San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-12-28
SUBSCRIPTION BOOK TRADE.
Why Chicago Leads the World In This
Line-SOme Interesting Facts.

Why Chicago Leads the World in This
Line-Some Interesting Facts.
''It is remarkable" said a book publisher, 8
day or two ago, show Chicago has developed
within few years into the recognized cen
ter Of the subscription book trade. A few
years ago it was rarity to find a subscrip-
ton book published west of the Hudson. Now
Chicago leads the world. Why's Well, one
reason is doubtless the geographical position,
a natural center for a wide expanse Of terri
tory. Another is the elements of which the
western population is composed. Western,
especially rural, people are not book buying
class, yet they will buy when the books are
carried to them and showed upon them, so to
speak. And that is just what the subscrip,
ton book publisher does"
"What class of books do you find sells
bestY'
"Well, it has been the result of our ex-
perience that the American people are at
heart religious. If they are not religious
they're reliGiously inclined. And no book
we handle, be it our own publication or the
publication of some one else which we sell on
commission, sells like the book that has a re-
ligious coloring. This seems rather strange
when we hear so much about American
irreverence, but it's fact. Then, again, we're
patriotic people, and books about popular
military leaders or presidents or presidents
wives are acceptable and find ready sale"
Isn't there immense profit in subscription
booksg"
mot SO much as you would imagine from
the price of the books, Subscription books
are high priced, and many of them are not
Z oil 10 :.
But, you see, we send the books out over the
highways and byways to the people And
the agents. whose work isn't the most envi-
,ble in the world, have to be paid enor-
mously. As matter of fact the publisher
of many subscription book doesn't realize
IS much per copy as do the publishers who
simply put their goods on the trade. But
what we lose one way we make up another
For instance, our sales of a book are much
greater than though We simply put it on the
market and trusted to the merit Of the book
to sell it. Merit cuts little figure in sub
scription book; it's the push of agents. Be
sides, the lapse of time makes little differ
ence: the subscription book, as a rule, is
rarely seen out of a private house, is
rarely discussed in newspapers and is
just as good for selling ten years from the
date of the first issue as at first. Be
sides it is possible to run a very profitable
subscription book business on comparatively
small capital. that is, when you have but one
or two books. In the trade it is different
There man wants quite large catalogue
and it all means money. l don't think | am
far from the truth when | say that Harper
Brothers have Sl2,OO0,OO0 or $4,000, 900
bound up in stereotype plates alone, to saw
nothing about copyrights, royalties, dead
stock and the like"
Your prices, suppose, are purely arbi-
trary matter?'
Not SO much with us as with the pub
fishers for the trade At the book stores the
prices-Sl, Sl25, Sl.5O, or S2-are almost
wholly conventional prices, irrespective of
what the book actually cost to manufacture
We reckon four times tho actual cost of the
book to be about the selling price. Our
prices, of course, are more or less manipulate
ed by agents. Chicago News.