The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-19
AUTHOR And
PUBLISHER.
Conflicting Views on the Copy
right Law.
An Important Trades Union Victory In Lon
don COurtS-A Decision Affecting
the Conduct Of Strikes.


New YORK. July 1S,-Smalley's London
cable to the Tribune says: Two events Of
interest in the history of Anglo American
copyright occurred this week. The Society
of Authors gave dinner at the Whitehall
rooms in celebration, as they described it,
of the American International Copyright
Act. and the British printers presented
themselves in force to the President of the
Board of Trade and tried TO destroy the
copyright for which the authors express
their gratitude. The London press gives
little space to these proceedings, per-
haps because Of the absence of
persons of rank. The effort to break
up the existing copyright law between
England and America is powerfully sup
ported. The deputation Wednesday to the
President of the Board of Trade shows how
powerfully. It embraces the London and
Edinburgh Chambers of Commerce, the
London Trades Council, stationery COM
panies, the Copyright Association and a
dozen leading societies. The printers and
allied trades surely never before were
banded together in pursuit of the same end.
The combination is formidable one, but
neither the combination nor Sir John Lub-
book, nor Cloves and others who spoke for
these various associations made much i'm
preston on the hard, good sense of Sir
Michael Hicks-Beach. What they want is
a bill TO exclude from British copyright all
books printed from type not set within the
country belonging to the International Copy
right Union, which Of course would exclude
America.
SPOTS
Sir Michael saw the point at once and
asked them whether they had legal opiEion
that under such bill the Americans would
have the same rights in England as the
English had in America. They had no
answer ready. Sir Michael had. British
authors, he told his deputaton, will lose the
American copyright. He put his finger on
other weak spots, pointing out especially
that their province related only to the
printing of books. and saying that he was
advised that book printing, or that part of it
which American competition can affect is
not more than per cent of the whole print
ing business Of England. Some of them
dissented, but the President of the Board of
Trade adhered to his figure. That single
statement, if confirmed, will upset this
foolish attempt England is not going to
sacrifice her authors TO prevent printers
from losing an unknown, but probably small
percentage on less than one-twentieth of
their entire earnings. American free
traders are responsible for much of what
trouble there is. Their windy nonsense has
misled the Briton into believing that there
is a body of American opinion strong
enough to secure the repeal Of the printing
clauses.
A UNION VICTORY
Trade unioniSm has won considerable Of
a victory in the law courts, where a strong
bench of Judges has unanimously decided
the question of intimidation in a way which
leaves unions free to coerce non-union work
ingmen by almost every means short of yIo-
lenee. 1t is decision which will have a
far-reaching effect on the struggle between
labor and capital, and the next great strike
will be conducted on lines much broader
than have yet been SEEN II this be the law,
it is a law that will likely not be altered, for
legislation in this country is timid, and
neither political party cares offend the
workmen, who are a majority of the cleo
torate.
sALIsBURY's HOME RULE VIEW.
Lord Salisbury has condensed into an cpl
gram his view of the history of home rule.
''It began as agrarian speculation. 1t
has now become clerical conspiracy. The
agrarlan speculation depends for its sup
port on American gold. That has failed"