The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-09-14
DICKENS STAMP FUND.
Reasons for BeIieNsnE That the No,el,,,,.
Readers win Contribute to n,

To THE EDITOR or rHE SvN SIR. IAAvs
read with considerable interest Mr. Oaopra
"a Richmond's letter in IHE SUN OF San
tember ~ upon tho Charles Dickens test.
monial aud the issuing NJ Dickens c~nts-
nary stamp which the public will be asked 20
buy and insert In any volumes Of the author
they possess N - true that Dickens r.
ceived some monetary benefits from the
pa ALLEGATION OF his works la America hut
these sink into insignihCnnCe when com.
pared with what he might have received
had tho International copyright law for
which he strovs 80 tenaciOu-ly, coma INTO
force before his death
In asking the public to purchase Dickan.
stamps u - not suggested that they should
do 50 because the novelist derived M bas.
efts from the publication OF his work, "a
the nited states people OF other countre,
are being asked To do the same bu, rather
because they owe u To them-elNe, to sun.
port a sane and practical scheme for cal.>
hTating the hundredth birthday Of an autl 4.
who has. more than any other. Contributad
TO tho entertainment. the sOlaCe and the
uplifting Of uncounted millions II - nnA
alone in England ana America thai DicksrA
lovers are to he found. bat IN all 'puntus1
and among all nations and every one. irrss
spective Of nationality and creed will ~
asked 10 expsnd the trining sum Of two cents
in tho purchase Of a Dickens centenary
stamp
Dickens did not die a poor man. but h.
was a good citizen and had large family
There are writers living to-day. including
writers for the stage. who ama-s IN a courl.
Of years what the mighty genius. the ANA.
ing popularity OF Dickens could accumulate
only in lifetime. and this IN part i dus
| TO the privileges Of a copyright Law which
| Dickens did not live to see Dickens NAV
have received a thousand pounds fer a story
which was written for a Boston mAsa zins
called Der YoHE0 , oIk- ~ would he interest.
| ing TO know the name Of this story. but ths
! great fact remains that the royalties which
every modern foreign author now eNp~"ts
and obtains were dented him. u was only
through the generosity Of few American
publishers that he received any eompensa-
: ION at all for the publication OF his books IN
| this country.
Dickens left. believe. about cso IN
/ This a. per cent would bring IN ~ IN .
year There ars twenty OF hts de~~endan ~
now living The sum divided among thew
would amount tn something like SEN q
wear each. Mr. Richmond asks Perhaps
IL y proper under the present circumstances
to ask how the Dickens fortune disap-
pearrd " - quite proper. and the above
IL the explanation.
There IL no desire on the part ~ he pro-
no,er- 81 this r-aIly practical Charles
Dickens Memorial 10 assist in anv way IN
the suppression or distortion of facts
In comparison TO what he should have mads
had circumstances ben other than they
were. Dickens died possessed Of but mod
crate fortune.
An opport unity has now arisen for the
pubIir to show its appreciation Of The gen
i'm. Of Charles Dickens in practical wsv
and that " will respond quickly and gener
ou.ly ia a. certain a. that the authors work.