W. Harper moved that "a committee of pointed by the President, who, together

President, Secretary, and Treasurer, In Executive Committee, with power to e with a corresponding committee of the Copyright League to secure international t.

The committee shall report to the on the last Thursday in May, 1888, and at time or thereafter as often as it may pedient. It shall have power to fill its

ancies. It shall have charge of the funds eague, and may employ counsel and such sistance as may be necessary to attain ect of the League."

Food moved the following addition to Mr. s resolution:

pre any action is taken by said committee h the League could be committed to port of any particular copyright measure, isions of said measure shall be reported committee to the League, either at a regeeting or at special meeting called for pose."

mendment was accepted by Mr. Harper, resolution was then adopted.

Chair appointed as such committee: Joseph W. Harper, H. O. Houghton, Lippincott, A. D. F. Randolph, and Dana

meral discussion then ensued, participated Messrs. Roswell Smith, Scribner, Clapp, Kimball, Wood, Randolph, and others, ning the advisable form for an internacopyright law. This discussion made it nt that, while there was some diversity of nas to the best provisions for an ideal re there was a very general readiness to personal preferences in order to bring concerted action in behalf of any bill gh which might be secured the essential ples of the desired reform.

= meeting adjourned, subject to call.

e following letters, expressing adhesion on art of some who had inadvertently been ed from the list of invitations to the ng, will be read with interest. Mr. J. B. has also expressed his adhesion to the ment and joined the League.

18 & 20 ASTOR PLACE,

NEW YORK, December 301887.

George Walton Green, Secretary of the Authors' Copyright League.

EAR SIR: Through some oversight we were notified of the meeting of publishers at Delco's yesterday to consider the copyright ques

As our absence may be misunderstood by public, permit us to say that we most heartily r international copyright, believing that an or should have protection at least equal to granted to the ordinary inventor. No policy d be more hurtful in the end to the Ameripublic than the one which would make Amerauthorship unprofitable. The ultimate

prosperity of the American publishing trade is inseparably identified with the development of American authorship. Give us, in this country, the best authors, and our publishing-houses will have the best trade, no matter what the copyright law is. While we have our own preferences as to the kind of bill that should be drafted, we shall heartily favor any bill that your Authors' League may agree upon. Our confidence in the near future of American authorship is great enough to cause us to dismiss all anxiety at the removal of any special protection for the publishing trade in this

country.

FUNK & WAGNALLS.

NEW YORK, Dec. 30, 1887. George Walton Green, Esq., Secretary of the Authors' Copyright League.

DEAR SIR: We are happy to see that the Publishers of this city are taking steps to coöperate with the Authors' Copyright League in promoting international copyright. Although we have not been invited to join in the movement, we desire to say that we are heartily in favor of an international copyright law, and desirous of doing all that lies in our power to forward any measure that will secure recognition of authors' rights, and compensation to them for the use of their property at home and abroad.

Very truly, etc.,

GEORGE MUNRO.

NEW YORK CITY, Jan. 10, 1888.

To the Editor of The Publishers' Weekly.

DEAR SIR: I wish it understood that I most emphatically favor international copyright. We are all brothers and sisters, and one's right in the work of his brain is as good as another's. Faithfully yours, H. S. ALLEN.

SECOND MEETING.

Several meetings of the Executive Committee of the League were held at the house of W. H. Appleton, Esq., 3 Madison Avenue, one of them being a formal conference with the Executive Committee of the Authors' League, and a deputation consisting of Mr. G. H. Putnam, Secretary, and Mr. A. T. Gurlitz, counsel for the Publishers' League, and Dr. Eggleston, Chairman, and G. W. Ginn, Secretary and counsel for the Authors' League, had an interview with Senator Chace in Washington. To report progress and receive further instructions, the Committee convened a second meeting of the League at Delmonico's, New York, Saturday, January 21, 1888.

At this time the following publishers were enrolled as members of the League:

Amer. Publishing Co., Frank E. Bliss, Pres., Hartford, Conn.

Armstrong, A. C., & Son, 714 Broadway, N.Y.
Alden, John B., 393 Pearl St., N. Y.
Appleton, D., & Co., 1 and 3 Bond St., N. Y.
Barnes, A. S., & Co., 111 William St., N. Y.
Baker & Taylor Co., The, 9 Bond St., N. Y.
Bowker, R. R., 330 Pearl St., N. Y.

Carter, Robert, & Bros., 530 Broadway, N. Y.
Cushings & Bailey, Baltimore, Md.
Century Co., 33 E. 17th St., N. Y.
Clarke, Robert, & Co., Cincinnati, O.
Crowell, T. Y., & Co., 13 Astor Place, N. Y.
Clark & Maynard, 771 Broadway, N. Y.
Dutton, E. P., & Co., 31 W. 23d St., N. Y.
Ditson, Oliver, & Co., Boston, Mass.

explain that as they were already members af the Boston Copyright Association, they supposed it would not be necessary for them to give their

Gebbie & Co., Philadelphia, Pa.

Ginn & Co., 743 Broadway, N. Y.

Harper & Bros., Franklin Square, N. Y.

Hubbard Bros., Philadelphia, Pa.

the same cause has doubtless operated to prevent certain other Boston firms, whom we know to be heartily in accord with our purpose, but from whom we have not heard, from sending in their

Holbrook, M. L., 25 Bond St., N. Y.

names.

Holt, Henry, & Co., 27 W. 23d St., N. Y. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, Mass.

Among the subscriptions (accompanied by payments) which have been received are the follow

Lovell, John W., Co., 14 Vesey St., N. Y.

Lothrop, D., & Co., Boston, Mass.

Lippincott Co., The J. B., Philadelphia, Pa. Little, Brown & Co., Boston, Mass.

From the subscription book publishers, Hubbard Bros. and Gebbie & Co., of Philadelphia, and the Amer. Publishing Co., of Hartford; and among the firms whose business interests have been largely concerned with reprinting, Messrs. Geo. Munro, The John W. Lovell Co., and J. B.

N. Y.

Munro, George, 17 Vandewater St., N. Y. McClurg, A. C., & Co., Chicago, Ill.

Pomeroy, Mark M., 234 Broadway, N. Y. Putnam's (G. P.) Sons, 27-29 W. 23d St., N.Y. Phillips & Hunt, 805 Broadway, N.Y.

Alden.

From Messrs. W. A. Evans & Bro., of Boston, the following response was received :

G. H. Putnam, Secretary, etc.

DEAR SIR: Our firm is not in favor of international copyright, is not prepared to coöperate in the efforts now being made to secure its establishment, and do not desire to be enrolled as a member of the American Publishers Copyright League, but will subscribe quite a little sum to prevent the consummation of your devilish plot.

W. A. EVANS & BRO., Boston, Mass

Stokes, F. A., & Bro., 182 Fifth Ave., N. Y.

The Secretary has written letters to forty-four of

The Secretary submits to the League, on behalf of the Executive Committee, the following report of its operations since the organization of the League on the 29th of December.

A brief report of the proceedings at this organization meeting, accompanied by a letter of explanation from the Secretary, and a form of subscription to the League, was forwarded early in January to some 400 firms whose names appeared on the Trade-list as publishers.

Thirty-one firms have returned the subscription blanks with their signatures. Twenty-three of. the firms whose names appeared in the original call have thus far failed to send in their signatures to the Secretary. The Secretary has, however, assumed that the part taken by these twenty three firms in the original organization was sufficient evidence of their desire to become members of the League, and has included their names in his roster, which now contains in all fifty-three firms. The Treasurer has received payment of initiation fees, and (with a few exceptions) of annual dues also, from twenty-eight firms, and will doubtless hear in due course from the others before the time specified for such payments in the articles of organization, the date of the February meeting.

Messrs. Ginn Bros., of Boston, have written to

He has received a number of favorable replies to this suggestion, but finds that it will be easier for these local committees to get to work when the League has actually committed itself in behalf of some specific bill, to which such committees could refer, and for the support of which they could ask aid among professional men and other buyers of books.

The Secretary's correspondence has also made evident to him the desirability of securing in the work of our Association the active coöperation of leading booksellers throughout the country, whose business interests are as directly, if not as considerably, at stake as are those of the publishers.

As one step towards securing this coöperation, an 'Address to the Booksellers" has been drafted, which will shortly be put into print for general circulation.

The Executive Committee will be pleased to receive at this meeting such suggestions as may occur to those present concerning any practical means of associating the booksellers directly with the work of the League, and at the same time of avoiding as a result of such association any risk of confusing the work which the League has undertaken in presenting more particularly the opinions and requirements of the publishing interests.

In addition to the above "Address to the Booksellers," an address has been prepared by the American Copyright League (the authors' organization), which it is proposed to circulate, in the shape of leaflets or bookmarks, in the books distributed by the various publishing-houses.

It is supposed that it should be practicable in this way to reach within a short time a large number of readers and buyers of books, and such of be interested are requested to send respective Congressmen, with their brief petition, form of which will be he leaflet.

nittee regrets that these two addresses in shape to present at this meeting.

n mind that the original suggestion ning together of the publishers was e instance of the Committee of the League of Authors, the Executive decided that a conference with the ives of these authors was among the to be arranged for.

committees (of the authors and pubve met in conference from, week to ng before them, as their more special he arriving at an agreement concerning ments that would be required in the to render this acceptable to the two IS and to make it a practical working At the conference meeting of these nittees held January 7, it was decided it this bill in shape to meet the several nts two amendments would be essential, Executive Committee has framed these nts and now reports the same for the of the League.

ace bill as now on the calendar provides entry for copyright of the title of a ork to be protected in this country shall simultaneously with the date of the he country of its origin, and provides, hat a term of three months subsequent te of such entry shall be allowed for the on and publication of the American edithe perfecting of such copyright by the in the Congressional Library of two such edition.

- the present wording of the bill, in case erican edition required three months for pletion, the American reading public e prevented altogether during, such term curing any copies whatsoever of the work, American or foreign. If, on the other ne present wording should be modified so rmit the importation during such term of onths of the original edition of said work, - be possible for the foreign publishers, arly those that work through American s, so fully to supply the American market e foreign edition as to leave little possif securing at the end of such time, a retive sale for an American edition, and as er of comparatively little value the Amerpyright,

Committee recommends the substitution clause one providing for the publication vork in this country simultaneously with ication in the country of its origin. It is ised that such provision entails certain disadvantages, partly in connection with ssibility of loss to an unknown author of yright on his first book, for which he might ve been able to secure in advance an Can (or an English) publishing arrangement, tly in connection with the inconvenience American reprinter in being prevented aving such revision or additions made to a work as might in his judgment render it suited for the American market. These antages, however, seemed to be not sufy important to outweigh the material ades of the alternative plan, which correI may mention, with the provisions of esent English law.

It appeared to us that the foreign author could, as a rule, if he attached importance to the value of the American market, delay for a month or two the publication of his book on the other side, until he had had an opportunity of submitting duplicate manuscript or duplicate proofs to publishers on this side, and that the number of works for which copyright need be lost would probably diminish from year to year. Even if a certain number of desirable books should fail to secure protection, we thought that something definite could be accomplished if we could secure this protection for 95 books out of the roo, leaving the protection of the remaining 5 to be cared for at some later date.

The Chace bill, as now worded, further provides that after the entry for copyright of the titlepage of a foreign work, the importation of any copies whatsoever of said work shall be a misdemeanor. The purpose of this provision is, in conjunction with the clause providing that the book copyrighted shall be printed in this country, to insure the supplying of the American market with books of American manufacture. The difficulty of the provision is the injustice that would be done to certain classes of bookbuyers, particularly those among the scientific societies, colleges, libraries, etc., who justly claim that they have a right to purchase the original edition in case such edition may be more effective for their educational work. If such a restriction should become law, it might easily happen that a scientific work published at two or three guineas and reprinted here in cheaper form (possibly with, a smaller selection of illustrations), at two or three dollars, would in its original form be absolutely unobtainable by American purchasers. The purchasers whose interests would be chiefly affected by this restriction, while possibly not comprising a very large group, are a group possessing very considerable influence through the literary and scientific press, and irrespective of our own sense of the justice of their position, it seemed to us that it would be very unfavorable for the prospects of the success of our copyright measure to antagonize this class of influence.

Our Committee has recommended as its substitute for this provision the equivalent prohibitory provision in the présent domestic act, section 4964 of the Revised Statutes.

Under this clause the importation of copies of foreign editions of American copyrighted books is also prohibited and made a misdemeanor, with the exception that such importation is permitted under authorizations from the author or holder of the copyright, such authorizations being in writing and bearing the names of two witnesses. The practical working, under the Custom House regulations, of this provision, renders necessary the attaching of these written authorizations to the importing invoice containing any such foreign copies. It is our opinion that this restriction, coupled with the mannfacturing clause and the provision for simultaneous publication, will carry out the main purpose of the bill in regard to supplying the American market with American editions, while it will also permit the importation under certain conditions of the limited number of copies of foreign editions which would be required by scientists, libraries, and others.

The authors acting in conference with us were unanimously in accord with the above recommendations, and these recommendations are now presented as the unanimous conclusion of your Executive Committee.

These two amendments have been submitted by your Committee to Senator Chace for his opinion, and he has the same now under consideration. It seemed to us in order, however, in connection with the original instructions of the organization meeting, that we should secure the opinion of the League as a whole before taking further measure in connection with the Chace bill. It is possible that Senator Chace, while giving full weight to the difficulties pointed out in connection with the probable working of the bill as it stands, may not find himself in a position to approve the amendments now suggested by your Committee, and we think it desirable to ask the League to give us within such limits as may seem to the League desirable authority to arrive at final conclusions with the Senator and with his Committee, so that no time may be lost in pressing to success any such measure as may finally appear to meet all the requirements.

Senator Chace and other legislators in Washington who are interested in international copyright are, we may report, very favorably impressed with the fact that the publishers and authors are now working in accord for a measure, as this has not been the case in connection with any previous attempts to secure copyright. For the Committee,

G. H. PUTNAM, Secretary.

Mr. Putnam, in presenting this report in behalf of the Executive Committee, also spoke of the difficulties under which Senator Chace is at present laboring, and of his earnest desire to put a measure into shape which should secure adequate support from all classes interested and from all classes whose influence would be important for success. He mentioned that while Senator Chace had not yet accepted the amendments recommended by the Committee, he had given them favorable consideration and that the Committee expected to receive shortly either his decision accepting the same or some alternative suggestions for consideration. He stated further the fact that the President was cordially interested in the undertaking and had promised that such international copyright bill as might be passed should not be vetoed, and that Mrs. Cleveland had also expressed her personal interest and that her influence would doubtless prove of importance later whenever the bill should come to a vote in the Senate or the House.

After some discussion, in which Mr. Stokes, Mr. Lovell, Mr. Putnam, Mr. Roswell Smith of the Century Co., Mr. Randolph, Mr. Kimball of the J. B. Lippincott Co., took part, the following resolutions were passed, the first with but one dissenting vote (on the part of a member who explained that he did not except to the general principle, but wished to see the bill made clearer in one particular), the other by a unanimous vote :

foreign, and has the approval of this League; and our Executive Committee is hereby instructed to take such action as it may find requisite to secure the passage of the bill with these amendments.

Resolved, That, recognizing from the history of previous attempts and from the statement of the present obstacles, the difficulty of securing any legislation on international copyright (an undertaking in which such a variety of interests are involved, and in connection with which such diverse views are being pressed upon Congress) our Executive Committee is hereby authorized, in the event of its proving impracticable to secure the adoption of the bill in the precise form in which it is now recommended to them, to support on behalf of the League this bill, or a bill on the general lines of this bill, with such modifications as may prove requisite to secure the necessary Congressional support; provided always that no modifications be accepted that fail to provide for the printing in this country of foreign books securing American copyright.

Mr. Putnam then explained the desirability of instituting an associate membership for the purpose of widening the influence of the League, and more particularly of securing the active coöperation of the booksellers throughout the country, and a resolution was passed referring the suggestion to the Executive Committee with power. The meeting then adjourned.

INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT ASSOCI

ATION OF NEW ENGLAND.

On the afternoon of December 27, 1887, about fifty well-known ladies and gentlemen assembled in parlor No. 12 at the Parker House, Boston, to organize a local copyright association. Among those present were J. R. Lowell, President Eliot, of Harvard College, John D. Long, Dana Estes, James Parton, Arlo Bates, Rev. Dr. Edward Everett Hale, A. S. Parsons, C. W. Ernst, B. H. Ticknor, O. B. Frothingham, H. O. Houghton, J. T. Trowbridge, J. F. Hunnewell, Charles E. Lauriat, Richard A. Dana, Nathan Appleton, Mrs. Abba Goold Woolson, Louis Prang, Darwin E. Ware, Curtis Guild, Henry L. Pierce, Henry Lee, W. H. Rideing, Nathan H. Dole, Alexander Young, E. H. Clements, and Godfrey Morse. Mr. Dana Estes, in calling the meeting to order, said:

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: This meeting is the outcome of the action of the American Copyright League of New York. At its annual meeting in November, a discussion ensued upon a series of resolutions which came up in the ordinary course of business, and which would involve, as they were prepared by the Executive Committee of the former year, the clinging to the policy which had been adopted by the League, and followed for several years. I was present at that meeting; and, after a warm discussion, a series of resolutions were adopted involving a change in the policy of the League. That policy, as most of you know, has been to confine the efforts made in the direction of international copyright reform to the authors of the country, without coöperation from other branches especially interested in the subrsons generally. A large number of es advocated the enlargement of the e agitation, and a series of resolutions adopted, leaving in the hands of the d the Executive Committee full power te with any and all persons who had dy of the subject, or were interested in e reform. This caused a change in the of the Executive Committee, as well as icy, and the result has been that the approved of forming local assemblies Lions to coöperate with them in their 1, at their request, I have prepared and d the call upon which you are assem

ce to say that I have met with the warmragement, not only from authors, but lishers, paper-makers, printers, binders, s directly interested in the manufacture cation of books, and also from college s and other educators, and from distinawyers and the editors of our leading pa- I think we may safely say that we can ourselves and form a strong local body e in favor of this reform.

Chairman of the committee before whom

ue appeared about eighteen months ago, das having made the cutting remark, hat the authors wanted was a little less - a little more law;' and my idea is that d secure the services of some of the best of the country to assist in drafting the law. een bills introduced which would plunge Le publishing business of the country into n if they had become the laws of the

sentiment, as I have tested it in this nity, is overwhelmingly in favor of the reI think, too, that the country is ripe and or the reform, and that the principal diffiare, first, the inertia in Congress to be ne before any measure, no matter how eeded, or how much believed in, can bew; the next, the fact that the reform itself wofold nature, and has been looked at hereFrom one stand-point only, by many perIt is, unquestionably, a moral reform, and is entitled to the support of all persons elieve in moral reform. But it is also an mic reform, and as such has to have its lims in treatment, and it may be necessary to - the start a measure of legislation which is ■ absolutely ideal measure. For myself, I e in a law granting copyright to any foreign - without any limitations other than those are made for our own authors; and, speaka publisher, I have no hesitation in saying I the American publishers are strongly in of such a law, though they have not in the doubtless, always entertained the same sents; but they have become enlightened by Durse of events.

here are, however, others who believe that should be some restrictions as to the imporas of editions and the domestic manufacture oks upon which the foreign author is allowed right. These are questions which must be ssed in a practical manner, and cannot be en rid of by resolution or otherwise.

The Typographical Unions of the country are a body, and they have it in their power to annize, and possibly defeat, any form of legis n which may be advocated by all the authors all the publishers, and be enforced by the t moral sentiment of the country; the diffi

culty being that an aggressive negative movement is always, unfortunately, stronger than a positive one, because it is reënforced by the inertia of which I have spoken.

"I will not undertake to give you a detailed history of the efforts made in the past. They have extended over a period of some fifty or sixty years. About the year 1872 the publishers waited upon a committee of Congress and urgently pressed for an international copyright law. Senator Morrill, who was chairman of the committee, replying to them after hearing them patiently, said that there was no possibility of Congress granting them any measure, because there were no two of them agreed upon what kind of a measure they wanted, and that killed the measure.

"The next effort was made in the form of a treaty, which was made known as the Harper treaty, I think, originated by the publishing-house of the Harpers, and it was pressed very vigorously upon the Department. Negotiations were opened with the British Government, and during the Hayes Administration the measure seemed very likely to become successful. It was delayed, and was in the hands of the Department on the incoming of the Garfield Administration. Mr. Blaine, whom I saw after he was Secretary of State, assured me that the matter was being forwarded; that it had received the sanction of the British Government, and he was in communication with the British minister to complete the treaty. I have seen him since, and he assured me that he had no doubt whatever that a treaty would have been sent to the Senate for ratification if it had not been for the assassination of President Garfield.

"The next effort was known as the Dorsheimer bill, and it was warmly advocated by him. But it was a very crude bill; it did not meet the views of either authors or publishers, and was likely to be deluged with amendments. Governor Dorsheimer succeeded in having it reported favorably by the committee, but it failed to become law or to go to the Senate.

That

"The next effort was the Hawley bill, which was the creation of the Copyright League. This, as you know, was a very excellent bill, and if it could have become law if it were not antagonized by certain strong powers-I feel confident that it would be the best possible measure that has yet been offered. But, unfortunately, when it became known that it was antagonized by the Typographical Unions of the country, particularly by the constituency of General Hawley, he abandoned the bill himself and came before the committee and spoke in favor of another bill, with some of the limitations I have mentioned. bill is now the only one before Congress for discussion; a bill which is said to have been originally drafted by Henry C. Lea, of Philadelphia, and, as might be expected, with strong protective features. At the urgent request of many persons it has been somewhat amended, but it is still far from the ideal of the authors; and as its sponsor, Senator Chace, is the only person actively and earnestly interested in copyright legislation, it is probably our only hope at the present time. Senator Chace has always professed himself willing to amend his bill, providing persons antagonizing it would offer reasonable amendments, and become converted from opponents into aggressive and strong friends.

"Governor Dorsheimer took the same grounds. He says: 'These people criticise my bill; but