The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-13


drSing nrices "a crush out the compeu-
ton OF smaller houses. we respectfully
submit that IL Is impossible we should be
doing boz. these things at the same time.
THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR PRICES.
Tn TO 1890 when the American Book
Conn was formed, IL ha1 oesn ne
universal custom OF all scbooi-pooh pup
fishers 10 LIST their books AZ VIA "eIe
known as wholesale trade prices. Inc
prices by mail postpaid were uniformly
The wholesale list prices. with one-sinth
OF the price add ID 10 provIue LOT postage.
No concerted attempt had ever De5h mace
10 control the retail prices AT wh.cn school
HOOKS were sold 10 pups. Amid many
and conflicting interests sucn control eouil
not be accomplished. In many iocdhties
from . to - per cent. Was auieu 20 we
whoIes4le list price by the local dealer;
mis- formed a just cause OIL eoihpiaiht Oh
exorbitant retail prices.
The American look Company, as soon
as IT was organized for business, deter
mined 10 relieve its patrons rom Tue
burden Of these too high re'ali prices ana
they hoped IN this movement the pubic
would recognize a determ nation 10 serve
their interests. The greatest discount
prviOusly given to large dealers and
Boards Of Education was 10 20 per cent
They announced that their future dis
count 10 large dealers ana 10 boards or
Education authorized 10 purchase would
be increased TO - per cent oH cohultoh
that ded lers should cooperate 10 IuTh-sh
their books at retail 10 the pupiis al the
wholesale list prices.
The one and leading aim in respect 10
prices which has been constantly adhered
to by the American Book company from
that time until now. has Deeii 10 insure,
so far as ii Is in its power, the placing
Of its publications in the hands OF actual
consum rs at the trade Hist prices. one
Of the most potent Influences 10 eHsct
this change was to advertise everywhere
hot far.ss & nh ft4ft
free by mail on receipt or Isl price aDOi-
ishing the one-sixth additional 10 the llst
price which had previously Deeh required
to pay postage.
10 accomplish this great object. the
making OF our former wholesale prices the
present retail prices. we nave not ohly
made the discount of ~ per cent apoNc
named; but in SPECIAL cases we nave III
CURED very considerable expense 10 ar
range with large jobbers OF books, or
with repositories established under d.tet-
ton of law, or with Boards oil Educa'loh'
TO insure a better distribution OF our pup
LEGATIONS IN every region, 70 matter no"
remote or difficult Of access. at prices
which should not be beyond our publish
ed wholesale rates
In establishing this new retail rate. the
American Book Company, I'D the ways
eXr,dirrd above mas secured TO the peo-
PIE a practical reduction IN the retail
prices ct school books IF from - 10 %
per cent. for which action II would seem
10 deserve credit and not abuse.
VARYING RETAIL PRICES IN DIFF
FERENT STATES ARE DUE TO VA
RYING LAWS AND OTHER CONDl-
TIONS.
In different States and under different
laws. various methods of reachLS this
one and the same general end IN respect
10 prices have been made use OF; but amid
all the differences, these TWO 4edulHB
statements are absolutely true;
fF.N q rta IL =
iug agencies ~ each OF The states where
we have State contracts, substantially
the same highest discount and. special
concessions tor handling and distributing
our books.
. While il is manifestly impossible for
tbs company 10 follow each one OF its
books into the hands OF the consumer,
absolutely .nsurinb II shall reach MN al
a certain price. 1t has eAerted an It's
influence ana power 20 bring about low,
just and uniform rates in the manner
above described. And whatever diner
onces in retail rates may at present pre-
vail ina different parts OF tho country, can
not with any consistency or justice be
charged TO sthe American Book Company
Ne have generally insured in each state
the adoption by the agencies lmmedl-
dtely supplying The puplls. OF the former
wholesale rate as the present retail rate.
But IA s. retail rate has been subject 10
these TWO notifications: % In some re-
g.Jus distant from railroads and water
WAYS. me school author ties have thought
"A slight advance OF. say, 10 per cent.
was no more than just 10 the dealers
WHO were TO handle the books, and TINS
they have allowed 10 he added 10 our
list prices 10 make Tier retail rate.
~ on the other hand. IN some states the
School Boards have availed themselves
OF our best discounts and cOncess Ons, anu
have themselves undertaken the RESPONSE
b lily and expense Of distributing me
books TO the pupils, either Directly or
through local agencies, at pr-ce some
IN Eg ike ~ per cent. less tnan our list
pr.ceS.
10 insure our customers against any IN
crease of prices. We everywhere "ner 10
contract 10 supply our books at present
vates for a term OF years, with the guar
Antee 10 give lower rates If such are any
where and at any time during the con-
tract given IN other quarters.
Virginia enjoys from Us to-day as low
PRIZES as We give IN any state or sec
lion OF the country. We guarantee that
our wholesale list prices shall be main
Idued dS the rates at retail, ana we give
her booksellers sufficient discounts 10 IN
sure these low retail rates III any lower
retail prices prevail in otner States-ahd
less DO prevail IN TWO or three-it Is be
cauS. the school authorities are charged
by law with the responsibility and eX-
p-nSe of The distribution 10 the people
illus fixing the own retail rates by max
ing the distribution charge a pubic eN-
pense instead of depending upon the local
bOOk-dealers, as IN virginia, TO 90 TINS
work I'm return for the discount ana con-
CessiOns these dealers receive rom rs.
A. publishers We receive from the prime
buyers substantially the same pr.ces for
our publications IN all parts OF the coun-
Try, all statements to the contrary by
our enemies Notwithstanding.
The following is an illustration of the
Pilots falsehoOds set out IN It's original
article. and repeated in an editorial sew
eral DAVIS later Il SAYS that We furnish
Longs Language Lessons, Paris and :,
at one price Ia Louisiana, ana the same
book at another and higher price IN Nlr-
ginia. The books are not the same. Inc
obi edition is used IN Louisiana, where II
has long been IN use. the new edition
was entirely rewritten, Is larger, ana
more expensive in manufacture. Both are
sold al their regular advertised prices.
and no one has been deceived or WrOnged.
The charges, therefore, that We are re-
ceiying more Tor our books in Virginia
than IN South Carolina, Louisiana. and
other States where We have contracts, or
that our prices average gner thdn those
OF other school-book publishers, are abso-
Wtely false and without any foundation
i'm fac. We have guaranteed IN our con-
tract with virginia TO give as low pI-ces
as anywhere. This clause OF our contract
has not been cVaded or broken III thi
slightest degree. and We have placed IN
the hands OF the HlrS ma Bodfd OF Eau
cation the full. authentic ana lndisputable
evidence on th4~ point w dlitilit W. dH-
VertiSe n ali our catalogues 10 Scnd our
books at the guaranteed rate 10 any one
"a Virginia by mail. postpaid, as an IN
surauce against imposition n retail prices.
As a further safeguard towards insur-
ing 10 the pupil the established low retail
rates the Virginia state Board OF Edu-
eaton furnishes TO each public school
teacher. 10 be posted up in each school
room in the State. large placard, II by
u inches. containing a fun list OF the
books adopted. with the authorized retail
prices annexed.
As to exchange rates. The Pilot charges
that We make exchange pr.ces less IN
South Carolina than those contained I'm