The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-27
THE PRICE OF BOOKS.
Extra AdOrnment on Holiday Issues
Becomes Il Burden.
Kansas City Journal.

Kansas City Journal,
No matter how much the purchasing pow
er of the god dollar may have increased
it has not affected the price of new books
and this Is the time of year when that fact
becomes painfully evident The books which
one desires to give to his friends are the
late publications, and these seem never to
have cost so much now. While 1t Is true
that books generally have never been so
beautiful as at present and while it is true
that the beautiful in everything has never
been so thoroughly and generally appreci-
ated heretofore, yet 1t must be admitted
that people know more now than ever be-
fore and are buying books for their con-
tents rather than for their covers. one does
not mind paying for some extra adornment
at Christmas time, a sort of compliment
to the season and to certain friends or cher
ished authors. but too much of it becomes
a serious burden. This extra expense ought
to be matter of choice rather than OF ne
cessity.
dollar from the same publishers who brought
out the tWo-dollar edition and forced the
people to buy that or none. Some may
think that these publishers are entitled to
gratitude for this cheaper edition, but we
are inclined to think that about hundred
thousand purchasers of the first publication
will justly consider that they have been
robbed of dollar. If it be true, as al
legged, that the price has been reduced to
meet the competition of pirates, then evil
has resulted in much good, and 1t is a Ia
inevitable fact that the pirates did not begin
their work earlier: quo Vadis. is the most t
century, and the good it is doing cannot
be estimated. 1t is the best investment for
a dollar that the season affords.
The most exorbitant price asked for a cur
rent book Is for THE Choir Invisible,
which sells for $3.50. That is robbery and
almost makes one wish that there were no
copyright laws. The cost of the mechanical
work and material cannot possibly exceed
20 cents and probably the author does not
get more than another % cents. This leaves
ST. or two-thirds of the price, for the profits
of the publishers and dealers, which is al
together too much, and buyers are justly
protesting.
AS long as existing copyright laws stand
there can be no competition among publish
erS-no such thing market value, so
far as new books are concerned Prices are
purely arbitrary and the public must pay
them or go without, no matter how great
may be the need of the books. There Is no
reason why certain conditions should not
be attached to the right of exclusive pub
LEGATION. While it may not be polite for the
state to undertake to say for how much
work shall be sold, yet it can predicate its
protection upon certain conditions which
will give authors and readers their just
dues. This is particularly true of school
books.
Just now the people of Kansas are en-
during much as a result of the rapacity of
school book publishers. EXorbitant prices
were charged until the state was virtually
forced. by public sentiment to take the
matter into it's own hands. AS might be
expected under existing political conditions,
the work fell into incompetent hands, and
publishers, parents and pupils under
going great punishment An honest price
for honest books would have prevented all
of it.
The most deeply disappointed man that
has come to our notice in a long time is an
ardent lover of Tennyson, who has been
anXiouSly awaiting the new "Eife,' by the
poets son. The book is here. but 1t costs
$40 and this man cannot afford it. TO him
it is almost necessity. and it is an outrage
that he must be denied its possession.