further recognition to the Canadian publishers which successfully
established their trade, and put an end to the deadlock which had existed
between Great Britain and Canada for twenty years. Mr. W.J. Gage, the
Chairman of the Wholesale Booksellers' Section of the Board of Trade,
himself testified to the present prosperity of the Trade at a Banquet on
the 19th of last December, at which he entertained the Section, and
congratulated his hearers "upon the last year having been with them a year
of prosperity, and a year of prosperity with the Paper Trade as well."

What then is the reason for the present agitation? Does any one pretend to
assert that the present conditions under the Fisher Bill are not working
well?

Under the provisions of the Fisher Bill, it has become possible for any
Canadian publisher to go to England, make arrangements with the owner of a
British copyright for the publication in Canada of a Canadian edition, and
then publish here freed from the fear of an invasion of his market by
British, American, or any other foreign reproductions, whether the
publication was first in Canada or subsequent to publication elsewhere.

* * * * *

To summarize the position:--In 1847, the Imperial authorities yielded to
Canadian demands and permitted the introduction of the cheap American
reprints of British copyright books. This arrangement our own Parliament
terminated.

In 1886, the Imperial Parliament set at rest a question which had existed
in reference to the copyright in books first published in Canada, by
providing that the British Copyright Acts should apply to such works in