New-York tribune., 1874-07-17
THE BOOK TRADE.
RELATIONS OF PUBLISHERS AND BOOK
SELLERS.

COUNTING FROM RETAIL RATEs-FAvORs TO MIN
listers AND Observation-Disclosures BY MAIL
TRADE SALES DISCOURAGED.
The Convention of the American Book
Trade Union 10 be held at Putin-Biy July a. a. and
23 promises TO be in many respects signincaht anu ~
porant gathering, whatever schemes IL may consue'
and whatever results may be reached. The orgahl-
cation that calls it. although open to members
of any branch OF the book trade, Is com
posed largely of the retail dealers from the west
and South, and has IA membership OF perhaps
400 The Convention is not alone for those FORM
ing the Union but Tor all in the trade, and especially
the publishers Eastern cities invited. ana To some
extent they consented to be present 50 that fuy
COO delegates are expected. An assembly OF such pro-
porons drawn from so important and popular trade
naturally excites public interest to the circumstances
from which 1t has grown and what 1t proposes 10 TO- IL
may be stated, therefore, in word that tue presen1
demoraliz I'd state of the retail trade, which has been
going from bad to worse for some time past
is the present burden OF tho Book Trade
Union whose single purpose is reform" in all depart
ments aud this Convention Is simply OF the means
to this end While the reform proposed relates alike to
the business OF booksellers and publishers the latter are
chiefly held accountable for existing evils, ana are de-
sired 10 definite aud unequiyocal agree
ment in regard prices aud the rate OF discount 1t is
claimed by the booksellers that the publishers, knowing
well to what a condition the trade has been brought,
effect changes, but always with too little zeal and
faith and with proportionate so that now the
booksellers who are tho chief sufferers are Justned III
proposing to their publishers plan for tho restoration
of the odtime confidence aud for the revival of trade
And they affirm that IL is for the publishers 10 say now
long complete must be deferred.
The platform of the Union enumerates the abuses OF
the present system and against these. Individually and
collectively the Convention is directed And first 1t
opposes the custom OF dscountng from the retail price
TO professional men, requiring that In instance shall
discounts be made outside the regular trade, except
perhaps the introduction and exchange OF school
books and this shall be done through the rest
dent trade or the publishers agent More than
this the introduction prices shall be limited to
thirty days To effect these changes in the habits OF the
trade would in itself be great revolution. Ministers
and teachers will not like to pay retail prices for their
books They are constantly purchasing books. are
generally limited in means, and have opportunities to
assist the sale Of any particular volume which they
value enough to buy. The first aud last reasons
doubtless influence publishers to offer reduction much
moro than the second. and 1t is not at
all improbable that they consult their best
interests. At all events this almost universal
custom of publishers and booksellers as WELL is
too well established be abolished without struggle
And yet the opposition TO it is strong An Andoyer pub
Usher for instance, says that he sometimes feels
ashamed of his calling when he publishes a theological
"a
one within 2 per cent of that price, and that else
ever will" Country dealers regard it as imposition
when city publishers, of whom they buy In large quan
ties sell any class Of their customers professional or
otherwise, anything below the catalogue figures and
they are not content to be forced TO sell to
professional men at discount, in competition
with the publishers. university town furnishes
good example OF this. The bookstore is equal in most
respects 10 the retail OF the small cities The
variety of books great aud the selection choice, and
there is marked appearance Of enterprise. The pro-
prietor who, OF his accord would offer fair dis
count professors is compelled to sell to them at
about the prices that he pays else they will make
their purchases where he makes his aud with equal
per or and he will lose customers who buy gen.
eral assortment OF books. Why should he not COM
plant At any rate he does and this Convention is
called upon to regulate or remove the evil
Another point at which this opposition OF the retail
trade Is the rregularty of discounts to the
trade. Different publishers make different discounts
upon the same line OF books, underseng one another
for the sake OF securing the trade and tho same pub
fishers even make different terms to their customers,
thus enabling retail dealer to underel his neighbor
and drive him out of the business This 1t is claimed.
s as bad for the publishers IL the long
run as for the Dealers and is utterly demorazing in its
influence But how can this abuse be remededi Unless
every publisher will agree to fixed rate OF discount,
or least, unless the largest firms come to some
definite understanding, it is difficult to how any per-
manent relief can be obtained. And to expect this
quires degree OF credullty which the present outlook
does not warrant. Some OF the New-Y0rk firms
willing to sign any paper or agreement for the
that they seldom If ever Offend in this particular,
and for them TO give their signatures would be simply
TO favor the general methods OF conducting their
business without benefting anybody while binding
them to a which many others will not follow, and
which they themselves may at times wish to depart
from in some degree. Others do not believe in any
vhaa fa
OF others in the way that may appear to them the
wsest Then 1t is said that unless the few firms who
originated the plan OF heavy discounts and
are always ready to go beyond the generally
accepted maximum discount OF 40 per cent can DO
brought support and adopt the reform the assent OF
other firms would only result to the advantage OF tho
former and the discontinue of the latter Then, It is
asked how can the Wholesale trade be conducted in a
manner that will be satisfactory to large and small
buyers alikei A greater margin must be allowed
customers who have 5000 or $4,000 to spend than
20 others who wish 10 invest only $500 or
a 600 For II the special terms obbers make no dis
tnction between large ana small sales an the re-
taers would claim TO be jobbers purchase their goods
directly from the publishers, ami the business OF the
actual jobber would end, while large
capital, which usually counts for something, would
practically lose ts Significance. THIS would be un-
natural and would probably work little good There
has already been deal OF agitation upon this subject
aud IL is not impossible that In time reform may be
adopted AT the regular meeting OF tue Publishers |
Board OF Trade. held IN this city on June 10 and H. at
represeuted-the Harpers. d. Appleton Co., Scribner
Armstrong Co.. tho University Publishing Con pany,
and Sheldon & Goa resolution was adopted making |
the maximum discount onethrd the price of the book
TINS aterward rescinded, for the reason that the
immediate adoption OF system OF discounts would
brug great hardshps houses holding certain
tracts The plan proposed was that ten per should
e taken from the present tail price OF books reducing
a 81 book TO 81 81. The common discount upon small
wholesale bills should be 20 per cent, and the max.
and upward should be l6f per cent, thus |
making the maximum rate OF discount about one-thrd
the rate which the Convention a Putin Bay seeks 10
establish Tns pan 10 is seem would give the book to
,ne public at 20 cents less than before would not
change the profit OF the publisher while by a GORE