New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-20
COLONIAL LEGISLATION AND INTERNA TIONAL
COPYRIGHT.

To he printed In Harpers Weekly OF tomorrow.
Considerable interest has been aroused amonl
British authors and publishers ,he canadian
copyrightsact OF 1888 This act was "assented 10
May b l TO Some " of the
At the request OF the imperial Government.
S to d:scnss he eoPyrsn question
perial authorities. and in the mean time prociama
The particular provision OF this act which Is mos
Objectionable to the British autnof ana ohan
ing copyright; In Canada. that book; etc. sha
printed and ou
default OF which any Canadian printer may Jaw
fully print ana ae sseny the to pay to the author
royalty OF 10 per cent upon the re'a' price oi SUM-
ished in one Of the British colonies. copyrighi
hrouehout the imperial DOMAIN may Du I in
each Of the cololies Witch . would be especially
question OF more general importance: u the
right OF Colonial leg station upon copyrsno y. man
The act of 1859 above referred to. contains this
provision. limiting the persons who may obtain
Amy person domiciled in Canada. or in am, part
country which has int arnatioral copyright treaty
with the United Kingdom; In which Canada Is In
Guided who is the author. etc.
This raises the question whether citizens OF the
United States could. obtain copyright in Canada
even by printing and publishing there. for there Is
no international copyright treaty between the
United states and the United kingdom.
There can be little doubt that II the absolute right
Of Canada to legislate upon copyright Is admitted
by the imperial Government, the United States in,
tsrnaiiona Copyright Jaw cannot long endure and
Canadian market. considered market for Cana
Canadian market considered az a vantage-ground
from which to send unauthorized reprints into the
United States is of very serious consequence.
This presents practical questions which have al
Of ofady of %
Heretofore the propretors OF United states copy
rights have had the aid Of our Treasury Depart
ment in preventing the Importation into the. United
States Of unauthorized reprints of their works com
the oces a have in fairy
maintaining MAJ their copyright properly or course
frontier gives special aee for TIE passing
the United States Of the garbed and trashy reprints
has had his market fairly fee from them The The
importation of such copies being unlawful, and in
aided by the Treasury Department. have had prac-
ical facilities for protecting their rights and seldom
BY this new ruling, however. the Treasury De-
partment has taken the position In effect. that
not more than two copies of a work are imported.
and that in such cases, if the copies imported are
for relief TO the courts. and bring his
action for the forfeiture Of the copies and for dam
poorest quality. and sell for about twenty-five cents
each. the duty upon them Is also RENTED under
The effect of this ruling which was promugat ted
last spring. has already been felt In the market
anu lHt reprints HOW De readily
obtained. Indeed under such circumstances this
could not be otherwise. 1t is well known that the
Talchnitz reprints find their way through English
custom houses in great numbers. Notwithstanding
the earnest efforts OF the customs officers to pre-
vent il, aided by the publishers who honestly de-
sire that the importation into England of such
reprints should not take Place.
Unless our Treasury Department recedes from its
present position, and co-operates with the authors
as heretofore. the Unauthorized Canadian reprints
will seriously endanger the market value OF all
domestic copyrights. and materially reduce the
profits OF authors.
This extraordinary ruling of Secretary Carlisle
could we think be reversed proper presenta-
ton and surprised at the Indifference so
far shown by American authors to the Injurious
significance of the ruling