rovisions, the foreign author or his
assigns shall be accorded the same privileges now conceded to an
American author.

I believe that, in the course of time, the general laws of trade would
and ought to so regulate the arrangements for supplying the American
public with books that, if there were no restriction as to the
nationality of the publisher or as to the importation of printed
volumes, the author would select the publishing agent, English or
American, who could serve him to best advantage; and that that agent
would be found to be the man who would prepare for the largest
possible circle of American readers the editions best suited to their
wants.

The foreign author would before long recognize that it was to his
interest to be represented by the publisher who understood the market
most thoroughly and who had the best facilities for supplying it. If
English publishers, settling here, could excel our American houses in
this understanding and in these facilities, they ought to be at
liberty to do so, and it would be for the interest of the public that
no hindrances should be placed in their way.

The experience of our American houses, however, who have had business
with English authors and publishers is that it takes some little time
for them to obtain a clear perception of the requirements of the
American market and of American readers, and of the very material
differences existing between the status here and in Great Britain. And
it would be my fear that, if the copyright were granted at once
without restriction, there would be an interregnum of some years,
during which these authors and publishers were obtaining their
American education, before the American readers could obtain freely
the books they wanted in the editions they were willing to purchase.

Our friends on the other side could not resist the temptation of
experimenting, before providing what was really wanted, as to how long
our market would stand their expensive $7, $5, and $3 editions of
books that we have been accustomed to buy here for $2.50, $2, and $1;
and as a consequence, they would sell books by dozens or hundreds that
ought to be sold by thousands; their authors would receive an
inconsiderable copyright, and the American public would be badly
served and would become indignant.

But if the channels of communication between the English authors and
their American readers were once fairly established, as they would be,
I think, under the