New-York tribune., 1895-08-17
CANADA AND THE COPYRIGHT
MR. BRETT SAYS A CLIQUE OF CANADIAN
PRINTERS IS BEHIND THE PRES
ENT ACT.
Is THE ACT VALID BEFORE 1T HAS REACHED THE

rs THE ACT VALID BEFORE 1T HAS REACHED THE
ENGLISH PARLIAMENT.
While all publishers agreed that there is not
the faintest shadow OF sincerity IN the Toronto
crowd who are ciamoring for specific law OF
copyright for Canada alone and independent OF
the Home Government, they are unit on another
point Also They feel that too much attenefon mas
been paid by the British Government officials 10
the great cry" unmindfu OF what n small guam
tity Of wool lies back OF It for marketing Inis
Is the vulnerable point In the situation across 'he
Northern border II Mr. Chamberlain especially
will so understand II. Possibly no one IN this
country connected with the business OF puohsn'ns
books has a wider knowledge OF all phases OIL 'ne
various issues and they are many. than mas MI
Brett Of Macmillan Co. He was ready 70 discuss
a question upon which he has spent much STUDY
In all that has been produced regarding tne si'ua
ton he said he had not as yet seen any'h'hs '"a'
seemed 10 him 10 reach the germ OF the issue
."I can" he remarked with much earnestness.
count on the fingers OF one hand the chq"e Oh
Canadian printers who are behind this law IN
fact. believe / could almost name them. and all
,n. agitation ia nothing more than the work OF
CLIQUE l was in Toronto for a number OF years
and am thoroughly conversant with the SITUATION
there and feel that am consequently more VI
less competent to speak.
The trouble is that officials whose tenure OF once
depends upon a nation which enjoys the privilege
cry OF few into demand OF their entire con-
stituency This he held. has been the trouble IN
Canada. She has ever been arrayed IN opposioo"
20 a reciprocal copyright agreement. Even oeio'e
the International Copyright bill became Ia"
Australia was acting in harmony with the Home
Government under a copyright agreement "nich
made punishable the sale OF pirated books Wheh
on a visit 10 Australia some years ago he said ne
found books on the shelves OF some OF the DOOM
sellers which came under the prohbitory act, and
ne did not hesitate to point them out Iney were
ron,n,ly removed from the shelves. and the sellers
sxnrcssed their thanks for the information. as
they would have been heavily habie IL put u All
Investigation -
Mr. Brett also raised the question during the con-
versation whether the measure as aoopteo py 'he
Dominion Government is valid before II shaii nave
received the sanction OF the English Parliament.
lie said he had been told by man whose discretion
he would he slow 10 question that such is the case.
and ~ this be So he felt there was no need OF IN
duIcing in unrestful speculation as to the ultimate
outcome Of the issue.
ut required" said ne. fifty years OF unremit'ing
labor 10 secure the passage of law in this country
and can tell you that II will require twice as long
% rst tho British Parliament to sanction an act
such as the Canadian Parliament has passed In
case II was done of course the enort OF Canaua
would then be make It retroactive. that 49, 10
make It Of effect from the date Of passage by the
Canadian Parliament"
He could not see how II would be possible 10 pro-
tect the American market from the inroads OF the
nirated editions The avenues Of entrance are so
many and OF such various kinds as to render COM
plete protection an impossibity. OF course. the
dealer would take every studied advantage 10 cover
his tracks He could buy through secret agents ana
thus accumulate large stock. and before Inc ma
chinery of the law could be set in motion to arrest
him the mischief would have been wrought for he
would have to be reached through his diferent
sources Of supply Then there the postal routes
10 be protected and people are to be watched at
every turn. He cited what he had himself seen on
the steamers that ply Lake Champlain, and IL Is
what every traveller there can see If he VIII only
look 1t was a rare thing TO find passenger who
had not in his travelling bag in his pocket or
some place about him copy OF prated booK, anu
generally one by American author.
Robert Underwood johnson, the secretary or the
American Copyright League. in the city re-
Gently and was found in the office OF the Century
Company. Said he:
Let me suggest that what Mr.. Ford proposes in
his London letter TO The Tribune as method OF
forcing rejection OF the Canadian copyright has
already been done. .
had written 10 Secretary Gresham on the subject,
and on the 18th of the same month he had received
q response from the Secretary informing him tnat
NJ Bayard had been instructed to take suitable
action What action was actually taken Mr john
son was in position TO say In speaking fur
ther on the question he said 1t was not so much
question of copyright II Is Of the relations or
Canada the British Empire. This act OF the
Dominion Government he contended simply legal
ICES piracy. "In days" he continued.
I'VE nsver gave anybody letters Of marque to prey
upon the literature Of another country, although. OF
course, II done"