve,of doing justice
10 certain two or three hundred foreign
authors whom none of Us, or at least
very few OF US, know anything about IN
that close personal way which Is
calculated to awaken warm personal
feeling.
Is 1t not just possible that the shoe
pinohes elsewhere than in the injustice
of the piracy, and that 1t Is the
American author who is at the old, old
game In this country Of seeking "pro'
tection' from the lawp We are pretty
soundly democratic, decidedly opposed
TO paternalism In government, and mol
at all decided In the conclusion that the
charge lies against us rather than ouI
critic.
1t is conceded that all cheap, good
books are q benefit to mankind. VIZ
admit that Il Is none of the govern
ment's business to make them cheap
but we also hold that it is as little thu
; duty of the government, by an artihcls
process, even IL that process shall be II
the interest of according the laborer TIT
fruit of his work, to impose an unnec'
t essary burden upon the mass OF tn
people.
r We deny that fiction Is nearly tn
whole of the body of cheap literature
as we see sven in the cheapest ibrarie
' valuable publications which are no
, fiction, and in other and better cata
lopues fiction Is the exception and no
the rule.
: Magazines which are fully one-hal
advertising matter may be sold cheapl.
q in this country. but there Is a yer.
evident purpose on the part OF publish
ers, not only to maintain prices bu L
advance them. Many houses have tbei
, prices unreasonabIy high. We are
book buyer. 1t is, perhaps, our great
est extravaganza. Knowing the cost O
publication we see the imposition upo'
8 the public. The trouble In the case ii
point is, that pirated books are ofte'
too cheap, while copyrighted ones ar
, too high. An illustration: We lei
with a book seller a few days ago a
order for q book which in the catalogu
OF a regular house was listed at 81 30
Afew hours afterward his clerk brongf
t us a cloth. bound copy OF the book whic
he had found in stock. printed by
{ "pirate," for which the bookseller oni
asked IS cents. Worse than that: w
recently sent to one Of the irregular
. houses Tor q book, price $3.50, and
u day or two later saw the same boo
. catalogued In u of the cheap librarit
for 10 cents. OF eonrse there was
/, difference In the value OF theae book
but the higher priced ones were onI
n ordinary cloth bound, and the So cen
and 10 cents copies contained the SAN
matter and were very well and legibI
o printed. The difference 10 too great.
"a American publishers desire inter
national copyright more than snythir
II else to enable them to secure the high
prices rather than the lower. One
h the million, We are willing to concet
something, bat we ssy to legislator
look we'll to the eventual effects befoI
y Won vote for Q bill to benefit a few hui
dred at the expense OF many millions.
The American authors ara no douI
a generous class, but while they g.
=. talking dollars and cents, it may
IT that they desire 10 rid themselves
competition quite as much as to p
money In the script of their foreit
n brethren.
~ We have no foreign text books In o
70 schools, and are not likely to have, b
r. Il would be q glorious contamination
something could bring about reasol
able prices IN these books, which no
IN are exorbitsntly high.
o We believe the foreign author shou
be paid for his work, but we belle
that the publishers mean to reap q
big end Of the profit consequent
international copyright, therefore
10 sdmonish congressman not to pass al
NJ bill which has not every safeguard tn
10 can be suggested. That the present b
10 Is not such o one we feel convince
and, therefore, think 1t should
radically amended or defeated.
II A Washington special, under date
N April Z, s~ays:-"It is understood ID
!. the house committee on rivers aud hs
a. bors have decided to appropriate S9Ot