New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-09
COPYRIGHT REVISION.
THE PLEA OF THE BRITISH POET LAU-
REATE.


| CONTAINED OF. BUT DOUBT THE LIKE
| LlHooD OF ITS BEING DONE.
| The letter which Alfred Austin. Poet Laureate
| Of England wrote from Florence. Italy on March
| g. to Secretary John Hay. pleading for an equal
and reciprocal copyright law between England ano
| America has excited considerable attention among
editors publishers and printers OF this city. Al
| though the plea II not new one. and cannot DC
| acted upon for some time. the literary prominence
OF the man who makes II has set TO thinking those
| who have an intimate knowledge OF the copyright
relations between the two countries ana mas emu
| ed strong sympathy from them The text OF MI
Austn's letter has not yet been printed, Out u ~
generally assumed that he asks for the repeal OF
| the clause in the American copyright law "nich
compels books sold In this country To be manu-
featured here and forbds the importation OF ior-
eign- manufactured books
Richard Watson Glider expressed himset 10 d
Tribune reporter as being strongly In favor OF 'he
repeal OF this clause
81 ,bink us drawbacks outweigh its benefits. ne
satd 81, is especially hard the author VINO ]"
publishing his first book and has nov YET '"a'e ="
name which will insure It's sale. lie mas !" ,"'
new plates made for his American edi'io"' VIM"
generally constitute too costly an undertaking Tor
him and ne IS kept out OF the American market
because he has no name to bank on ana cannot
afford TO 20 ahead and the risk. The estao
lIshed author IT, Of course not seriously ahec'eu
by the clause. III,
George Haven Putnam who Is printer. as wen
as a publisher. and IL the secretary oil the ruo-
fishers Copyright League" said
we'll the repeal OF that clause wouio prao"-
cally mean that this country would join the berhe
Convention This convention consisted OF repre-
ssntatives from all the principal European co"h-
tries and Il established uniform copyright IA"
for Europe our own country through the copy
right law passed by Congress In 1871 mas helu 'ioo'
ard this divergence is due almost entirety 10 ''"'
manufacturing clause. I'm other respects our ia"
&c ,ractcellv the same as that laid down by the
Borne Convention | do not think satsrac'oiS
copyright law can be established by ordinary iee'
lation our present law gss 40 hacked 10 pieces anu
jrggled by the various amendments mace u - o
fore It was finally passed that 1t is nothing ou'
tumble The only way to do is TO have an interna-
tional commission of copyright experts appo'hteu
which shall spend a year two in carefuly m
vestigating and considering, and then shail ha t
power 10 make a uniform. well CONSTRUCTOR ID" 40
weii-knovn editor OF this city. who Is CLOSELY ely
connected with copyright matters, and VINO ulo
no, vjsb his name to appear expressed the hope
that the clause might be repealed . ,...or
I'VE have none OF us seen Mr. AUSTIN le. ~
vet" he said but take It that he desires me
abolition OF this clause In our law wrc,. 80. cpa'pe on
home OF 9o o0ss Of our Copyright law
That is as much out OF the question as %ou.u W
smnnd1ents 70 our Constitution And. again. there
are many practical difficulties IN the way otb 60 &c
NIX nSb greater than ordinarily considered. but
heartily agree with the idea and thlnK aIh os'
the publishers and printers AS well as me euIols
~ the country. approve IT also. IheN dlu no. az
drst hut they have been educated TO see their mis-
take When the law passed. IN i@l. me
printers Of the country made strong sianu ~, ~
Insertion OF that clause. on the Grouhn 'hat INV"
Industry should be protected. ,,..., MAO
welded 10 projection the clause went through.
There were many opposed 10 Il even tnet, Du' III II.
order TO appease the minority ana insure ue
massage OF any hi.l at all II had TO be lnserteu.
Since that time the printers nave reaZeu ma ~ ho
law has operated not to their benefit. OUT 10 the
advantage OF American branches OF toreign pun
llshirg houses. Macmillan a. co. are striking eN-
ample Of that. English publishers naturally gave
Houghton OF Houghton. Mifilln & Co. who was
strong advocate OF the manufacturing clause saw
the faacy and changed his opinion before ne died.
But isn't Il generally admitted that the TABOR
element Of the United States. OF which the printers
Of course. form part. Is somewhat opposed TO the
present Anglo-American entente? ~ understahd
H. Mr. Austin makes his plea on the ground OF
this frend.iness. There might be an obstructive
clash OF interests there. SIN, thlhk that "ouIu
The clause undoubtedly works great hardship
on Young authors and those who are publishing
their first books The book business Is intensely
than Wall Street-and you can never tell how a
book will sell A book which you are sure VIII sell
to the tune OF nfty thousand may dwndle out I'm
n sale Of twenty-five hundred copies. And on the
take at all may run through several editions. It's
all a risk. and publishers VIII not take IL for an
obscure author He generally has no money 10 pay
for tho manufacture Of separate plates for the
shut out Yes. ! think the cause should be
podled. and. while do not expect much 10 come
Mr.. Austin's letter. the time will certainly
arrive when the clause will be no more.