Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-09-20


oeHgn dts This IS the Law which should
hs insisted on, not only Ia the conduct
III individuals 10 one another. bat also
u tae conduct " the state % indiyidnals
One 90 the nancoEamittaHts OF the dis
regkrd II that fundamental principle Is
keSn II your admiration for smart
nea- A saart uaa i by the very con-
eePtion 81 him = man who does net re-
gard eonscisntiously the claims Of 9TH
ers-who endeavers 20 obtain from
them some OF the legitimate results Of
their activities which should remain
" It'll them. and which in an indirect
way he fiiches from them In fact In =
society Ia which there was a complete
recognition and endorsement Of the
principle specified. there would be no
place for smart men.s
..Are not what are called the poor
classes better educated and better
clothed to-day than they were before?''
They may be better educated In a
sense-know more OF grammar. history.
geography. etc, hut they are not edu-
Gated IA the least in all matters that
concern society"
1T has been said tina. this Is partly
'due 10 the fact that the preacher aud
the church have not done their duty"
''Weu, the church insists upon all
forms expressive of religious subordina-
ton, and disregards the essential prin-
eiples which the creed enunciates. At
the same time that they are having here
weeks of prayer and early services and
reading their Bibles before breakfast.
they are countenancing. and participant
ing in, fiIibUstering expeditions all over
the world and appropriating the lands
Of other people. That is To say, they
are disregarding the essential princi-
pies of their religion. while they pro-
fess anxiety to propagate them"
What man, the preacher, the author
or editor, is going to help our people
most?"
Teaching does little. The discipline
OF life does everything. There Is
nothing To do but TO insist upon the
carrying on of life in a thoroughly
honest, conscientious way, and repro
batting everything that does not conform
TO high standard of conduct. But do
not see much hope OF change in this
direction while your material develop
ment Is going on 1T so great rate. In
n society like yours, ambition inevitably
! takes the direction of acquiring wealth,
and the struggle for this brings newt
able evils. So long as you have the
American continent to subdue and
people, l do not suppose You will
/ change much in your ethical stand
| sris."
Are you still engaged in the produc-
ton OF books?"
Yes, and want to say to you that
shall not take advantage of the new
American copyright law. shall con
tinue TO do as have done heretofore
/ shall send over TO America the stereo
type plates of my books, and have then
printed there, without seeking for any
protection from the American govern
raent- This new law is really preju
dicialto the interest of grave literature
The tendency always is FOR the gravel
books to be swamped in the food o.
Light literature; and just in proportion
as the arrangements are such as temp
publishers to push the sale of ligh
literature, just in that proportion ar,
the books of the graver kind likely t.
DC more swamped than they are now
With this copyright law, it viii pay thu
American publisher less than before t
take up books of a kind which are O
doubtful sale. The fatal defect in tn,
law is that it puts the author or pub
Usher to the expense OF double manu-
facture in supplying two communities
In these two communities there ar
so millions of people. In Americ,
about 10000 of these Ito make liberia
estimate) are engaged in setting typ
for reproduction of English publica
tons, and for the sake of benefitin
these 1e,0oo the law compels the s
millions to pay a higher price for thei
books. In SO far as the new Law
recognizes the proprietary rights of al
author, it may be accepted as goo'
step in the right direction, but Their
viii have to be a change BE
fore the literature which &c
serves protection can gain an
benefit from il. Instead OF encour
aging the unknown author and tn
author OF serious books, this Law
makes il harder for him to gain du
recognition than II was before. Unde
this American law the publisher vii
seek out the man who has made hi
name; he viii buy the popular author
works and Distribute them very widely
and meantime the rising man will
left TO his own devices. The genera
effect win be 70 multiply the reproduc
ton Of books which have no serious in
fiuerce upon the world, and to discour
age those who write books of instruc
ton"
about American literature?"
81 have read very little"
"What about American"
s'I believe IL has grand future, but
think that there will como great dea
Of tribulstion before the future is real
lied"
About the position that woman /
likely to take in the bringing about o
better thinrs2"
''On that point I thoroughly agre
that oil careers in life shall be left opcl
~ women % succeed or not TO succce,
as they can. but do not agree to givinl
them political power"
"Bat are they not underpaid?"
well. the pay must be proportione,
10 the work they do. Ii viii adjust II
self to Tire goodness of the production
That cannot be prevented.
The conversation then turned upo,
other and lighter topics. As left hin
Mr. Spencer asked for q tvpe-writte,