New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-05-24
Ivr0RT BUT7Es o. G00KS.

SECRET AIRY SHERMAN RE5CiSDS his RECENT RI IING.
II was recently proposed by Secretary ShcI-
man to change the rue fer the apprisrneut Of imported
books SO that ,he value in the producing country ana
mot .,e.ia i.np1rtl:.sn rates should De taken as the
standard Of cu.icm-I0Gsa valuation. IhD lrh"F"t'i
however, was abandoned on account oi mo o'mc "'9
fra.eep in ia Increment and objections shat were
made To the change. The book importers Tor ''hio
wore much excited rs thcr trade was SD much eG''n
,crod tat many feared great losses rud possible ruin
If er business The following incident caused IN" dis
cs.ion upon the matter tween Secretary sherman ana
Yr Gilbert, Assistant Book Appraiser; IL "'iiANf'"n'
sole importer at Chambers Encyclopedia L"1 Hn'i'''
the work a; AZ shilling, ana siNpence -t''Ihs D. D.
Tippmcott a Co. OF Philadelphia published an
American edition from the original plates ana
nat the price so low that Mr.. Worihlns'oh could No
comuete with them at his price He Then proposed 20
Tho Ale,srs Chambers that II they would sell ter I'll
cvcloprdia, at 30 shilling, he would take 900 S''S,
which proposition was accepted IL the S'''"'' ="
this question tho appraisers department. Ih'u
tl,t # could not allow the difference between
tbe two prices aud that Mr.. Wcr.hngton must
nav d,iy OH the price Of the FIRST importation THIS de-
c,lou brought up tue whole qu,ftiono the duiia'io
tn. f hooks, the drpartmont holding mat ills dui't
ht value Should Dee the value iuf '"hSunl '"" III -"
Gland and not the price for export. =,
b'' -, ,o tnr l,tfer OF Secretary sherman ~ the
Apprusers Office IN this city. Mr. Gilbert slteL in''
accent as the dutia5lc value OF BOOTS MIR
market value for export III un' GIn""y s,,,oe1
which they cane me new - "a, ,..-,,',,,. H.,
that il was the duty of The appraisers to determine lr
value of books for home con'nnP'Hn - ~ -, ie
from which they were eAp'ittd' a9n l.' I'Ji i "a ~.
"a I've t,rr-ots rs the basis for tn as-~>lch o' u''
under the tariff laws TAe statutes WoNIl'l LA IA, ,ir
,'r.alr price Of goods IN the country from Wlch th'
we're exported should bc TIE OASIS ioi il'9 a., .
that The invoices should state the acuil cos !" W
ti r ,f ti,c merchandise aud market value A. Tie
law did specify that the uua"lo Nalu' ,i, ~
limited 10 The market Va uo Tor nome ~
Lt l.au held v the appraisers that tue "h"l, sac '
In r ne np,rrrs ina the oTeu mdrhet WAS m itc' tie
only value which duty should De ~ l.eu. tic
rule OF the department. W0nd iel'I, ,i, tro mic
uaid and the value for home con,nn lli"h. Ini'
Ia the majority OF instances u'E VIZ io,i,FuI
90 Io Mir Gilbert thought II was uouUt"
whether an expert coull acl'ui' an n,l in n's
in regard to the publication t.o rtie p ''' - ~ -;
Alter a careful. review Oi Tue NAole SIs' r ~ tbc cid
man abandoned tn new plan ana ro,uilOu W W."
rule that the actual price iait O) ,.nt ~
should be regarded as the basis Tor tAo "SS''''' ~
duty. H., ,,,sl,ors ~ tbe CITY ex
pressed Their relief 10 IlBI NJ I'pplt.l d." a. a. -,
H., f tbe nropo.rd rule Mr. Armstrong OF the hFm oi
scrbner Wexford * Armstrong, sdd tnat tio i,npV n
trade Of the firm had not been seriously ~ no' 5 ,
reccnt disrus-Iun lie mad felt from tho beginning
mat the proposed ruling could mol 1o ehiutcu ";u
Inc department would be obliged 10 i'UHro, ls
,s So orders Therefore had been cOmiteluahueI as
mn anxiety felt. Ii llt lnltIiirt"tlt % t
b1d l.ru adhered 10 the Government would nave oe'h
,t Ia a.. rlIug on account o. tho SERIOUS cubsc
uueutcs which would have followed. / OF 'sint, ~
H five or six different bases in London for estimaths
b v,iu, f b,nk- and last year ABOUT 1000 volumes
terr is.uod there Now in order To apprase accurately
cacn book through us Different. editIn' "ii
the import trade were not destroy ea' ,I I Ph,,i
would be 20 LARGELY increased lh9t n, ,' T6e
! ruling Of Secretary Sherman was i9uh3eu on ,no
idea that books could not be bought IA ti mere
no uniformity OF prices. Inc catalogue o W. II.
SON W no bought uusod books from nei ~ eEgIi PD
nsher i'm London was IN Itself r,uailOh "a tne lncoIy
~ Uniform price shown. that he sold books at large
discount from the relmi price