New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-12
THE COPYRIGHT QUESTION.
LITTLE FEAR IN ENGLAND THAT THE
TRELOAR BILL WILL PASS.
NO ACTION YET TAKEN BY BRITISH PuBLISHs
ERs OR AUTHORs-RUssIAN AGGREssIoNs
VIEWED WITH APATHY-ENoLIsH
PROSPERITY-THE AGrTA-
TION AGAINST b.
CYCLING
tBY CABLE TO THE rRIBuNE.1

not considered 1t expcdient necessary to take
action respecting the Treloar bill. The text Of
the proposed measure has been printed for the
use Of the committee. and the subject has been
quietly discussed. but the members Of that body
have agreed that 1t is a matter which can safely
be left to the American sense Of justice and fair
play, without special pleading from English
authors and publishers. The latter have also
discussed the subject, have critically examined
the text Of the bill and reached similar con-
cluson. The Authors Society has not acted on
the question. nor shown any interest in It. These
three bodies unite in interpreting the bill as .
revocation Of the Copyright act OF 1891: its pas
sage will be regarded by English publishers and
authors as a long step backward, but they do
not believe that 1t will be taken.
AS matters stand, the American author can
obtain copyright in England for forty-two years
by having few copies OF his work sold there
simultaneously with its publication In the United
States. The English author cannot have COPY.
right in the United States unless his book n
manufactured there we'll published stimuli
taneousy. The conditions existing are con-
sidered unfair. and II the Treloar bill be en-
acted. no foreign author can obtain copyright
In the United States otherwise than through the
assignment Of his interest to citizen of that
country The feeling among English authors
and publishers is that copyright under a system
Of assignment would to be private prop
erty under the owners control. and that all that
has been gained for morality and justice under
the Presidents proclamation following the Act
Of 1891 would be lost. They are not passing
resolutions on the subject nor writing letters to
the daily papers. for they are reluctant to be-
lieve that the American Congress will revoke
the existing copyright arrangements and order
a return to the old system Of licensed piracy.
Mr. F. r. Daddy. the secretary OF the Copy.
right Association. tells me that there Is no ex-
element among English publishers and authors
over the bill and no disposition 10 influence the
course OF American legislation by .ntemperats
appeals or protests. 1t is an American question
and Englishmen have nothing 20 do with II In
the legislative stage but 1t ;s also a moral
question. and Englishmen have not lost faith
in the American sense Of justice The Treloar
bill in his judgment contains some excellent
provisions. but the principle that copyright can
be granted only to citizen OF the United
States cannot be reconciIed with the authors
inherent right to the literary property created
by him. He considers that foreign authors can
not with dignity or safety avail themselves Of
the privilege Of assigning their rights to Ameri-
can citizens who may be empowered to obtain
copyright under the proposed measure. He also
emphasizes the point that the extension Of the
requirement OF home manufacture to photo
graphic negatives. engraved plates and other
material for the illustration OF books. will tend
to promote the production of inferior work for
the American market. Mr.. Daddy is most ex.
plicit in condemnng the bill as a retrograde
measure which will involve the cancellation Of
all existing copyright arrangements with the
United States but forecasts its defeat with con-
fidence.
All other American questions are In the back
ground. Venezuela is seldom mentioned Mr.
Massingham the Editor Of THE Chronicle" en-
vious Of the exploits OF his associate Mr.. Henry
Norman, in America, has succeeded while at
Rome in drawing out the views OF Leo XIII on
the subject OF international arbitration. This
is matter of purely academic interest, since
ascension robes not in fashion, and nobody
is looking for the millennium this year; but there
well-founded hopes that the recent pro-
posals of the British Government may lead to
the establishment OF a permanent Anglo-Ameri-
can arbitration board. which will educate the
world in the arts of peace
The Cuban question attracts no attention in
England, although experts colonial affairs
are not ignorant Of the fact that their West
Indian possessions are temporarily prohting by
the civil in the Spanish island which in
wolves a suspension of the sugar industry there
and raises the value Of the produce OF compet-
Ing countries. British Guiana has vastly more
at stake In the permanent paralysis of the
Cuban sugar industry through the prolongation
OF the insurrection the saddling Of another
debt the exhausted island than It has In
the acquisition Of the Venezuela swamps, even
II there be gold dust In them
Great calm has fallen upon the troubled
waters OF diplomacy. The report OF the evac.
uation Of Kassala has oeen officially denied In
Rome. The British manoeuvres In the Nile VAL
ley continue at leisurely pace. the lines to
Akashah being gradually strengthened, and
droves OF camels for transport being slowly col.
lected.
The revolt In Matabeleland apparently can bs
suppressed without British renforoements II
the uprising OF Matabeles were more formd.
able. the British public could easily endure the
strain. since there would be a pretext for In.
creasing the garrison Of regulars and bringing
something besides moral pressure to bear upon
the Transvaa -.
Mr. Chamberlain is not making much progress
in dealing with President Kruger The Boeru
appear to be playing for high stakes namely.
the revocation of the treaty clause deprivine
them OF the control Of foreign alliances Mean.
while members of the Reform Committee the
wealthiest men in johannesburg are committed
for trial on charge Of high treason. and tho
general manager Of the De Beers Company at
Kimberley Is held for illegally conveying arms
into the Transvaal Possibly these millionaire
suspects may be be'regarded as hostages for secmr.
ing the conviction Of Jameson and his associates
in London.
News from the Orient tending to confirm the
report OF the cession Of Port Arthur to Russia
Is received with amazing apathy. markedly In
contrast with the profound impression caused
last autumn by The Timess" prophetic dis
closures Of the secret treaty with China Africa
alone seems to fascinate the English imagina.