The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-03-29
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, }
sS +. 17th ST., New YORK. :
March lAth 1890 Y

March l4:h, 1890.
EDITOR lNTELLIoENoER, Lexington,
Mo, Dear Sir:-l have Just read your
editorial on international Copyright in
the issue OF the ln'elligencer of the lst
of March, and il seems TO me go candid
in spirit, that AM sure it will not be
time thrown away for me 10 call your
! attention to what | think may safely
be said To be errors OF statement or of
Inference in the article ot which, In
general, authors could have nothing to
complain, 20 alive do You seem to the
ethical question involved.
Considering your political affilia-
tions, II will, perhaps, be sufficient, In
order to get your attention, TO inform
you that the present bill has the advo-
cacy OF such eminent democrats as Mr..
Cleyelaud, Mr.. Hewitt, the two Breck-
inridges, Mr.. Wilson, ,oi West Virginia,
Senators Hampton and Butler. of South
Carolina, Senator Morgan.o OF Alabama,
and many others. Many OF the authors
ana publishers who advocate il entirely
share your views on the tariff question,
and are looking forward to a consid-
cradle modification OF our tariff system
at the present day. At the same time,
we hold that this Is In no way to be
| regarded as tariff question. The tariff
| OH books Is not In any way effected,
| and the protection which authors ask
| for Is not the protection Oh the custOm's
officer, but the protection of the police
| man.
You are certainly right in believing
that good reading matter at low price
is greatly to be desired; SO ore many
other cheap, good things; but as u
member of the party that has always
opposed paternalism in the govern.
ment, we are surprised TO find YOU
advocating that il Is part of the duty
OF congress TO provide cheap literature
for the people; If cheap literature, then
cheap bread cheap SHOES. .chesp clothes,
etc. Bear In Iaind that il Is only cheap,
foreign literature that iE thus procured,
aid II is procured by the denial OF the
ethical principle underlying all labor,
that men should be entitled to q fair
return for the iabors OF their profes-
sional lives, Now were one 10 rise i'll
the legislature of Missouri, aud to pro-
pose that cheup English histories of
America should be substituted Tor
American histories, simply because the
former could be- obtained more cheaply
by paying nothing to the an,hor, ,would
there be second to such propcsitio II
And yet is not this the present situation
with regard TO fiction, which is almost
the whole oi the body OF cheap litera-
inrey The cheap market being given
over TO the publisher of foreign novels
by tho advantage of having TO pay
uUtbing TO the anttiJr, the American
publisher cannot ut American litera-
lure before our own audience. The
consequence Is that onr people are led
upon foreign ideas Instead of having
the benefit of stroag native literature
intoxicating knowledge OF, and respect
for, our own i"Siitutions, Surely all
nations shou d re ID few OF the clas-
sics OF all other nations, bnt is it not
best that each nation should have in It's
national life the basis Of national liter
atnre2
AS to cheap literature, il hos come
to stay in his country. The msga-
zines (Which pay tor every word they
publish) are the cheapest literature in
the world. These and the Sunday
newspapers and the whole present,
foreign literature OF the world, Uhe
price of which is not effected by the
biIl) and, last of sill. u large number OF
the standard American works, the
copyright of which is expiring, will
continue TO be cheap, and In the face
of competition with them 10 'Ftrust''
could live six months. More than this,
there are many publishers in the coun.
try who are awaiting the passage OF
this bill in the hope OF getting chance
| with the American books at an Ameri-
can cheap market. Heretofore, the pres
ent situation has compelled them to
publish eXp9nsiveiy for small market
rather than cheaply Tor a large one.
Publishers must save themselves, and
il ls not In the interest OF tho country
that any legi inmate business should be
conducted at u loss.
| Moreover, will you kindly bear in
mind that among the publishers now
advocating the present copyright bill
are the bulk Of the printers of the cheap
libraries, which are supposed to be
such boon to the country. 1t is ex-
cessive competition that produces
trusts, and the excessive competition
in this case has been in the uncopy.
righted books. All the cheap libraries
have lsIely lost money, and it Is they
aud not the copyrighted publishers,
who would be forced into such com
bination. But should such Il combiua
ton be formed, il could not be main
tanned. Publishers would be great
fools TO shut their eyes to the eXtraor-
dinarv demand for cheap books II they
publ!gh them exp, nsivCiy they will lie
on their shelves, and thus they will be
forced TO print them cheapIy. II the
theory OF the opponents be true, why
do not the magazine publishers com.
bine to put up the price OF tho maga- =
zines to Atty ceHtsI Simply for the
same reasons that would prevent book
trust Mey l also say 10 you that the
proportion IF three TO ope In the pub.