The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-18
BICYCLES AND BOOKS.
Effect of the Wheel ON the DEMAND
for Books.
Literary Digest.

Literary DlSeSt.
Among the many trades that complain of
the havoc that has been wrought among
them by the craze for bicycling, is that of
the bookseller. who says that. at present
at least, people would rather wheel than
read. The Publishers Weekly treats of
the matter editorially in rather a despair
ahead, and meanwhile advises the weeping
bookseller to add bicycles to his stock. 1t
says:
mentous question recently put by the New
York Times to a number of booksellers In
New York city. and the weight of opinion
seemed to be in the affirmative. Not only
the book trade, but all other trades that
have been interviewed on the subject claim
to suffer from the bicycle epidemic. Though
much OF this wailing is, perhaps, exagger-
ated, it is not altogether based on magma
ton. 1t does not, for instance, seem unreal
sonable to assume, when confronted with
the report that nearly $50, 900, 600 are in
vested in the manufacture Of bicycles in
nearly 200, 900 persons in the same locality
are already addicted to wheeling, that the
wheel does affect retail trades in gem
eral. and noticeably the book trade, which
depends upon sedentary rather than peram-
bulatory habits.
However, there seems to be some hope
left. One of the booksellers interviewed,
himself an enthusiastic wheelman, is of
the OpinOin that the present effect OF BIZ
cycling on the book trade must be only
temporary. His theory is that the increase
of wheeling means at the same time a gen.
eral increase of vigor and good health
among the people. Once the first and pres
ent phase of wheeling is over, this renewed
vigor will exhibit itself in a practical man
ner, as the people once more return TO
their libraries and books in better health
and better prepared to enjoy them. Like
all fads, bicycling will reach a climax, and
then the reaction will set in. How nearly
that climax has been reached it would be
rash to say; but the indications are that
it is not yet in sight. The manufacturer
of bicycles have not yet touched bottoms; SO
far as prices are concerned, and until they
do so there will still be millions to pass
through the craze, which for the time be-
ing is demoralizing the equilibrium OF
| trade.
we note in this connection the proposal
of a bookseller that the book trade ado
bicycles and their concomitants to its stock
Dry goods stores, the department stores
generally. says our friend. besides a num-
Der of miscellaneous ~stores-among the lat
ter are mentioned even several drug stores
in New York city-already do a thriving
business in bicycles. If the bookseller is
for the moment denied the privilege OF
furnishing his fellows will lamps to their
feet why, he claims, should he not KEEP
lamps for their wheels and SO bind then
to the habit of buying at a book store:
The Prophet Nahum, thousands or years
ago, lamented that. the city is full of the
noise of the wheels And the world stu
moves! Why, then, should booksellers
NOPE and be unhappy? Let them take
on Wheels AT this fin de steele everything
does. Caps and bells will be called in
by the inexorable DEGREES of fashion, but
of the making of many books there Will
be no end-nor of the selling of them,
| either