New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-15
,sY CABLE TO rHs rRIBUssJ


rop,r,qht 1895, BY The Trfbuns Assoefsffoa.
London, Sept H-sir Charles Tupper is known
in London as a Canadian lingo; hence his bonn
ba site speech at Toronto declaring that Cana
dams have a right to misgovern themselves X
they choose in the natter of copyright as In thae
Of tariffs and everything else. is not taken seri-
ously. His arrogant bearing toward the man OF
letters who has been conferrng with the Colo
nial Office on the subject and who desires TO
present the case OF the British authors and pub
fishers at Ottawa is condemned as breach OF
good taste and common sense. II Mr. Han Caine
pays an early visit TO Canada after his arrival
In New-York 1t will be because the Colonial
Office has urged him to do so and has armed him
with letters to the Governor-General For sif
Charles Upper TO proclaim in advance that no
can have officially nothing to do with him or any
other English author is alike premature and
stupid
Besides. Sir Charles when he spoke, had not
apparently received the right cue from Mr.. New
combe the Deputy Minister of Justice. who has
been dining with the Colonial Secretary In Lon
don and suggesting changes in the proposed
draft Of a new Canadian Copyright act The text
of the official memorandum is not disclosed here.
but It Is not unlikely that It will be compro-
mise which will satisfy Canadians rather than
Americans It Is not improbable that the COM
promise contains an academic assertion OF the
principle of copyright. and then. In practice
whittles II down and frtters It away in licens-
ing clauses In favor Of Canadian printers Mr..
Newcombe has not been idle in London. The
draft which he takes back with him. while pre-.
pared by the Colonial on, on lines suggested
by British authors. has doubtless been altered
materially in the interest Of Canada. Sir Charles
Tupper may be readily reconcied to it II the
6rd fbat how q
of It as a means Of reaching the American
market
The subject is attracting much attention here
Henry Kleinau who represents great French
publishing house in London has written q
strong letter 10 The Tines." giving warning
that the concession. once made In favor OK
Canada, could not be withheld from Australia
and other colonies, and that France. Germany
and other parties to the Berne agreement would
have just cause for complaint II partial and
one-stded exceptions were introduced. He ASKS
In what position British authors would be II
such important bookmaking centres Of Germany
as the Kingdoms Of Saxony. Bavaria and Wur.
tennburg determined to free themselves from tho
convention accepted at Berne for the whole or
Germany He predicts that piracy will soon
again be the order OF the day II Canada be ex-
cepted from the operation Of that convention
Of 81 Canada has a right to misgovern ITSELF
and by giving a years notice can withdraw from
the Berne convention and egisate for itself on
copyright In theory ne would be right. for In
the Imperial act copyright was not specified as
a subject which the Canadian Parllamene
might not legslate. and the Berne convention
has been accepted by the Dominion. with the
proviso that il can withdraw on years notice.
In practice it will be a bad precedent to
allow Canada to drive a coach and four through
the Berne convention for the sake Of enabling
few printing houses Of Toronto and Montreal
to flood the American market with cheap editions
and thereby expose the friends OF copyright IN
the United States to a dangerous agitation for
the repeal Of the present act. Ambassador Bay.
ard ought to be instructed from Washington to
say something emphatic on the question.
Two English journal, have replied this week "a
The Tribunes recent article on the Nicaragua
Canal and the Monroe Doctrine. THE St James's
Gazette contends that Great Britain is an Amer.
lean as we'll as a European and Asiatic power.
and that Its commerce gives II a title TO share
in the management of any new waterways Of the
world The Nicaragua Canal will unite the At
lant.c and Pacific coasts OF the British Empire;
the West Indies with the East Indies. and Eng
land and Scotland with Australia and Asia:
hence tndt canal, according 10 tnls view, stdnuo
on the same level as the Suez Canal and must
not be allowed to pass under the paramount
financial or political control OF a single foreign
power The parallel would seem almost too direct
for the English Jingoes purpose The Suez Canal
Is virtually under the financial and political con.
troll OF the Government which garrisons Egypt.
England has assumed over that canal paramount
rights which THE Gazette asserts never he
exercised by the United States on the American
continent
THE Manchester Courier" also takes a smilas
line OF comment and referring TO the seizure Of
Cornto declares that Lord Rosebery did not care
a brass button about the Monroe Doctrine. and
that the United States had sense enough not to
interfere. Mr.. Cleveland and Mr. Bayard do not
seem to have succeeded in inspiring respect for
the Monroe Doctrine in England.
The public discussion OF the ..mericas Cup
races has been temperate In the main. The first
race was accepted generally by the press as q
signal proof that the Defender was the better
boat In light weather. The Valkyries victory
when announced excited no feeling OF exultation,
since the Defender had been crippled at the
start yet had been defeated only by narrow
margin When the race given 10 the De-
fender on account OF foul!ns little resentment
was expressed by the leading journals. Lord
| Dunraven's withdrawal from the third race was
commented upon by nearly all as a neces-
sary result of the conditions which are as
sumed to have rendered test Of the
| powers Of the rival yachts impossible A large
majority OF the writer's. including all fair-mlnded
critics. admit that the Defender suffered as much
as the vakyrie from the conduct Of the steam
ers. and that there was ground for complaint
that any vessel interfered Intentionally or that
the committee was unfair In its Judgments The
main contention is that Lord Dunraven was
justified In his first demand that some other
course should be selected so as to elude the
curiosity OF sightseers, and that. long as the