The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-02-21
The State IL the Publishing Bust
naecs


We have before US q mem oriaI to the
Legislature, signed principally by the
| lawyers N Tennessee, praying that the
State subscribe FOR $50 compiete sets of
| the decisions Of the Suprer4e Court prior
/ TO 1861, at % per volume, at a cost Of
$50, $50. Il is alleged that private parties
cannot undertake. their Republication
without loss, unless encouraged by a
State subscription that it Is important
that the Bar and the Bench should be IL
possession of the decisions; that litigation
would be lessened if the LAWYERS had
them and knew what the law was, so that
they could correctly advise their clients,
etc, etc.
Now, all this seems fair enough at first
blush, and we would be glad to know that
every lawyer had copy of them in his
library. We have no doubt that legal
matters would wsrk along smoother, but
is 1t a matter that the State has anything
to do with, to the extent of embarking in
the publishing business in order that
third parties may Euy their books the
cheaper? COuld not a plea equally as
plausible be urged that the correct, inteI>
liceut practise of medicine was of the
highest Importance to the people of the
State; that there were daily new discOv-
cries IN the various branches of path
ology, anatomy, physiology, therapeutics,
chemistry, etc, and that there were hum
dreds of members Cf the medical proles-
SIGN who were unable 70 supply til ems
selves with full library unless the State
would come forward and aid in me pub
LEGATION of these works And could not
equally as potent reasons be urged for the
encouragement of others whose means
we're not sufficient to equip them with all
they Wished to perfect and enlarge their
business and usefulness Could not the
printing Offices Of Tennessee lay claim to
the State benifcence by alleging that
new and better presses, type and the
thousands Of cunning appliances needed
in 1.-The art preseTvatiYe of all arts" would
be of great public as we'll as private ben
eft?
These considerations will show that
there are two sides to the question.
| That there are strong reasons In favor Of
! the Importance of having these reports is
undoubted, but that the State has any
| business going into the publishing line
| that private parties may be enabled to
| buy the cheaper is questionable. as q
/ general rule, if book Is worth having
| if its publication ID so important and me-
| cessary-the demand should and would
carry it through safely. IF a low price
viii not publish a work, higher viii
| If the State needs the work, let her buy
| it al she does volumes for her library
! What we want is that our good old State
! shall not be put forward to rake the ches.
nuts out Of tie fire that others may not
! burn their fingers.
Now, from printer point Of view, it
seems that there is a "cat" hid in this
meal The dear old State is soothingly
asked to buy 45O sets, at S42 each, costs
ing S55, $50, and is told that "by accept
ing this proposition the State will get the
| books very nearly Cue-half less than cost,
and the publishers can only reimburse
themselves by selling large number to
the profession at five dollars per volume
Well we would Ike to know where the
| profit Of the publishers lies If the State
receives her books at 'Uery nearly one
| halt less than c0St," then they cost the
publishers a little over Sjc dNll'lrs Il vol
ume, and they expect 20 reimburse them
selves by selling a large number to the
profession at RU8 dollars per volume.
This Is a little too thin" The greater
the sales TO the profession the dc per
they viii get in the mad.
There Is a screw loose zbUut here, and
there had better be some more cyPherIng
done GaUGtin Examiner.