Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-01-03
Augustus p. LaCOste
Prospectus

AMERICAN LITERARY COMPANY.
VHNHE object ofthis Company is to elevate tho
Il general standard ofliteraturc IN the United
States, by introducing into common use, an
improved uniform series of elementary books, and
stimulating i've talent, by securing to authors
the publishers profit on other than school books:
The plan is, the organization Of company,
with sufficient capital to publish all books written
by native authors, which may be approved by
committee of publication, at the risk OF the cons
pany, who shall pay over to the author all profit
on the sales, after deducting the printers char,
ges and incidental expenses.
1t is proposed to manufacture the paper used
in printing and thus to save the expense Of dry
ing it for market, putting it into bundles, trans
portation to market, commission, interest and
guarantees, equal at least to twenty pei, cent.
A greater saving can be made by the employ
ment ofboys in composition, printing and bind,
ing. This, with the profits on periodicals., re-
prints, and elementary books, will secure to the
stockholders good dividend.
BY requiring each clerk, foreman, papermaker-
journeyman, proof-reader, and all others connect
ed with the Company, to hold certain amount
ofstock proportoned to their salary, which, when
has not been paid in advance, will be liquidated
by sinking fund out of their earnings, and held
subject to be assigned to the successor of each,
upon condition that such successor shall be al.
lowed to pay for it by deduction from his earn.
ings, each person attached to the company be-
comes a stockholder, and, to the extent of his
stock interested in the Of the institution.
This feature will be rigidly enforced and in case
any one in the employment ofthe Company shall
for any cause, be dismissed or leave its service,
his stock will be assigned to his successor.
Agencies will be established in the large cities,
where the Company's books can always be had
at the wholesale prices Booksellers, and coun-
try merchants who sell books, now pay profit
to the paper maker, another to the printer, and
4 third to the publishers. Those who subscribe
stock in this Company will receive books at their
cost, rating tho printing at the New York prices,
to the amount of the stock SO subscribed it be-
ing understood that tho dividend on their stock,
to the amount of six per cent. per annum only,
shall be charged as interest and that all dividend
above six per cent shall be paid to such stockhol.
ders The Company thus guarantee to booksel-
lers dividend of 6 per cent. per annum on tho
amount of their stock, and the paper makers prof.
it, the printers profit, and the publishers profit,
over and beyond Their own profit as booksellers
The advantage to the Company is, that all the
stockholders will be interested i'll getting work
for the Company's Office, and that each stock
holder will always give preference to the Com
pany's paper and the Comp ny's books over those
of other makcr aud publishers. Such an ar
rangcmrnt iii the booksellers will enable the
Company, by means Of n circular addressed to
their correspondents, enclosing their report ofthe
committee of publication, to be sod, and thus
protect them against all loss by as :ertaining in
advance ifa proposed work can b sold for iit
cannot be sold, the Company will not print it.
Thus the interests Of authors, publishers and
booksellers will be reconcilcd, by ':eating COM
munity in which the rights of each will be Sc
cured, the public benefited by t C introduction
of uniform series Of Improved school books, and
the South protected against the introduction OF
any matter tending in the most remote degree to
assail our institutions and prosperity. And when
we take into consideration the fact wss that there
are now held against the prejudices of the world
that a society with more than five hundred
auxiliary associations spread over many OF the
States of this Union, with immense sums for the
gratuitous distribution Of tracts and pamphlets,
have declared universal emancipation, and re-
member the influence which early Impressions
have on the maturcd mind, all must see The mn
portanco Of guarding against the admission into
our elementary books OF any matter which may
mislead the feelings or judgment.
Jn1smuch as the sale of school books is much
greater, and the value and profit depends much
more on the publisher, the Company will divide
the profit with the author compiler on all ele-,
mentary books. This arrangement will place all
authors and compilcrs on the same footing; and
incsmuch as the company will have no interest
in the copy right beyond contract for the ex-
elusive right to publish until better or improved
book is produced by some other author, the COM
panv will be always inviting, and in fact offering
a premium for better and improved books. AS it
now is, every author encounters the competition
of publishers who have the copyrights of rival
books. This Company will be an impartial um-
pire, ready to place each now competitor on tho
same footing as the most favored party. Its OBJ
iect being to publish the best book, and the profit
being the same on either, the preference will al
ways be, and Directors will be held in Columbia,
South Carolina, on the 30th of November. In
the mean time subscriptions will be received, and
the certificates of stock issued when the Compa-
nv is organized. The objects to be accomplished
by this Company are such that it is hoped there
will be no want of funds; and we especially rely
on the readers of the Telegraph to forward thoir
A'''' | DUFF GREEN.
Washington City,-August Cd, 1896.
PrODOsals. no aa