The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-20

inevitable evils. So long as you have the
American continent to subdue and people,
do not suppose you will change much
in your ethical standards"
''Are You still engaged i'll the production
of books?"
Eyes, and want to say to you that
shall not take advantage of the new
American copyright law. | shall continue
to do rs | have done heretofore. | shall
send over to America the stereotype plates
of my books and have them printed there
without seeking for any protection from
the American government. This new law
is really prejudical to the interests of
grave literature. The tendency always is
for the graver books to he swamped in the
flood of light literature; and Just in pro-
portion as the arrangements are such
as tempt :. publishers to push the
that proportion are the books of the
graver kind likely to he more swamped
than they are now. With this copyright
law, it will pay the American publisher
less than before to take up books of kind
which are OF doubtful sale. The fatal de-
feet in the law Is that it puts the author or
publisher TO the expense of a double man.
ufacture in supplying two communities
In these two communities there are So
100000 of people. In America about 10000
of these ito make a liberal estmate) are
engaged in setting type for reproduction
of English publications, and for the sake
of benefiting these 1900 the law compes
the 100000 to pay higher price for their
books Insofar as the new law recognizes
the proprietary rights of an author, it
may be accepted as q good step in the
right direction, but there will have TO
be a change before the literature which
deserves protection can gain any benefit
from it. Instead of encouraging the I'M
known author and the author of serious
~ H Z
gain due recognition than it was before.
Under this American law the publisher
will seek out the man who has made his
name; he will buy the popular authors
works and distribute them very widely.
and meantime the rising man will be left
to his own devices. The general effect will
be to multiply the reproduction of books
which have no serious influence upon the
world, and TO discourage those who write
books of instruction"
about American literatue?"
81 have read very little"
what about American"
81 believe it has a grand future, but I
think that there will come great deal of
tribulation before that future is realized. -
About the position that woman is likely
to take in the bringing about of better
thingS?"
ION that point thoroughly agree that
all careers in life shall be left omen to
woman 10 succeed or not to succeed as
they can, but do not agree to giving them
political power"
But are they not underpad?"
We'll. the pay must be proportional tn
the work they do. 1t will adjust itself to
the goodness of the production. That
cannot be prevented"
The conversation then turned unon
other and lighter topics. As | left him
Mr.. Spencer asked for typewriter copv
of the interview, that he might revise il
before publication. The above is Just as
it came to me after revision.
DAVID WECHsIER.
OF Mr.. Spencer's daily life the general
public knows little. He lives verv COM
fortably near Regents park and is happv
in the companionship of q few old friends
and his books. He is now, as he has ever
been, a great reader. He travels about in
q leisurelv wav, and often writes some
stirring articles for the newspapers or mag
azines. But in the main his is quiet
life He dimes away from home often.
and sometimes goes 10 great banquets and
places of amusement. Life is very pleas-
ant To him. He is still on the sunny side
ofthe road, and in perfect healty. He has
been honored by having his works extens-
lively translated All are rendered into
French, many into German, Russian, Ital-
ian. Spanish, Hungarian, Greek, japanese
and Chinese. Many offers of academic
honors have come 10 him. but all have
been declined. The old philosopher sits
calmly in the twilight of life, watching the
struggles of Others who must soon take IN
the work that has been his lite's duty.