New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-08

ANb- Wv i
about by the act Of the fundamentally sneak
Ing. believe. by the act Of the two largest. Mu-
dies. and Messrs. w. II. Smith & Son, the firm
who lately did Mr.. George Moore the considerable
service OF boycotting his latest novel, Esther
Waters" These two great houses notified the
publishers that in future they did not propose to
buy their three-volume novels at the publishers
price. but at their own price. Heretofore these
wares. Issued at the nominal cost Of one guinea
and half or thirty-one shillings and sxpence
have been put on the market-the circulating H.
brary market-at eighteen or nineteen shillings
or at an average Of not far from six shlings
Isl 5O) per volume Messrs. Nude and Smith say
that In future they Will not pay more than four
shillings volume. The publishers replied that
as they, poor creatures. could not AFFORD to lose
two shillings a volume or thrty-three per cent OF
the price, they should be obliged, II they yielded
TO reduce the sums paid to the author. Why they
did not also add the printer. paper maker,
binder. and other persons concerned in the manu-
facture OF this peculiar merchandise Is. sup
pose. evident. The printer would not stand
sweating. II Is supposed the author would He
is expected to stand anything and to take what
ever the publisher. out of the fulness Of his heart
and OF his pocket. may be disposed to allow him.
author. and his reply added vivacty to the dis
pute. He declared by the medium of the Society
Of Authors. that he did not wish any longer to
be published in three volumes. but In one On the
one-volume novel the librarians have as yet made
no attack. The three-v volume form is an "arti
fetal" form. produced. in most cases. in particular
circumstances for particular class Of customers
and Of readers II Is in the opinion Of the Coun-
ell of the Society Of Authors. for the interest Of
authors and Of readers that novels should be pub
lished at a price which will enable the public to
buy them.
Nothing could more reasonable; nothing
in fact is more reasonable. and yet. if this pro-
posal be carried into effec;. it will amount t. a
revolution For. as explained al length some
time ago. the librarian does to a great extent
choose the books his customers read. He con-
tracts to supply them with SO many volumes. He
has found il for his interest to buy at low rate
and to distribute to his subscribers any trash
which the publisher publishes in this shape. The
publisher found it profitable to publish III" trash
for the same or similar reason All parties 10
this transaction are content; even the reader
seemed content TO read trash. A novel was a
novel The literary manufacture Of II was carried
on as an industry Just the manufacture Of cot
ton and woollen goods is carried There Is
market for all grades. l, was cheaper for the
librarians. and very large part or their busi-
ness was conducted in this way.
The aim In issuing their circular To the pub
fishers was to do 1t cheaper still.-to increase
their own profits and doubtless to extend the sys-
tenn Of supplying three-volume novels at their
own choice and discretion. and without much' u
any, reference to the wishes Of their readers
should their readers happen 10 have or express
any wishes the subject They never dreamed
Of destroying the system. But II the publishers
and authors should happen To agree on the one
volume FORM at a price which the puohc VIII
pay the circulating Libraries may 60 down IKE
So many houses of cards. They probably wouId
not go down but they would have 70 remodel
their business and probably do II at less IN
stead Of greater profit
What the upsho, OF the whole matter VIII be ~
not vet clear But the Society OF Authors Is a
fghting body. II has had it, way In more IMAM
one very serious controversy with the publishers
And H. "a said. the publishers and the society
should happen 70 agree, they would nave Mes''S'
Nude and Smith at their mercy. ana IL wou'H
be very good thing II they had. the oooKseii-
ers OF course would side with the publishers ana
authors one reason why the bookse!lng Dust
ness is 90 bad In this country Is the fact 'hat
neonle borrow books instead Of buying them The
lsss horrowing and the more buying. the better
~ course for those who have books TO sell. The
libraries would still lend. but they would lena
| fewer books and probably on higher terms III
either case the author would have better 'hah'e
| OF coming by his own. or OF coming by more Oh
| his proper and just reward than ne no" does
| And dare say the publishers would h'' "''hi
80 long as the extra wage 10 the author ala not
come out Of the publishers pocket u W. .