case the book is published in Great Britain. In the case of books in a foreign language it would compel the manufacture there. I won't go into a detail of those points, but I think the facts will bear me out in saying that the rights granted in other countries are limited; and when that is the state of the case in foreign countries, I do not see how we can expect to pass an ideal measure, which goes beyond the laws of foreign countries where copyright has been recognized for many years. We want to get it recognized, but it seems to me doubtful whether we can get it recognized by undertaking to do so at one bound. If we find our former experience is likely to be repeated, and the bill quietly killed before coming up for discussion, I think we ought to know what we are prepared to do then, and whether we would then accept a printing clause. If that cannot be settled in this meeting, it might be a very feasible and fair mode to send out a question to the members of the League, most of whom live in other parts of the country, and get once for all the real opinion of the League. It seems to me that that opinion is entitled to a hearing and consideration. So I should like to move an amendment to Mr. Warner's motion: That the Council send out an inquiry to all the members of the League, as to how far they are willing to go, and whether they think it is best to insert a printing clause in the bill, or whether we shall only go to the length of letting it be understood that we are willing to compromise on that if some one else offers it."

Johnson, R. W. and J. B. Gilder, besides Messrs.
Warner and Lathrop, participated, the amendment

of the latter was lost.

To which Mr. Warner replied: "In regard to the amendment. This is now the 7th of November, aud it would be impossible to get responses from the members of the League in time for action early in the session; and it is perfectly clear that if this bill stands any chance, it must be moved immediately on the opening of the session. Mr. Hawley said: 'I must know about it when the Senate comes together.' I think the majority of the League ought to decide the matter, and their decision ought to have weight with the Executive Committee. I would only make a remark, not upon the amendment, but upon something else that Mr. Lathrop said. It seems to me a simple waste of time for us to insert any sort of compromise in the bill, not because we will not accept the best bill we can get through Congress or any reasonable compromise that is offered, but because we do not know what the opposition will be. If we were to insert a printing clause, the people who do not want copyright would have some other objection. If we sat down here and attempted to figure out all the objections that might be offered, there would still be other objections. The opposition goes to the point of excluding importation of foreign books. It seems to me that we are playing into their hands by a little concession here and a little concession there. We should lay the bill down on the table and say: 'That, gentlemen, is what we want.' They can kill the bill by various subterfuges, but they would kill it if it had the printing clause in. If any public interest can be aroused to support that bill, then members will offer amendments to it; and if the judgment of the Senate is that there should be a printing clause, the League will accept the best it can get. It seems to me that we are going out of our province by attempting to meet a condition of things that is absolutely unknown to us. The men opposing it do not want any sort of limitation."

The President put the question as to whether it was the policy of the League to push the Hawley bill, and the motion to press that bill was carried unanimously, as was also the following resolution presented by Colonel Knox:

"Resolved, That the thanks of the American Copyright League are hereby tendered to the Hon. Joseph R. Hawley and the Hon. William Dorsheimer for their efforts before the Congress of the United States in behalf of international copyright.”

In January, 1886, a committee of the League, a number of representative publishers, and others interested in the subject, went to Washington to submit their arguments, etc., relating to the Hawley and Chace bills, to the Committee on Patents. The statements and remarks of Dr. Howard Crosby, Senator Hawley, A. G. Sedgwick, Henry Holt, G. W. Green, S. L. Clemens, George Ticknor Curtis, W. H. Browne, Horace E. Scudder,

James Lowndes, Gardiner G. Hubbard, James
Russell Lowell, James Welch of the Typograph-
cal Union of Philadelphia, Dana Estes, R. R.
Bowker, Henry C. Lea, Roger Sherman, Josiah
R. Sypher of Philadelphia, Henry Carey Baird,
A. R. Spofford, and George Haven Putnam were
reprinted in full in a pamphlet issued by the
Government.

SECOND ANNUAL MEETING.

The second annual meeting of the Copyright League was held on the afternoon of December 2, 1886, at the Presbyterian church parlors, corner of Fourth Avenue and Twenty-second Street, New York City. Mr. Sedgwick, as Chairman of the Executive Committee, called the meeting to order, and on motion of Col. Knox was.made permanent chairman.

He re

Mr. Green, as Secretary, stated what had been accomplished by the League during the past year in the matter of stirring public opinion through the newspaper press and by the publication of pamphlets on the question. He referred to the visit which Mark Twain, R. U. Johnson, and himself made to the President last fall, and the result of that and previous calls upon him. ferred also to the President's interest and attention to the matter, evidenced by his asking for a short summary of the facts and the laws which were subsequently furnished him in a sort of brief. The Secretary's report also touched upon the hearing at Washington, the manner in which the topic was presented, and the attention of the Senator and the representatives of the press, and called attention to the fact that the opposition to the Hawley bill by the typographers, who were represented by Mr. Welch, who claimed to speak

After a brief discussion, in which Messrs. R. U. for 25,000 associated typographers, was clearly of

the sort which would listen to argument, reason, and common-sense, as was shown by Mr. Welch's statement to the Secretary, that a fair Copyright bill, which provided for manufacture in this country, would receive the support of his people.

After some discussion relating mainly to the question of ways and means, plans were then discussed for the extension and strengthening of the League, and the Executive Committee were, on motion of R. U. Johnson, instructed to strive to secure a full discussion of the subject in the coming Congress.

Before adjourning, the following were elected to act as Council for the League: Hon. John Bigelow, Professor H. H. Boyesen, Robert Collyer, D.D., Howard Crosby, D.D., R. W. Gilder, Lawrence Hutton, Brander Matthews, Rt. Rev. H. C. Potter, D.D., Arthur G. Sedgwick, Edmund Clarence Stedman, Charles Dudley Warner, S. L. Clemens, Poultney Bigelow, R. U. Johnson, E. P. Roe, Charles Barnard, Titus M. Coan, Col. Thomas W. Knox, Hamilton W. Mabie, Professor E. Munroe Smith, Joseph B. Gilder, Bayard Tuckerman, Professor E. L. Youmans, Morgan Dix, D.D., Henry M. Alden, W. H. Bishop, H. C. Bunner, Bronson Howard, George W. Folsom, and George Walton Green.

In December, 1886, the League issued a circular in which were set forth the merits of the Hawley and Chace bills.

THIRD ANNUAL MEETING.

On November 3, 1887, the Council of the American Copyright League met at the Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. and was called to order at 3 o'clock, P.M., Mr. A. G. Sedgwick in the chair. After reading the reports of the Secretary and Treasurer, Dr. Crosby offered the following resolution, which was adopted:

"That having accepted and adopted the report of the Executive Committee for the past year, we advise the continuance of the same policy for the future, the upholding of the copyright principle pure and simple, leaving all details of operation as regards legislation with the Council that shall be elected, and suggest that the Council confer these powers upon its Executive Committee."

ton, William H. Bishop, Geo. W. Curtis, W. D.
Howells, Frank R. Stockton, Geo. W. Cable, H.
C. Bunner, H. M. Alden, Col. Thomas W. Knox,
Dr. Titus M. Coan and Prof. Munroe Smith.

Mr. Johnson offered the following resolution for adoption :

"The American Copyright League, assembled for the third time in annual convention, declares its unaltered conviction that the bill for the establishment of international copyright, introduced in the Senate in 1885, on behalf of the League, by Senator Hawley, of Connecticut, and known as the Hawley Bill (herewith appended) is not only a measure of long-deferred justice and of national expediency, but also the most direct and simple means of accomplishing the desired reform. Modelled as it is upon reciprocal legislation concerning trade-marks, the negotiation of a convention with foreign countries under its provisions would be a mere formality of affixing signatures.

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And the League earnestly appeals to Senators and Representatives to place the rights of authors without delay upon the same plane as the analogous right of inventors, by admitting foreign authors to the full protection of the law."

A motion was offered and adopted that the foregoing resolution of Dr. Crosby be presented to the League.

'Resolved, That, having accepted and adopted the Report of the Executive Committee for the past year, and strongly advising the continuance of the same policy for the future, and the upholding of the copyright principle pure and simple as it was expressed in the Hawley Bill, we urge our Council and Executive Committee to use every effort to secure some acceptable and equitable copyright bill, vesting in such Council and Committee full discretion to deal with such limi

At 4 o'clock the Annual Meeting of the League was called to order, Mr. A. G. Sedgwick in the chair. The Secretary presented a report, which, upon motion, was adopted. The following members were then elected to act as Council for the League for the ensuing year: Dr. Howard Crosby, A. G. Sedgwick, Geo. Walton Green, R. U. Johnson, E. P. Roe, James Russell Lowell, Chas. Dudley Warner, Brander Matthews, E. C. Stedman, Rev. Robert Collyer, Laurence Hut-lieve would be for the interest of the League "I want to suggest a measure which I beton, Samuel L. Clemens, R. W. Gilder, Bronson and cause, when once the League has deciHoward, Prof. H. H. Boyesen, Edward Eggles- ded upon its ultimate measure. That there

tations upon copyright as may be proposed, and the acceptance of which may by them be deemed advisable."

Mr. Estes said:

case the book is published in Great Britain. In the case of books in a foreign language it would compel the manufacture there. I won't go into a detail of those points, but I think the facts will bear me out in saying that the rights granted in other countries are limited; and when that is the state of the case in foreign countries, I do not see how we can expect to pass an ideal measure, which goes beyond the laws of foreign countries where copyright has been recognized for many years. We want to get it recognized, but it seems to me doubtful whether we can get it recognized by undertaking to do so at one bound. If we find our former experience is likely to be repeated, and the bill quietly killed before coming up for discussion, I think we ought to know what we are prepared to do then, and whether we would then accept a printing clause. If that cannot be settled in this meeting, it might be a very feasible and fair mode to send out a question to the members of the League, most of whom live in other parts of the country, and get once for all the real opinion of the League. It seems

to me that that opinion is entitled to a hearing

and consideration. So I should like to move an amendment to Mr. Warner's motion: That the Council send out an inquiry to all the members of the League, as to how far they are willing to go, and whether they think it is best to insert a printing clause in the bill, or whether we shall only go to the length of letting it be understood that we are willing to compromise on that if some one else offers it."

To which Mr. Warner replied: "In regard to the amendment. This is now the 7th of November, aud it would be impossible to get responses from the members of the League in time for action early in the session; and it is perfectly clear that if this bill stands any chance, it must be moved immediately on the opening of the session. Mr. Hawley said: 'I must know about it when the Senate comes together.' I think the majority of the League ought to decide the matter, and their decision ought to have weight with the Executive Committee. I would only make a remark, not upon the amendment, but upon something else that Mr. Lathrop said. It seems to me a simple waste of time for us to insert any sort of compromise in the bill, not because we will not accept the best bill we can get through Congress or any reasonable compromise that is offered, but because we do not know what the opposition will be. If we were to insert a printing clause, the people who do not want copyright would have some other objection. If we sat down here and attempted to figure out all the objections that might be offered, there would still be other objections. The opposition goes to the point of excluding importation of foreign books. It seems to me that we are playing into their hands by a little concession here and a little concession there. We should lay the bill down on the table and say: 'That, gentlemen, is what we want.' They can kill the bill by various subterfuges, but they would kill it if it had the printing clause in. If any public interest can be aroused to support that bill, then members will offer amendments to it; and if the judgment of the Senate is that there should be a printing clause, the League will accept the best it can get. It seems to me that we are going out of our province by attempting to meet a condition of things that is absolutely unknown to us. The men opposing it do not want any sort of limitation."

Johnson, R. W. and J. B. Gilder, besides Messrs. Warner and Lathrop, participated, the amendment of the latter was lost.

The President put the question as to whether it was the policy of the League to push the Hawley bill, and the motion to press that bill was carried unanimously, as was also the following resolution presented by Colonel Knox :

"Resolved, That the thanks of the American Copyright League are hereby tendered to the Hon. Joseph R. Hawley and the Hon. William Dorsheimer for their efforts before the Congress of the United States in behalf of international copyright."

In January, 1886, a committee of the League, a number of representative publishers, and others interested in the subject, went to Washington to submit their arguments, etc., relating to the Hawley and Chace bills, to the Committee on Patents. The statements and remarks of Dr. Howard

Crosby, Senator Hawley, A. G. Sedgwick, Henry
Holt, G. W. Green, S. L. Clemens, George Tick-
nor Curtis, W. H. Browne, Horace E. Scudder,

James Lowndes, Gardiner G. Hubbard, James
Russell Lowell, James Welch of the Typograph-
cal Union of Philadelphia, Dana Estes, R. R.
Bowker, Henry C. Lea, Roger Sherman, Josiah
R. Sypher of Philadelphia, Henry Carey Baird,
A. R. Spofford, and George Haven Putnam were
reprinted in full in a pamphlet issued by the
Government.

SECOND ANNUAL MEETING.

The second annual meeting of the Copyright League was held on the afternoon of December 2, 1886, at the Presbyterian church parlors, corner of Fourth Avenue and Twenty-second Street, New York City. Mr. Sedgwick, as Chairman of the Executive Committee, called the meeting to order, and on motion of Col. Knox was. made permanent chairman.

He re

Mr. Green, as Secretary, stated what had been accomplished by the League during the past year in the matter of stirring public opinion through the newspaper press and by the publication of pamphlets on the question. He referred to the visit which Mark Twain, R. U. Johnson, and himself made to the President last fall, and the result of that and previous calls upon him. ferred also to the President's interest and attention to the matter, evidenced by his asking for a short summary of the facts and the laws which were subsequently furnished him in a sort of brief. The Secretary's report also touched upon the hearing at Washington, the manner in which the topic was presented, and the attention of the Senator and the representatives of the press, and called attention to the fact that the opposition to the Hawley bill by the typographers, who were represented by Mr. Welch, who claimed to speak

After a brief discussion, in which Messrs. R. U. for 25,000 associated typographers, was clearly of

•

shall be issued a request to every member of the League to take upon himself the responsibility of placing before Congress, through the member representing his district or some other district, a memorial in favor of the cause, and that they follow the matter up by strenuous measures to secure such coöperation. And I move, That the Executive Committee be requested to take measures to memorialize Congress through its members or any other source through which they can get memorials from every district and also from the State at large to be presented.'

The motion was seconded and adopted, and then the meeting adjourned.

The second afternoon was even more of a success than the first. Mr. Lowell himself led off by reading three of his own poems: "The Finding of the Lyre," "Aladdin,” and “After the Burial.” To these he added, by request, "The Courtin'." Col. Richard M. Johnston read "The Early Majority of Mr. Thomas Watts;" Charles Dudley Warner, "The Hunting of the Bear;" Thomas Nelson Page, the Christmas scene from "Unc' Edinburgh's Drowndin';" Mr. Howells, a scene from "April Hopes;" Mr. George William Curtis, "The New Livery," from The Potiphar Papers," and Mr. Riley concluded with his pathetic little poem, "Nothin' to Say."

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The second series of Authors' Readings took place at Chickering Hall on November 28 and 29, 1887. There were present a large number of authors, publishers, and others interested in international copyright. Hon. James Russell Lowell was in the chair, and delivered an address of considerable length and importance. "Mark Twain" recited "The Fatal Anecdote ;" Dr. E. Eggleston, a new humorous sketch entitled A Prophetic Retrospect;" Mr. R. H. Stoddard, two of his lyAN OPEN LETTER TO READERS OF rics; Mr. H. C. Bunner, a selection from "The BOOKS. Zadoc Pine Labor Union" in the Christmas ADDRESS OF THE AMERICAN COPYRIGHT LEAGUE, Scribner's; Mr. George W. Cable, a selection JANUARY, 1887. from "Grande Point," and Mr. James Whitcombe THE AMERICAN COPYRIGHT LEAGUE, which inRiley concluded with wonderfully droll recitations cludes among its members the authors of America, of "When the Frost is on the Punkin" and "The asks from all good citizens who desire the deEducator." velopment of American literature and regard the good name of the American people, their personal and active aid in securing international copyright.

The United States is at present the only nation, itself possessing a literature of importance and making a large use of the literature of the world, which has done nothing to recognize and protect by law the rights, international as well as national, of authors of whose production it enjoys the benefit. In declining to assure compensation to foreign authors whose books are read here, it has debarred itself from claiming for its own authors recognition and protection abroad, and it has placed them at a disadvantage at home suffered by no other American craftsmen. International copyright is needful :

1. To raise our own country to the standard of national morality and of international fair play maintained by all other civilized nations, now united in the International Copyright Union.

2. For the wholesome development of our national literature, now hampered by the fact that those who must earn their living by their pen cannot devote themselves to producing books if their products must compete with books on which no payment is made to the producer.

3. In justice to American authors, who ask for their products no government "bounty" and no 'protection" in the sense of the privilege of taxing the products of foreign writers, but only a fair field for their own in this country and

Letters of sympathy and regret were received from George Bancroft, John G. Whittier, George H. Boker, Oliver Wendell Holmes, John Hay, Henry James, E. C. Stedman, Gen. Lew Wallace, and Robert Louis Stevenson, but Mr. Lowell did not read them.

After the readings, the "Memorial of American Authors," containing fac-simile signatures to an appeal for international copyright, originally prepared by the office of THE PUblishers' Weekly, was distributed to the audience.

man. It was announced that the net proceeds of the authors' readings were over $4000. Resolutions of thanks for the services of Mr. Lowell and the other participants in the exercises were passed. The following was unanimously adopted:

A meeting of the Council of the American Copyright League was held November 30, 1887, in Dr. Crosby's study, Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York. Edmund Clarence Stedman, Vice-President the League, was chair

* "Resolved, That we regard the proposition recently made for a stamp system of copyright as unwise, impracticable, and a virtual surrender of consider it an unfortunate diversion at the present the property rights of the author; and that we time.

Mr. R. R. Bowker was added to the Council and to the Executive Committee, which now consists of the following members: Edward Eggleston, Chairman; George Walton Green, Secretary, II Pine St., N. Y.; Robert Underwood Johnson, Treasurer, 33 E. 17th St., N. Y.; Thos. W. Knox, and R. R. Bowker. The Publication Committee is composed of the following: Brander Matthews, 121 E. 18th St.; Titus Munson Coan, 110 E. 56th E. C. Stedman the Vice-President of the League. St. Hon. J. R. Lowell remains the President and

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