El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-02-07

lantfc, whose names are a synonym for
all that is best and foremost in art
and letters and craftsmanship, are be-
mind the enterprise or have given It
their endorsement. Doubtless there are
not few American men and women
now living who recall with interest
the memorable visit of Charles Dickens
to this country in 1912. And a vastly
greater number, of course, remember
his second tour in the winter Of 1867
6S, and enjoyed the novelist's inimit-
ables readings from his own works,
even If they did not personally meet
F., the creator Of a galaxy of pen por-
traits as deathless and as true to hu-
man life as human nature itself.
Was Prey Of Pirates.
1t is well known that when Charles,
Dickens lived and wrote his series Of
human document masterpieces. total
I ing nearly 80 volumes, the copyright
laws Of England and OF this country
were extremely lax International
copyright between the two countries
| did not mature until several years4af-
ter the masters death. While his loyal
and recognized publishers in London
paid all agreed upon royalties. the stu
alton was such that pirated editions
abounded, from which the author re-
ceived not a penny Of profit.
In the United States the situation
was even worse. Owing to the alb
sence Of any international agreement,
any house was free to reprint without
| mourning the slightest odium. Certain
publishing firms, however, in New
York and in Boston, to whom all honor
is due, recognizing a tacit obligation
TO compensate an author for his work.
did pay regular royalties on certain
books, but the sum total was merely a
fraction compared to what Dickens
would have received had an efficient
copyright convention been in force be-
tween the two nations. Indeed had
the creator Of "a Tale Of Two Cities"
lived and written in these strenuous
days of best sellers" and commercial
lied exploitation. of fiction and fiction
writer's, he would have been a million
aire. AS it was Charles Dickens died
a comparatively poor man. leaving a
large family and a widow.
'I rest my claims to the remem-
brance of my country upon my pub
lished works" reads one clause Of the
novelist's will. Could he have fore
seen that his descendants would be re-
duced almosato poverty he might have
appealed. with Justice and with GER
tainty of a lavish response, to the mil
lions upon millions Of men and wo-
men whom he has delighted, entranced
Descendants Not in Want.
It IS not to be understood that the
Dickens descendants are in actual or
AFFECT want, but that, self-respecting
and self helping men and women, one
and all, they are in financial circum-
stances vastly at variance with the /
potential wealth created by their faith /
er's genius. One son. Alfred Tennyson :
Dickens-named after the great poet /
laureate-is a farmer in Australia: the !
eldestsson. Charles, was a Fleet street Z
editor, and died in 1896; Henry Field I
ing Dickens, the sixth and youngest +
son. made good record at Cambridge /
and is now K. c. at the English bar; I
the second son, Walter Landor Dick i
ems, q godson of Walter Savage Ian +
dor, a lieutenant in the Bengal army. j
died in 1853 at Calcutta while on his i
way home on sick leave; two of the +
novelist's daughters exc out q living
by running a typewriting establish
ment in London, assisted by small I
pension from the English civil list;
granddaughter, Angela Dickens, has
made some reputation for herself as
a writer of short stories.
Grateful Readers Behind Movement.
Nor is 1t because of any complaint
on the part Of any of the children Of
Charles Dickens that the centenary
celebration OF his birth next year is in
part to take the form of a volunteer
from Dickens lovers
everywhere. It is his grateful readers
who are behind this Dickens testimon-
ial. The idea is as original as 1t Is
graceful and practical and within the
reach Of all. There has been formed
an international honorary committee,
which on this side of the Atlantic en-
rolls such illustrious names as ]. Pier
pont Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, Will
liam Dean HoWells, ex-preSident
August Belmont, William
Jennings Bryan, Prof. Eliot, admiral
Robley D. Evans, Charles Frohman,
mayor Gaynor, cardinal Gibbons, bish-
Cd Greer, Edwin Markham, George B.
Mcclellan, Whitelaw Reid. Charles
Scribner, G. H. Putnam, John Wana-
maker governor woodrow Wilson,
Gen. Woodward and others.
Memorial Stamps.
This committee has prepared what h
is known as the Dickens Memorial
stamps These stamps are in size two
inches by one and two-thirds, resemb-
ling in style an ordinary private book
stamp, printed on special plate paper,
and gummed on the back ready for
The design was cut on a
steel die. bearing a laurel encircled
portrait OF the author. ana surrounded
by the words "A Tribute TO Genius"
The English stamps bear the legend
One Penny" those for American use
Two Cents" The stamps are sold
n sheets of u for % cents. President
Taft will receive the first sheet sold
n this country and king George the
1rst one issued in Great Britain.
1t is hoped and expected. in view Of
he object of this Dickens testimonial,
hat every lover and reader Of the
masters productions will purchase a
single stamp for each volume in his or
Ter library, whether in paper or de s
IKE bindings, and affix it on the in
side cover. When we consider the
many millions of volumes that are in :
existence bearing Charles =Bickens's
name on the title page, it is easy to
calculate that in this simple and I'M
,urdensome way a very large sum may I
,asily and expeditiously be raised for :
he Dickens heirs. !
Plan Centenary Editions. '
The London publishers who pur- $
hased all copyrights from the Dickens a
state, to which they have since regu-J
arly paid royalties. announce that in {