Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-17
BRITISH AUTHORS CELEBRATE.
The Passage of ahe International CopyriCh
Bill the Cause for CONCENTRATION.

The Passage Of ahe International Copyright
Bill the Cause for ConEratulatIon.
The Society Of Authors celebrated the adop-
sion OF the American copyright act Inst evening
with dinner ut the Hotel Metropole in Lon
don. Lord Monkswell was in the chair and
among those present were Mr.. Robert 7. Lin
coin. the United States minister; Prof. Huxley
Mr.. Bryce, NJ p; VIM. Black. Bret Harte, Wall
ter Pater, Lewis Morris. c. d. Warner. Louise
Moulton Brander Matthews, Thomas Hardy
Walter Besant, Sir F. Pollock Edmond Goss
Rider Hagsard, Max O'Rell. Canon Doyle, f.
W. Westall, Theo. Watts Mrs. Oscar Beringer.
Oscar Wilde, Justin Mccarthy and son. Mrs
Mona Card, ". C. Wills, Oscar Browning and
Augustine Birrcll.
Lord Monkswell in toasting President Har-
rison and the success of the copyright act
commented upon the friendly feeling shown
by President Harrison in extending at once
without demur the act to England. lie
thought that clauses existed in the act to
which exception might be taken. Yet. sub
stantially, the United States had gone as far
as could reasonably be expected under the
circumstances in meeting the wishes of
England. He hoped no vestige of irritation
or annoyance would remain either on the
part OF England or on the part Of America to
cloud the perfect understanding that ought to
subslst between tie two peoples SO closely
allied by blood and SO worthy of one another's
friendship. ICheers.l
MIsIsTER LINcoLS's REMARKS
Minister Lincoln replied: 1T is great honor
to me to have an opportunity of meeting at
once 30 many who are devoting their ener-
gies and talents to the instruction and literary
entertainment Of the great English speaking
race. 1t is an especial pleasure to do SO under
the circumstances which made this dinner of
the Society of Authors peculiarly notable to
you In signalizing the end of the impotence
which has existed so many years on both sides
OF the water over the delay i'll establishing
proper relations between the copyright laws OF
England and those of the United States 1t ia
not strange that this impotence existed. for
while our governments differ in form the
duties. rights and privileges of the people OF
both nations are nearly identical. With their
common language. and for the most part COM
mon origin, their equally divided civilization,
their aspirations and modes of thought make
them almost one race in the history OF the
world [Cheers
Under these conditions it long seemed to
many-among them myself-almost arbitrary
and unreasonable to keep i'll force rule of
law which denied in each country to the
authors of the other and to them alone of all
the people carrying on the numberless active
professions and trades of our present ciyiliZa-
ton. the property rights which each accorded
To Its own citizens or to resident authors. In
States, speak i'll view of the fact that it has
only just now become certain that Il non-rcsi-
Oent alien friend may have tho benefit of the
English copyright law, and that the first Off
cml and conclusive declaration to that effect
has been called forth by our American act
between our countries, TO far greater degree
than between those using different Ian cuGgcs.
has the question OF reciprocal copyright been
a practical one. Consequently opposing in
teIests have been more numerous than power
-ul IN the nature OF things. The adhesion
reached not very long ago by various countries
under the provisions Of the BerEe convention
was far more easily attained than the great az
rangcment just brought about between Eng
land and the United States. l am one of those
who long thought it ought TO be made
Il am neither an author nor a publisher but
as practlcIng lawyer it has never been diff
cult for me to feel the justice of myself being
PAID for written argument-at least for a sue
cessful onc-irrespective of any question of
nationality of the client. What thought Just
for myself could hardly think unjust for any
man OF any nation or any geographical remote
ness from whose mental labor derived profit
or pleasure. Then. too, i'll feeling this but
followed the lead of almost every living author
OF high repute III my own country in wishing
them, and especially their younger brethren
struggling for their proper places, to be re-
heved from the involuntary competition Of un-
compensated foreign authors. SO take away
the huge obstacles i'll the path of our literary
progress. This is not the time for threshing
over what is now only old straw, but for an ex-
change OF fluctuations over the harvest which
we believe both Of our countries will share
[Cheers.
1T is beside the real question to speculate in
what proportion division may be made. II is
enough that YOU and your American brothers
VIII no longer see the fruit of your labor reaped
by others Ii there is no other benefit to the
pubic at large than an easier conscience much
Will be gained. But heartily believe that this
Is not all that has been provided for for by
these contemporaneOus acts of justice to au-
thors-the declaration of your government and
the new legislation of nine-there is not oaly
removed II CAUSE of international irritation
but new stimulus to study literary is given
and will be long felt on both sides of tn. ATTAIN
TIC. L am sure you will all join with me in
hoping for this new phase of our community of
interest and Ill the anticipation that we will
nnd renewed assurance OF an extension in
other directions of that good will and under
standing which is 30 important to both coun-
tries, and which it is especially fitting should
exist between them" ICheers
letter from Lord Tennyson was read. in
which he said: ''In the name of the united
kingdom our society congratulates the United
States on their great act of Justice
Mr.. Bryce toasted the American Copyright
League. Brander Matthews responded Prof
Mimic proposed American literature" to
which Mr. Warner replied