Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 454 This is only one small step for us, but one giant leap for American civilization!

Lionel was about to say "no" when a dozen well-dressed men quickly emerged from behind Carnegie.

Each of them possessed an extraordinary presence, forming a semicircle that surrounded nine French writers, including Lionel and Zola, at the center.

Lionel frowned, swallowing his words for the moment, and looked at the people in front of him.

The reporters keenly sensed that something big was about to happen, and they jostled around, trying to hear the conversation.

Among the group, the oldest-looking man stepped forward first. He had white hair and a refined demeanor.

He nodded slightly to Lionel and Zola: "Mr. Sorel, Mr. Zola, great writers from France, please allow me to introduce myself."

I am George Palmer Putnam, head of GP Putnam's Sons Publishing House.

As soon as he finished speaking, a tall, thin middle-aged man next to him immediately chimed in: "Charles Scribner, 'Scribner Brothers Publishing House'."

Then came a stocky man: "Henry Holt, 'Henry Holt Publishing House'."

"John Wesley Harper, representative of Harper Brothers."

“D. Appleton Publishing House, William H. Appleton.”

Robert Brothers Publishing...

"Lipincott Company..."

"James R. Osgood Publishing Company..."

Each name, each publishing house, was clearly stated by its owner or editor-in-chief.

Each name represents unquestionable power and influence in the current American publishing industry.

These publishers, headquartered in New York or Boston, control the book printing, distribution, and sales networks in the United States, making them true industry giants.

Lionel, Zola, Maupassant... everyone was somewhat bewildered.

They looked at each other, puzzled as to why this group of top figures in the American publishing industry had suddenly come here and surrounded them.

Was it a protest? Or something else? Their only "intersection" with the American publishing industry was with those ubiquitous pirated books.

They didn't even see this group of people when they last came to New York—perhaps to avoid embarrassment.

Andrew Carnegie stepped forward: "Gentlemen, do not doubt. This is a small 'gift' that I, Andrew Carnegie, have prepared for you."

A sincere gesture intended to compensate you for, well, the 'intangible losses' you suffered in the United States!

His gaze fell on Lionel: "It is my honor to announce to you all, Mr. Putnam, Mr. Scribner, Mr. Holt..."

And representatives from all the major U.S. publishing companies present, after friendly consultation, unanimously decided that they were willing to sign formal licensing agreements with you!

The French writers could hardly believe their ears; the "sincerity" of this gift far exceeded Lionel's expectations.

Andrew Carnegie continued, “From now on, they will only print and sell your works after obtaining your official authorization!”

Within the United States of America, any other unauthorized printing and distribution will be subject to their pursuit and prosecution!

A deathly silence lingered among the French writers for a few seconds, before being swept away by immense shock and ecstasy.

The United States! This is the United States, the country that pays the least attention to protecting the copyrights of foreign authors in the world!

This young and arrogant country has been recklessly pirating the works of European authors for a century and has refused to sign any copyright protection exchange agreements with any European country.

Whether it was British writer Dickens or French writers like them, they could only look on with envy.

They watched helplessly as their works were wildly pirated and sold in this huge market, yet they received not a single penny in royalties.

This loss is incalculable! A market with unlimited potential is a "desert" from which they can't reap any fruit.

And now, Andrew Carnegie has actually managed to grow fruit trees in this desert using his skills and influence!
These most powerful giants in the American publishing industry actually bowed down to them and promised to give them formal copyright protection!

what does this mean?
This means that from now on, the nine of them will be able to earn a steady stream of income from the United States, the world's largest and most dynamic publishing market!
What an enormous number that would be! It would truly be "countless dollars"!
Maupassant was the first to react. He took a deep breath, his eyes widened as if flames were burning inside, and he was so excited that he almost jumped up.

His face, which usually wore a nonchalant expression, was now filled with undisguised joy.

Good heavens! This is even more tempting than the $10,000 bounty Carnegie offered for the bandits! This is a goose that lays golden eggs!
Younger writers like Huysman, Alexis, and Céar were also breathing heavily, their faces glowing, exchanging excited glances.

Even the usually composed Zola, Daudet, and the elderly and prudent Goncourt were moved at this moment.

Their chests heaved slightly, clearly overwhelmed by the unexpected good news.

Lionel was the only one who could remain calm, but he knew all too well the weight of this "gift." Unlike last time, the steel tycoon didn't rashly offer hundreds or thousands of dollars in "bonus" to buy their pens.

He turned it all into a "business" to shut them up and completely put an end to the unpleasant experiences with "tin coins" and the West.

He succeeded.

Although the publishing industry in the United States is developed, it is not even in the same league as the real capital giants such as steel, oil, railroads, and banks.

He didn't even need to make threats; a casual mention at a dinner party was enough to get these publishing giants to seriously consider his "suggestion."

Whether the owners of these publishing companies willingly gave up the profits from piracy, or whether their hearts were bleeding, no one cared anymore at this point.

Faced with even stronger capital forces, they had no choice but to compromise!

It's worth noting that even the most powerful and longest-established Harper Brothers company had assets and annual revenue comparable to a single subsidiary of Carnegie.

The amount of money raised by the Morgan tycoon through a single railroad bond issuance could have bought the entire American publishing industry.

Lionel knew he couldn't refuse the gift, not only because of its great "sincerity," but also because it concerned the vital interests of his eight companions.

This "gift" binds everyone's future together and may even start a trend of other European authors signing separate licensing agreements with American publishers.

If he doesn't accept it, he'll be the enemy of all European writers!

Lionel smiled and stepped forward to shake hands with the white-bearded Mr. Putnam: "Mr. Putnam, this is a truly delightful decision!"

On behalf of myself and my friends, I thank you and all my colleagues in the publishing industry for your vision and insight!

Then, Lionel turned to Scribner, Holt, Harper… He shook hands with each of the publishing giants, repeating words of thanks and praise.

Zola, Maupassant, and others also realized what was happening and stepped forward to chat enthusiastically with these "partners" who were about to bring them enormous wealth.

The atmosphere on the platform instantly became warm and harmonious.

Andrew Carnegie stood by, watching the scene with a smile, confident that even the most picky John Morgan would be satisfied with his arrangement.

But only he knew the enormous price he had paid to bring these publishing giants to their knees.

After that, Carnegie Group was required to sell at least two thousand copies of the works by these nine authors published by these publishing houses.

Considering that many of these nine individuals have been famous for a long time, especially Zola, who alone has published nine volumes of "The Rougon-Macquart Family"—

This will be a considerable expense!
Even with the previous hefty bounty, this Pittsburgh steel tycoon felt a pang of pain.

Fortunately, John Morgan agreed to open up the railway stations along the Morgan empire's control, allowing these books to be placed on the lounge shelves for sale.

Otherwise, he really wouldn't know how to convince his rough and uncultured subordinates, who only knew how to smelt steel and mine, to buy French novels, unless he forced them to do so.

After shaking hands with everyone, Lionel turned to the eagerly waiting reporters.

He knew that it was time to set the tone for this matter, especially to amplify its impact on public opinion in the United States.

Currently, this kind of "copyright protection" is merely a commercial practice by publishers and bookstores, but if used properly, it could potentially influence US legislation.

Thus, he made his first public speech in English during his trip to the United States: "Ladies and gentlemen, today is undoubtedly a day of special significance."

We, a group of writers from France, are very honored to witness this crucial step taken by the American publishing industry.

This agreement is not just about the economic interests of the nine of us.

It also represents American society's respect for the value of knowledge and its recognition of the rights of creators, which is an inevitable requirement of a civilized society.

His gaze swept over the faces of the publishing giants, finally settling on the reporter. He raised his voice and began to announce:
"This is not only our victory, but also the victory of all people who respect knowledge and love culture!"

"This is one small step for us, but one giant leap for American civilization!"

This last sentence was not only powerful but also highly concise, and the reporters immediately jotted it down in their notebooks.

They knew this would be the headline of tomorrow's newspapers.

Andrew Carnegie's smile finally became genuine; this was exactly the effect he wanted—the public would no longer target him.

The title "Emperor of Tin Coins" is so vicious that even an industrialist like him, who has always been indifferent to public opinion, could not withstand the repeated bombardment of public opinion.

At this moment, New York City Mayor William Grace spoke up: "Ladies and gentlemen, the dinner is ready, let's set off!"

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(End of this chapter)