The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-07-06
THE VAR or THE nook DEL ERs
How a Subscription Publisher Brcngm
Rockefeller TO Tcrms-A Grand Cn,npatnn
TO be Fouvht-Strntegy of the warriors.


7 60 be Foupht-StrnteRv of the warriors.
The subscription publishers have begun carry
ing out their threat, which was alluded 10 in TnE
sUS some weeks ago, Of retaliatns upon the trade
publishers for cutting into their business. The
trade houses have been selling the subscription
books over their counters at less than the agents
prices, and IN this way made considerable havoc
with the canvassers. The managers Of tho sub
scription houses held council OF war and resolved
upon pa ing back their rivals in their own coin.
Like charity they began OF home, and II nde their
drst effort at Hartford, where three ourths Of the
absorption book houses In the country have their
headquarters. The manager OF the American Pub.
fishing COMPANY Mr.. Z. Bliss. Jr., was selected as
the generalin-chief and marshalel his forces with
out delay. As preliminary movement, he made his
arrangements for buying "Lothair" "The Old
Fashioned Girl" aud other popular books at the
publishers prices and by buving them in large
d me- get f anH the
to the trade Is 90 cents, so that there is good
gin for profit
BLISS DEMANDS sNrrH's suRRENDgR.
Mr.: Bliss ARRANGED for supply Of 80 Tic Old FASH
and then started for the bookstores, rather for
the one bookstore at Hartford which has been cut
ting into the subscription business The proprietor,
who may be called smith. received him graciously
aud they had an extended discussion about the
lion 10 the iaet hat none Of The subscr,p,,nn bnoss
or but very few OF them, found their way into the
bookstores, except by fraud Smith replied that it
was none Of his business how they got them; and as
he could buy the books in New York ana Boston. no
should buy them and keep them hand for his Gus.
toners. Bfss then drew from his pocket an adver-
tisement which ~ formed the public that The Old
Fashioned Girl" could he had at the cnice OF tile
American Publishing Company, 1i9 Asylum street,
for one dollar, and all other popular books in pro-
portion.
" and my clerk can sell the books without much
trouble IL viii cost me nothing to make the expert
ment. and we have fully determined to pay you OF
In your own coin. We nave been celebrating on
this matter for some time, and going 10 act now.
W hen we la1e begun we shall keep on and sell all
the popular books as fast as they appear il is for
you to soy whether this advertisement goes into the
Hartford papers tomorrow OF not"
SMITH sURRESDERs
Mr.. Smith was astonshed, but was not long in
coming to himself lie gracefully acknowledged
tlnt tile game was In the hands Of the subscription
men and before they separated he agreed TO sell no
more subscription books in Hartford, provided Bliss
and his friends would Keep out Of tine regular trade.
The agreement has been faithfully kept by both par
ties. But though tho war has been ended in Hart
ford II Is raging where. Arrangements are near
" completed for pushing the REGULARS to tie wall OF
giving thcm lively 1rht In the same way, in all
places where the subscription houses have general
agents. Every general agent will be supplied with
trade books at wholesale cost, with instructions To
sell them AZ the lowest possible figures. In New
York and Brooklyn there win be ten or twelV 9
places where trade booas can be had cheap ;
no rev stores will he established, but the
slirewd men OF Connecticut have arranged with
niners grocers, ana Others to have little In
their shops where the books will be sold at profit,
just enough to pay for the trouble aud the locality
Of these shops will be duly advertised One OF these
plSces will be on Nassau street. near Beekmnn an.
Union square, and another on Madison square. The
resding public will have chance TO get It's literature
alta low rate, unless the trade houses viii agree
TO stick TO their own business and let that OF the
subs lflption men alone