New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-23
TIE BOOK TRADE CONTENTION.


, coyppoyusr RFpoRT-THE DISCOUNT on THE
PRICE OF BOOKS TO PROFESSIONAL MEN RE-
prcrp AFTER AN ANIMATED DEBATE-GENERAL
ATTRACTION WITH THE RESULTS OBTAINED
THUS FAR.
Prr-Iy-BAY, Ohio, July 22.-The Committee
OF Thirty representing the three classes OF "hch the
Book Convention is composed namely the puosners'
iobbers and dealers agreed upon report to-day lhs
rebort Is compromise, in which the publishers yeiu
much less than the dealers leading feature In the
nl,tform odopted by the latter that discounts to
professional men should be abandoned altogether The
present custom to allow ministers teacher lawyers
and physicians a reduction on the regular retMl prices
of books, ranging from 10 TO 20 per cent a large
share of the retailers profit il absorbed IN ths way
The dealers have long been convinced that no conpen-
On ting advantage accrued from this practice Of dividing
their profs with favored classes among their patrons
but they could net abandon it long as the Publishers
adhered to The professional men, II refused the ds-
count, would say every well; we VIII send our
orders direct to publishers they viii make the re-
duction :" and the dealers would have TO yield or
lose their customers. The Committees report recon-
mends repeating the existing system, hut makes the
maximum discount 30 per cent to purchasers outside
the trade the discount medical works beng 10 per
cent only The discount is to be allowed in tie option
Of the dealers not only to professional buyers Oat also
to libraries and to customers giving large orders.
with them by advertising to send books by mail post
paid athe regular retail price, for TO add the postage is
10 give the dealer small advantage In view OF INC
recent reduction in the postage on printed matter the
Committee concluded not to recommend anything on
this point The publishers were naturally unwilling 10
renduish the right send single copies OF their works
by mall and the dealers found II would be useless to
stop them On tho subject OF trade sales, the report
favored the appointment of a committee to establish
and conduct senauuua sales or fairs. at which pub
fishers may offer their books on special terms to the
trade.
The recommendation the subject OF discounts was
unsatisfactory 20 many OF the retailers IL looked 70
them As IL the publishers and wholesalers had captured
the Committee. Merely TO fix maximum discount
which was not much below the allowed ap-
pearcd TO the retailers favoring evil instead of
uprootng IT, They wanted 10 destroy the whole syS-
tenn OF discounts and failing in this, 10 have the pub
fishers and obbers not 10 exceed very low ne
IRE The dissatisfaction OF this class OF delegates with
the report was manifested as II was read Mr..
Hubbard. Columbus dealer said that there were only
ten retailers Committee the other twenty being
large publishers or jobbers. He moved substitute for
the report providing that the discount on retail prices
to libraries professional buyers, and large retail DIS
should not exceed 10 per cent on miscellaneous books
and on law. medical, and scientific DOCKS
and that this rule should into effect as contract be-
tween the publishers aad dealers soon as signed by
|
than $4,000 year
This proposition opposed by Mt Sheldon OF New
York who represented the view Of the question taken
by majority of the publishers He SAID that no good
result could be accomplished unless public opinion APP
proved the conclusions Of the Convention. He believed
that the retailers would he greatly benefited by the re-
commendatlon in the report 10 sustain the local bo0k
stores He thought 10 per cent discount unrcasohaDy
low and insisted that purchasers who considered them
selves entitled 10 abatement would not be salts
fed with IT, A. TO the publishers anu !obbers, they had
right to make discounts orders for libraries sc
because they had heavy stocks ana such orders
could not be filed 10y retail dealers
The views of the dealers who favored an entire aboli-
ton of discounts except TO the trade, received strong
approval from Philadelphia publisher Howard Cba!-
Ion who held be dishonOribc for publishers TO I'M
derse their own customers by retailing at less than the
retail price fixed by themselves He especially depre'
Gated the adoption of resolution which. going TO the
country would inform the public that there were priv
eged classes Of buyers who could get books at 20 per
cent less than the people Better say nothing about 1t
and co on M before. If the eyl OF discount could not
be reformed altogether.
Mr. Astor said there publishing houses who dis
counted 90, per cent TO retail buyers. For his part he
Thought 1t great step advance 10 bring them down
TO 20 per cent This proved TO be the prevailing view
and the result Of a long discussion 10 convince
nearly all the delegates who were at drst dissatisfied
with the report, that II the best thing atainable so
end there no OppDslllon 10 lis auoptoU
It's believed by many that Hter year t!al OF TIE 70
usr cent maXlmum, lower rate can De agreed upoh'
aud tue reform thus accomplished step by step.
An interesting debate arose on the retail price or
books Some delegates thought them TOO high and re-
minded the Convent on that the public hal heen in
formed thar reduction Was ihe! 10 sEoN o VI GU t
present meeting. IL reply 10 these reuarks MI shei-
don said tie public expectation OF sudden and large
reduction would not lie met. general position. Tie
prices Of miscellaneous books had been gradually re-
duced since the 80 that books whIch once Hold AT
two dollars were now sold for dollar and y cents.
further reduction was not pos.iDe AT present; Inc
plates OF books cost twice as mGrh as before
| the war, aud advertising twice as much AT the
sam y TINE the dcpaDd for books was less than
formerly owing the increased circulation OF maya
zines and newspapers. Not one BOOK III three yielded
the ptbs her "A profit. Tlerc was another element OF
additional expense the pubic demand-handsomer
binding. Before the the binding OF II duodecimo
could for twelve hut to SATISFY tie public taste
SNOWY bindings pat which cost Is VI 20 cents
copy. lie thought there were few publishers who
would not be satisfied with clean proI OF ten per
cent their publications. To publish new books was
50 hazardous that many really valuable works never
got into print Prices ought TO be so high that there
would be a fair profit q book Of which the sales
amounted to 1000 copies Nj. Sheldon believed that
before long the English system would have to be
adopted which to sell Old books at low prices and
AT rates two three times as nigh. As rule
this country, under the present system the public
robbed OF good books because II did not pay TO
pint them.
An Emra dealer complained OF the high prices OF the
publications Of OsgUOd * Co., iustancing "A number Of
small books aud among them Warmers Paddock, which
used to retail at 81 o. whereas 81 was enough. Chair
man Randolph reminded the delegate that the value OF
a book did depend its ana that "a large
ncan cost less than small pearl After the discussion
OF topics OF minor Importance The Convention adjourned
until 10 morrow.
General satisfaction IS expressed by all classes OF dele
gates with the resolutions adopted All the publishers
present favor them. committee will be appointed To-
morrow secure. II possible the agreement all
publishers and jobbers OF the country to the resolutions
The result OF the Convention Will unquesonably be TO
strengthen the book trade
or