, 1874-05-06
THE BooKMAKERs, WAR.


There mover Tas q ministerial dispute which
did not, hooner or later, lead to number of soc-
ondary contedts, and that Is unfortunately prov.
ing to be true Of tho present patton-swing con-
trogorsy, which now has ita sido-show in tho
form OF difference between two Of tho loading
bookseliing firms Of Chicago, MesBrs. Koen,
Cooke l. Co. and Jansen, MoCiurg d Co.
a few weols ago the last-named firm published
q book callcd ''Truths for To-day" being col
laotion Of number OF Prof. SWINGS sermons.
1t had beon the dearo OF Prof. Bvtng to
postpone ita appearance until tho fall, but
when 1t became manifest tlat Dr.. Patton tntena-
Cd to prefer charges against him, and bring him
to trial, mnny Of tho friends Of tho pastor Of the
Fourth Church insisted that the book should "a
forth before the trial began, and to that desire
prof; Swing yielded There wore somo sermons
in tho collection, but tho author demulred, not
on account Of his unwillingnesx to hava tho
sentiments theroin arowcd 60. before the world,
but becauae tho form in which they wero given
waB not satisfactory to him, and ho intended III
some future day to revise md correct thom.
Tho book Waa published, aud, owing partly to
Its intrinsic MORT, and partly 10 tha approach.
ing trial, for tho pubication contained mhny sor-
mons to which Dr. Patton took exception, it mot
with very large sale.
Keen, Cooke l. Co., seeing tho snccess Of thio
enterprise, thought TINT they themselves would
50 INTO tho same business. aud therefore bought
up, at : nominal price, tho plates of the Chicago
Pulpit, Which had been sold to somo person by
Carpenter i Sheldon az old metal. They also
copied fow additional sermons from the AEl-
ance md tho daily papers. When Jansen. 1cC ClurH
i Go. Enw tue announcement OF this forthcoming
publication they felt a.erieyed. since, while
there Is 10 rulo governing publishing houses In
Chicago, the customs prevailing at tho East
would not bare allowed this action on Keen,
Cooke d Co.'a part. According to tho custom or
tho trado the former waro Prof. SWINGS publirh-
ers. They atated a. much to Keen, Cooko d
Co., who offered to withdraw, but only for sum
which the other firm considered unreasonable.
A proposition to submit tho question TO tho
booksellers Association Of Chicago mat with no
reply.
BUT tho person who foels the worst about this
matter is Prof. Swing. Many Of tho SERMONS
which Keon, Cooke & Co. proposed publishing
were tho very ones which le specially objected
to having appear in their present form. Ho
stated bis objections verbally to tho firm, aud
thon wrote them the following letter:
Apa1n 80.
DEAR Ea1Eaps: Aftcr thinking mors upoa. tho
subject, It has appeared to mo that by publishing
your Pulpit sernona you would do great injustsca
TO my publishers Jansen, Mc0lnrg l. Co., who, rely
ing Upon my presumed control Of my Sermons, unye
published m expensive book, 7 therefore hnpe,
although you Do possess in fos simple those old pates
you will set have tho kindness to regard my WiEheo
and tho confessed rights Ut Jansen, Moolnrg GO.
Hoping that something very amlcabIa md very
servant. (slgusd) DAVID SWING.
To this no reply has yet been given. While
Kesn, Cooke i Co. have legal right to publish
| thia book, tue sermons being now public prop
| arty, yet it ia apparently in bad tnato to sond
| them cut sgainat tho wishes and in defiance Of
tho request Of tho person who wrote them.