New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-26
THE PUBLISHERS CRY.
90 HEARD FROM MR. HEINEMANN - WITH
NOTES on THE SURPRISE OF THE
AMERICAN PUBLISHER.
London, December 7.

,onn and there is no saying TO what extent
ha .neal,s for his comrades in the book business
rbo, would all agree with him. | presume, in
h;s exnressions of discomfort with the American
DOWNRIGHT Act That is the first on his long
49, If grievances The American Copyright
AZ has not done what was expected of 1t. In
LANGUAGE of which the American was supposed
% have monopoly il not copyright. MI
IIcinemann informs the British public that >" the
hoon in the book market was discounted be-
,ore the Bill took effect" / do not pause 10
ask how il is that a boom is discounted. or what
so,t OF house in Wall Street engages in such
donations Let il suffice that Mr.. 1lcinemann cX-
Mains himself as meaning that, with the eX-
oootion OF a dozen or so OF successful novel
;..s and one or two other authors. things are
,ouch "a they were in the American market be-
fore the American Copyright Bill became law.
Note also that this expert does not think the
manufacturing clause has done much harm to
The British printer, or is likely to do much
l.. in fact, likely 10 do less hereafter than
in the past II really seems as if we might
bayc been spared soIne part Of That swelling
chorus Of abuse which dcafcned us and dis
tressed rs on the first passing Of the bill
IL is the state of things in England. not in
America. which most alarms Mr. Henemann
Ia
sca. or. as lie says. with novelty, between Scylla
and Charvbdis with Charybdis. the bookseller
I shall have no space 10 deal, nor is the dispute
between the publisher and bookseller one IN
which the author or buyer of hooks has much
chance Of taking hand. Scylla is the author,
and suppose the author is also the devil, since
Cbarybdls ought to PISS for the deep sea. 1t
MAJ, NOT be clear why those for whom our
wares ale intended should be lkcned to whir-
nool any mere than il ia clear why the simlll-
,pde of 2 rock should be thought suitable for the
autbor But Mr.. IIeinemann must be left to eX
Main his o,gn metaphors; perhaps they are
custom of the trade With the authors are Jumped
the printers. papu-maNors. binders. ara
other practitioners Of the art and mystery OF book
making. All these abandoned persons are trIlh8
10 get as much for their work and wares "a they
can. and between them they make large hole
in the profts of the publisher 1t costs more u
produce books than it did and the publisher
seems 70 think he gets less for them when pro-
duced. Waves axe higher and If paper Is cheap
ifs cheopness is only temporary Where Is tHt'
nrofo1lnd economist-I think he was an American
who proved TO demonstration that WAGES nave
nothing 10 do Will the cost of any manufactures
lie would be useful at th. iaNcturc. ana com
fort 10 tie perturbe1 Mr. lIcnemann was
not Mr. David A. Wells, the Goliath Of American
Free-Trade doctrinaircs if, indeed II be pernis-
sble 10 coll David Goliath?
Pint tho authors are worse. The authors have
had the audacty to put Themselves together III
q trodcs-union." You guess at once what the
metaphorca Mr. Henemann means. lie Is a4ud-
ing 10 that thrice-accursed Society OF Authors :
"a tradesunion more complete, more dangerous
TO the employer .. more definite in its object
- s1rrr lie
Of the other unions" This j. saiciy, whether IA
accurate account of the matter or not, the higH'
es, compliment ever paid the Society; conducted
besides, with intelligence, with foresight, WIN
purity of purpose, but''-herc the reader should
pause and take a long breath" but unquestion-
ably and avowedly against the publisher 1t
is az if wicked men were to band Themselves TO-
rcther, unquestionaby and avowedly, against
Ministers Of the Gospel or Judges OF tho Supreme
Court; or a-ans, that old offender, now extinct
by the law which our British friends receive so
ungratefuly. the American Pirate
The admitted merits OF lie Society are many
hut 50 are their offences among which Mr..
IIeinemann cnumeratcs the prctcnsion - Juds"
OF the proper remuneration the authors suou"
receive. And We are told that the Americas
publishers are surprised At til" "l"tharcic att
tuder of the London publishers in presence OF
pretenson 50 monsuous rs tbs. The moral elects
upon the author are dellorahlc. one Of them
went so far a. to say 10 Mr. Ilcncmann that he
expected n royalty Of two pence in the shilling
and that 10 honest publisher would offer nm
less. That author ought ~ have been lei out
10 instant execution. Another budding novel
iSt" hal bcca assured that any publisher would
Jump at his next book at a royalty Of - per
cent. What follows is instructive:
This advance on royalty has TO my mind,
been made a subject Of serious abuse. II should
surely he given only to those established authors
who through reputation made have sort o.
good viii in their work
Authors who are not "cstablished' are, or il
Mr.. Heincmann's view oue1C to be- mere hcwers
Of wood for the publishers; the raw material Of
his profit; grateful to see their books IN print
at all. and willing to write for nothing till their
reputation Is made Saws the stern llcincmann:
Il refused 70 read Ms the other day which
came 10 nc through an agcnt-an honest one 10
wit-simpy because ne demanded an advance on
ROYALTIES for new work by IA hitherto uusuccess-
hnitcly better than anything lie had done before
How superior are the business principles of the
publisher 70 mere ordinary moraticsi The mere
ordinary outsider might think that if a new book
WAS admittedly better than former book by
the same writer. il would be worth more money.
That is Mr. IIeincmaun's view also, only he thinks
all the additional profit should 20 into the pocket
Of the publisher.
The best comment on Mr.. lIenemanns views
is supplied in advance by The Author" which
keeps the following paragraph standing, with
other good maNims at the head Of its columns
" Never forget that publishing is business,
like any other business, totally unconncctcl with
philanthropy, charity, or pure love OF literature
You have 10 do with business men. BE yourself
a business man"
If any author had any doubt on this point
before hc ought TO be convinced by Mr. llcire
mann 1t would be difficult to discover IN his
letter any touch of philanthropy charity, or
pure love Of literature
Mr.. IIeincmann's reference TO the surprise OF
american publishers at tho lethargc attitude Of
london publishers toward the Society Of Authors
gives rise 10 reflections, and TO questions. WHAT
then, is the attitude Of the American publisher
H. NJ AufhOrs a n hot