Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 14.djvu/190

178 understand that, and the consequence is that they do not play that game with one another; but, practically, English authors at the present time stand in the same relation to the American publishers that they would to the English publishers if copyright were abolished; and whether I get any money or not from America for my works is entirely dependent upon the strength of my American publisher. If he were not a man who would not stand being trifled with, and if it were not known that he was so, he could not afford to pay me anything.

Q. Therefore, in your opinion, the effect of the contemplated change would be not in the interest of the author, but in the interest of the publisher?

A. I think that neither the author nor the publisher would be served, and I think that the publisher's business would be made very precarious. He might doubtless sometimes reap large profits, but he would always be at the mercy of unscrupulous competition.

Are you assured that this rule to which you allude among American publishing-houses always prevails?

A. I cannot say; I have been assured that it does largely prevail there.

Q. Then you would be surprised to hear if I told you that a large American publisher, who has been for many years in the habit of publishing my own books, and with whom I once remonstrated for doing so without consulting me, told me that he intended to continue to do so, but that he would not republish a certain work if it were published by any other American house before him?

A. Yes; that is a very curious fact. I know of no parallel cases.

Q. But if the case to which I have now alluded is a type of the way in which business is done in the United States, it would be subversive, so far, of the evidence which you have given, would it not?

A. Quite so; but my opinion is the exact contrary. I have been informed (I do not profess to have absolute proofs of it) on exceedingly good authority that a publisher who has published one or two of your books in the United States would think himself very hardly used if you allowed any other publisher to publish for you.

 Q. I think that you will understand the point which was put in my question, which intended to convey the story of a transaction which had absolutely taken place?

A. Quite so; I quite understand that.

Q. I do not know that I need hesitate to say that the publisher was Mr. Harper, and you are aware that he is probably one of the largest publishers?

A. Yes.

Q. You also said, I think, just now incidentally, in answer to a question from Sir D. Wolff, that you were very strongly of opinion that American legislation would not give us the international copyright which we are seeking?