New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-06
PUBLISHER AND AUTHOR.
AN ADDRESS AT STATIONERS' HALL WITH
MUCH THAT WAS LEFT UNSAID.


There Is no lack Of organization in the literary
profession and allied trades in England. The
authors have their Incorporated society, with COM
mittees OF directors, legal advisers and journal
OF their own The booksellers have their organi-
cation with ample facilities for making their in
fuence felt whenever their interests are menaced
from any quarter. The publishers are united IN
q powerful association in which every great Lon
don house is represented. The literary agents
may also be said to have highly Centralized
organization for A. p Watt. the pioneer
in this field Of enterprise, controls the business
and has large body of clients. chiefly noVehs's'
If the relations between the writers. makers ana
sellers Of books in England are not harmonious
and satisfactory from every point of view. 1t Is
not from lack of concerted and associated EFFORT.
The newest Of these associations Is the pub
nshers' which has been holding what Is prac-
ticaly an inaugural meeting this week. with
an address from the president. Mr.. c. j. Long
man. All the principal publishers were present
and the presidents address was received with
high favor as embodying the raison detre OF the
association. On that account 1t may be well 10
present a comprehensive summary Of II.
The first topic which Mr. Longman took up
was that Of a satisfactory law OF copyright Ihis
he described as the prime need of all who were
copyright which he wished to see was one which
should have four salient features. 1t should De
easy to comprehend, liberal IN its provisions to
the producers Of literature. universal In its APP
plication, and capable Of being readily enforced.
From copyright he passed to the relations De-
tween publishers and authors. which, he dis
cussed with conservatism and tact, admitting
that differences must arise from time to time,
but expressing confident hope that II would be
in the power Of the new association to minimize
them and to render them easier Of arrangement.
He suggested that the association would do well
to take up the suggestion Of agreements and TO
draw up model forms designed to cover all the
usual terms on which books were published. He
recommended cooperation with the Society or
Authors in the preparation Of these forms and
In the same conciatory spirit touched upon the
necessity for cordial relations between the pub
Usher and the retail bookseller.
MR. LONGMAN's TACT.
So benevolent was the tone Of this admirable
address that It must have been difficult for Mr.
Longman's associates to realize either that there
had ever been any feeling Of antagonism among
themselves in the keen rivaries of trade, or
that authors and booksellers had ever imagined
that they had a grievance. The name or the
literary agent, who has sometimes been repre-
scented as a revolutionary person creating dis
cord and undermining confidence. was not so
much as mentioned. The Society of Authors
whose official journal has often been considered
unduly candid. II not aggressive, In the ex-
position of the grievances and wrongs Of lit
erary workmen. was only mentioned In terms OF
praise as a possible ally In the good cause OF
peace and harmony. Mr. Longman was master
OF the art Of amenities in literature. AS he
which a good deal of hard hitting and re-
elimination has been exchanged in the past.
there seemed to be a new heaven and new
earth In which altruism the leading mo-
tive. and in which publishers, authors and book
sellers were united in bonds Of common fellow
ship
The effect Of this address was similar to that
S-oduced by the American Ambassadors ora
Try at Stratford-upon-Avon Boston. Edin-
burSh Dundee, wherever he may be caieo
upon to promote good feeling. Ordinarily there
are controversial matters connected with tarins
bimetallism, the Monroe Doctrine and the
Venezuela question which are sources OF mis-
understanding between nations and tend TO
create bad feeling but when Mr. Bayard Is
once fairly on his feet. there is common STOCK
of blood language literature and instincts
each country shares the glory and progress OF
terest nor narrowness nor insuarity in the
Anglo-Saxon race; Shakespeare was as good
an American as he was an Englishman. and all
the differences between kin across the sea can
be covered with pocket handkerchief. Before
no has finished a new era of peace and harmony
has opened and worldwide commonwealth
of Anglo-Saxon brotherhood has been estab-
lshed It Is soothing and it Is beautiful; but
on the morrow there Is the Venezuela tques-
ton still unsettled: there are the memories OF
the Cleveland message still ranking in the
Embellishments heart there Is the British Empire
with the United States outside the charmed
circle of loyalty to the Queen, and there are
the fundamental. irreconcilable differences OF
imperial and national policy respecting tariffs
and currency.
Similar / apprehend, Is the effect Of this con-
ciliatory and pacific publishers address. Mr
Murray. Mr.. Macmillan. Mr. Bentley, Mr. Un'
win, Mr. Heinemann. Mr.. Crawfurd. the Mar
stons and all the excellent publishers who
listened to 1t must have been overcome with
emotion when they discovered what lovel!
literary world 1t was in which they were liv
ing and how all things were working together
for the common good Of authors and the max
ers and sellers of books. The optimist hat
waved his enchanted wand. and 10! there wa:
n blooming paradise without a suggestion OF g
literary agent coiled around tree. nor any
appetite on the part of the innocent author fo
forbidden fruit in the guise OF higher royalties
than the publishers considered him entitled u
receive But when the vote Of thanks had beer
moved, and the publishers had retired to thei
private Offices. the literary world In which the,
had been traf1icking again appeared In Its hare
lines and dull colors. and illusions were dis
PEELED.
PUBLISHERS GRIEVANCES.
For. while Mr.. Longman made most judi
cious and wholesome speech In the interest o
peace the Publishers Association was no
formed for academic purposes, but for mutua