The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-02
A PUBLISHING HOUSE.

The suggestion that publishing
house in San Francisco ought to be estab-
hshed and that it might be made profit
able constitutes another chapter in the
story of our awakening. This does not
mean to say that no books are manufac-
tured here. for there is a considerable ir-
regular product of this kind. The excel
lence of the work is proof that ample
facilities for its performance exist. These
would be greatly increased by the estab-
lishment of plant devoted to that indus
try alone. 1t is the cheapest product of
the press, however, that is most desired,
and as the tremendous advancement in
mechanical appliances for this purpose
within recent years has led to the estab-
lishment of great houses for this kind of
work in New York and Chicago, those
cities affect to be able to underbid San
Francisco.
Cheap books issued regularly are desir-
able on the score both of postage rates and
the small cost of manufacture. 1t would
require considerable capital to establish
such house here, but there are abundant
reasons for the belief that it could earn a
profit. The manager of the San Francisco
News Company gives the assurance that
with the aid of the American News Com
pany the books published here in cheap
form would have as good a chance of sale
through those great purveyors as books
published in New York or Chicago and
this certainly ought to suffice as a guar
antee Of profit.
Ever since the birth of authorship in
California it has been a notorious fact that
a book published here never commands
the attention of Eastern critics. As the
Pacific Coast standard of literary criticism
is largely based on that of New York, it
has followed naturally that Western
critics, especially California critics, have
made it a rule to decry books issued here.
The California author who discovers the
audacity to issue book in his own State
is generally told promptly that he has
made a fool of himself. The same books
issued by New York house would have
commanded the respect of the local critics,
provided, of course, the New York critics
had already discovered merit in them.
The Literary Guild of California is
society formed for the purpose of buying
books written by Californians. This is an
eminently praiseworthy Increment, as it
insures profit to the author of every book
issued under the auspices of the guild. Its
only defect is that it will not be counte-
nanced by authors who are too proud to-
desire success which is Independent of
merit.
1t is true that many circumstances mill
tate against the California author, not only
at home but abroad, and that when such
an author has the ability and determine
alton to achieve success he must leave CAL
ifornia. This is disgraceful situation.
The fact is that the standard of literary
criticism of the East is against the broad,
free, brilliant, original work that seems
characteristic of Californians, and that is
explainable on numerous grounds. Our
unhampered literary product is singularly
fascinating, but the Eastern critics, who
take their cue from the repressionist stand
ard of England, are inclined to sneer until
now and then they are forced to accept.
The establishment of a publishing house
in this City would correct all the evils
which now exist and give to the world the
brightest literature that is now produced
outside of France. 1t is literature that
would instantly force its way with the
public in spite of the critics