New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-20
THE AUTHOR.
WITH NOTES on COPYRIGHT AND FURTHER
REMARKS ON THE PROPOSED SOCI-
ETY. OF AMERICAN AUTHORS.


in The Author" for January:
An American writ,s to demonstrate with ap
EXPRESSION used in The Author 1t described
the DOWNRIGHT Law asa Printers Protection Act
He points out that the printers are no more pro-
tected than they were before. This is quite true;
the expression should not have been used we
regret that it used
This handsome acknowledgment OF error might
stand as a precedent to future English critics OF
the American Copyright Law do not know thas
!. will I have had to point ont before now how
| nrudoing and ungracious much Of the English
comment on our Act Of Atonemcnt mas oeen
The Society of Authors was conspicuous eNceP
tion.. and still is. With respect 10 o'her crn.os
the American has to remember tliat tne so-0"hea
ORGANS of public opinion in THIS country aie' ioi
tho most part, organs OF comnierciai oPi pa
a.iIv Make known to them new policy OK
now act in foreign country. anu '"e'r %
,houobt will he, How does it atiect bii''Sh
go, 49, Tho American Copyright Act affected TWO
pi,isb trades the trade of authorship winch -
,Grnd and the trade Of printing WHICH
" oJ lil,eIv 70 iniurc. Whcreupoh "e
;, omnowered TO speak in the name oil 'ie
nsih nublic made a calculation. lhey Iouho or
,houoht they found, that the injury to the printer
and IN allied trades was greater fhah inc oe"e"'
| IN tho author. They computed thao o"e 'N'
,.a ont of rho country to pay American printers
I'D no y greater sum than the money broughs
into the country by American payments 10 hhehSn
| an,bors The balance would be against 'nis cum
,r,, That was enough. They turned upon 'Ne manu-
that was 10 feed them, because IL WAS h"' :" W.
others also, and the press OF inns county -
,.;.h ancrv comments on tine Act for when 'hese
same men had for years been ciaiii'' i's "-' -'0'
clamorlng. L. -, ,hasa
,n,;o outbursts The best notice we can take
20 tl,cn is TO reDeat and repeat tnaO 'he ciau'e'
., the Act to which they object are permanent
clauses. that the Act could not nave peeh Paseeu
| without them and ought not 10 nave pee" 'naV
American printers are, in fact no nio'c P'o.0'""
than they were before, but also no less anu ehdO
| 700 do not look forward with regret or shame 10
| the nrospect that some English poohs VIII NC
printed in America, but, on the contrary, r'Jo'e
in II. lust as the English themselves wo"io ieIoce
il they saw "a prospect Of doing some oil our PRINT
ing for us Mr.. Bcsant in the Iaseage ~san "
mating spcaks. | am confident, for the great
body OF English authors There may ne among
Them some to whom the dogma OF Free lrahe IS
de,rer than Justice, deArer than their own nights
dearer than friendship with America; but appre-
bond not MANY There are not in England. as
,bere are unhappily in America, men ready 10
sacrifice the interests OF their country TO an eco
nomical theory rejected by the whole ciVlll1eo
world England alone excepted
When the American Society OF Authors gets IT.
self founded il will find the English Society ready
| to cooperate with it. Il am sure writes ME-
| Hesant. that | can pledge my Council to WORK
with the American Society in every way possible
| The number of ways possible will be large Inc
two Societies together will DE more than Twice dr.
powerful more than twice as useful, as cach oci'J
| senarately. They will have many interests IN
| common. The experience OF each Will pe uSciui
| 70 the other. The methods OF publishing are not
tbc same m the two countries, There arr diner
ences in principle and differences in detail Oom'
| parisops will lie to the advantage OF ooth.
| The American publisher is at least as goDd man
~ business as his English cousin. perhaps better.
Such American publishing contracts as nave
eenI refer u the printed forms in Use by leading
| American hou,es-are more elaborate than the
| Enrlsh-more hedged about with restrlctlons.
| conditions. oualiications-with limiting clauses
~ all kinds all in the interest OF the publisher, IL
| not 10 the detriment of the author i dont douDo
| they are meant 10 be fair. But they are meaho
primarily to protect the publisher who framed
| ,hem-he and his lawyer together-and not inc
author TO whom they are presented Tor signature.
and who too often signs them as matter OF
| course. The publisher thinks 1t his ousihess I"
| look after his own side Of the bargain Nooooy
need quarrel with him for that. Nor need It, y"
his part quarrel with the author II The looks a''e'
| Lis side. whether individually or collectively.
| 7 don't know that he does quarrel, or tha' IL
obiects 70 the formation of an American Society
| -, ,,tbors II he does he is out of court "ha'
| tro, nublishcr can object 10 seeing the authors
| i. rsbts secured to him? An American society
- ,ntGor, will no more be hostile TO the honest
| hlbcr than is the English society. III IL
iociotv for defence not for aggression. IL aims
first Of all TO put the author and puonsher Oh al
| ,ualitv in matters of business lhey are NV
| I an snuaEtv The publisher has
| o,,orv advantage The author, as RUE Ano"s
ro,bing OF any business. ana hotnlnS VA
| tho publishing business in particular. i'e si-
contract drawn up by the publisher ana ~" ~ ~
| most cases bhndiom. ,hor
| The Society. if it is to he heplu ~ ''e i,t
will he managed by men oil puSlicSS "'''
| ,,no,,,.do. Of the publishing business lUN h"".
w.. MI, tnoyv what the intricate provisions OF
rho nublisher's formulas mean. They axe a soo'
| ,; read over one Of them no'
| LON, since-au American frm-with an eNpei~
| r.rhans have seen a. many of these documents -
| nos, mon but at every step had 10 pun "s
| ouestions: What does this mean "h"o -,
T, 49,, of this clause ?"" What is the prac'io~'
.scctPr What is the publishers soIec' IL 'D'' -
that stipulation p .e, than
The practical difficulties were much grea'ei u', -
| tho local The contract represented on ule pun
usher's side, the accumulated experience o, se So
atoms. The precautions the publisher had 'aS. =,
were such as thousands of eases had susseorI "a
him. Everything had been forcseen' No'nins i.'
been left to chance All contingencies even ".
most remote, were provided for Now, aSN ~
Is there an author living who couid si' uowA 49, 49,,
take such q contract rs that TO pieces e,'"
the provisions which bore too hardly Oh hiu' ',T,
insert in his own behalf all the a'esua'u'
,',a,, ,ho ,,hlisher in his behalf had surrounded
l.