The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-20

opening Of permanent nat onal headquarters
by both the AIDING parties. Then the city
will indeed be the political clearing house
Of t3e country.
PROFIT AND L0ss OF MAKING BOOKS.
The printing OF books, like the writing Of
them, mas ceased T. be a very lucrative bus
il ess, il New York publishers are % be be-
lleved.
/ bad talk few days ago with the man.
aging partner Of one Of the largest publish
i z houses in the city. in the course OF
which be said:
"Writers are complaining that thew can
not make money, and some Of them charge
that the publishers have combined against
them TO keep down the prices and royalties
on books. The fact is. there 10 the greatest
rivalry and competition among publishers
They are printing too many books and selling
them too low. That 10 the reason there is
no longer much profit for the author for his
time AID labor, but toe publishers them
selves have suffered worse than the writers
THE newspapers. too, are burtIng the
business Of selling books. Tue daily news
papers of to-day are - large and their con-
tents 90 varied and interesting. few people
have time or INCLINATION 70 read books.
THE prices OF books have been going
down steadily for three or four years with>
out q corresponding Increase in demand,
aud the competition among publishers has
still further reduced their profits. The
books now sold at 25 cents are printed on
better paper and are better bound than the
books sold at 50 cents Ave years ago. The
publishers now take enormous risks. and
are heavy losers on many Of the new books
they bring out.
"A book that runs through three editions
OF 5 900 copies each is now regarded as a
phenomenal seller, and the first edition OF
many Of the new novels brought out is not
exhausted. That means a loss 70 the pub
Usher in most cases, which 10 little more
than made good by book that has big
run.
1.-THE author who can sell a novel out
right for a few hundred dollars is doing
well. True, if it should make a hit, his
royalties might amount to more, but be is
taking big risk. Very few publishers will
buy a novel outright unless il is from the
pen of an author whose reputation will sell
it, and then they cannot afford to pay more
than one alf as much as they paid a few
years ago. The newspapers and the demand
Tor cheap booAs hurt authors and publishers
alike
PROFITS OF POPULAR SONGS.
1t may seem absurd, but there is much
more money in topical song than in a
popular book. but most of it is made by the
publisher. A few song writes OF expo
renee will not sell their songs outright, but
have them published on royalty. These
make money, frequently several hundred
dollars on one song that makes hit and is
sung in the theaters for q few wee s. But
the song writers who are compelled TO sell
their labor Outright for what they can get
for IL have hard work to make q living.
while the publishers often clear $500 or more
on one of their songs.
Not all songs written are profitable, by
any means. but when one Goes make hit
the returns are large and song will sell
longer than a book. Many popular topi-
cal songs were purchased from their au-
thors for IS, $40 and SIS, and on some OF
these the publishers have cleared thou>
sands.
There is a young man In this city who be-
gan publishing songs i've years ago. with a
capital Of less than $500 aud very little ex-
peTienoe. He was acquainted with a few
struggling song writer's and bought their
best efforts outright for $40 each. The song
writers are still poor. but the enterprlsing
young publisher has emassed fortune esti-
mated at 100000. CURTIS KINaLAKE.