New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-28
FOREIGN LITERATURE.
THE AMOUNT OF IT PUBLISHED 61
AMERICAN FIRMS.
r,,1, rv1v FOREIGN BOOKS WHICH ARE MADE
HERE ARE IN NO SENSE RIVALS W
THE IMPORTED ONES.


HERE ARE IN NO SENSE RIVALS OF
THE IMPORTED ONES.
Tn view Of the discussion aroused by that sec'''"
Of the new tariff bill providing Tor outy upo'
foreign books it is Of considerable interest u as
certain as nearly as possible, Just how much oi
an industry IS represented In this country ny INC
publication OF literature In foreign 'ohsues' ~
,bo original form of Mr. Dingey's provision mas
since been modified to permit the ree I'M
portation OF such books as are needed py co",e
brories etc is sufficient proof that the hrst dfaie
~ the measure met with vigorous criticism ana up
postlon As a matter OF fact. the ac'uai hu'
Of foreign books published here Is so sfhai ''"' ~
cuts almost no figure in comparison Win 'i'e t"
titles which are imported. Moreover, 10 quote INC
oni,ion Of George Haven Putnam. 'the foreign
hooks which are of most value to students Vi ~
erature art and science could not De Puo"'".'
here even II protected by tariff. because ti'
market for them IS not large enough 10 noid OUT
the slightest chances of success TO sucn al u''uo
taking AS an example OF the class or ooohS re-
ferred to may be mentioned the various "e' mo-.
editions Of the Greek classics. A complete SET u
the different texts OF Homer with the valuable an
notatlons of German students, is an indispehsaoe
thing to the student OF Greek literature IheSe
books arc now imported for the use or INSTITUTIONS
of learning but It is easy that the uerhahu
for them is strictly limited. No publishing houSe
here would find II practicable TO get 'hei' o"'' "
the cost which would be involved consequently
q duty upon them would protect no American III
tcrest and would simply impose d hed'' '
upon American students.
THE numerous French and German teH'poonS
unfinished by American firms constitute almost the
entire bulk of the foreign works printed mere ii''
are however very different things from tie oi'''
of books mentioned in the foregoing parasi ap,''
being for the most part abridged and smpiiheu cur
tions of the principal classics or modern worhS.
1bov were designed and are used as a means OF
teaching the language ana literature vi o
countries In our private and public SCHOOLS iney
do NOT compare In any respect with the more vaiu-
ahIe foreign editions OF the same works. which are
sought only by the highest educational instltu''ohS'
There Is no possibility Of rivalry or CONNECT oe'"ee"
the two , r, p,husbers,
U;eel,lv in nm interview with Tribune reporter
a day or two ago. gave an interesting accoun, o.
some attempts which have been mace lron IlIe
~ tive ~ hsh the publication of foreign books
I'm America and the condition or the business ~.
day. The following statements arc mace upo" HIS
forty the firm Of wsi in ES
of Of ana me ns mporaht WORKS
and Boerne The sale for them was never enl %m
York published the hooks Of the German dia e
writer Fritz Renter i VIII ne seen "s el and their
reception never seemed to warrant Their exle s
long c91inuance In tnelI German dyison
Of his aside library. 1t his intention to ma
q sale for the books in Germany-where .hSy
would cost less than the hands0mer edtlons OF tn
same works therein order 10 supplement- anu
make profitable the market which they might ma a
here This project soon proved inposslDle' an.
for lack OF sufficient support among Germans hc'e
the entire plan was given up. w.,
80 much for the cheaper class OF novels. Herc
is an instance of the fate OF those OF ,hSl '
grade. Schick a Chicago publisher. VINO dleo an
lSg5 brought out in excellent 6mo form some bookS
by Ldndau Ecksten, Heyse and few other Ger,
man authors After his death the business passed
into the hands Of Laird & Lee. of chicago, ana Al
that accounting II was found that twenty-thrcc
books comprised the entire list OF the German pun
licat,ons' -. - ,,,L on,
German fiction now published in this country was
confined TO a few scattered books put forth rom
time TO time by Meyer Bros and n few other hrins
whose chief business was one OF importation, - =
city the Courier des Etats-unis; published
French novel but the number of such was extreme;
ly small. The Appetons have department oil Of
books in Spanish by Spanish authors which Is
maintained In connection with a Inc or the WORKS
OF American writer's, translated into spanish
With the completion of the above list, SAID MT
country other than textbooks. was pretty well
covered 1t was his opinion, as 1t was that of Mr.
Putnam. that protective duty would have no ef'
feet In building up the business 10 any greater pro-
portions and that the disadvantages of such
tariff would be far greater than any financial bonc
fits which the Government might receive