The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-02-12
A Southern Publishing Project.

A meeting Of Southern men is an
nonced for Charleston, S. c., Tues
day, February II, for the purpose Of
taking into consideration the interests
of the South with reference to
publishing school text books. It is
expected that corporation will be
organized with large capital to en-
bark in this branch of business.
It is set out that the Southern States
have school population of about FIVE
millions, 1900 teachers and $4,000
school buildings. The moderate esti-
mate of one dollar per pupil for books
and printed supplies gives an agere-
gate of s., 600, 900 year. It is furth-
er said that not per cent. of the books
in schools or private libraries bear the
imprint of a Southern publisher. or
the name of Southern author. It is
considered a conservative estimate
that ten million dollars leave the
South every year for the product of
printing presses. It is asserted that
the South is more deficient in book
printing than in any other industry.
To correct this it is urged that the
South should combine in such a way
as to own one vast plant, with an outfit
not surpassed by any other in America.
Sentiment and resolutions will never
supply the deficiency. In order to be
independent it is necessary for the
South to build the plant-to have its
Town machinery, talent, funds and
editors.''
There is certainly no reason why the
South should not push the business
of publishing books as well as aim to
extend its other industries This not
for the reason that Southern writer's
cannot get fair treatment from North
ern publishing houses, as some foolish
ly contend but on the general principle
of diversifving industries and supply
ing all articles for which an adequate
market can be found. It is needless
to say that such an enterprise to sue
ceed must be conducted on strict busi
ness principles. The facilities it pro-
vides must be proportioned to the de-
mand, and it will be obliged to sue
ceed by supplying an article as we'll
adapted. if not better, to the needs OF
the market at reasonable price as
can be done by any of his competit-
ors. It will have very vigorous COM
petition to met. and it cannot over
come it without giving better services
at the same price. or as good service
at less price. Too much reliance
must not be placed on calling this
distinctly Southern enterprise. There
is not much sentiment in business,
and sectionalism counts for nothing
unless there is at least equality in the
service. No doubt the South has
money enough and ability enough to
found great publishing house and
to conduct it. The problem is to get
this money and this ability together
under competent management. With
out able supervision project Of this
sort cannot be successful.
We do not want sectional text
books, but good ones. There has
been complaint of some of our school
histories because they have sectional
or party bias These may easily be
displaced by providing better ones.
But when a Southern publishing
house is established it should work
not for the South alone. but for every
body who is willing to give it patron
t0O1HS--@AIS-
house in the South for the benefit of
Southern writer's who cannot get their
manuscripts accepted in the North
would be certain to fail, and project
to conduct a publishing house to
profit by and stimulate sectionalism
would deserve to fail. If the South
makes books on large scale it must
do it as it makes cotton cloth or
sugar-for the benefit of everybody
that wants them-and must adapt its
products to the wants of the market
as other branches of business are
obliged to do. There is no such
thing as an exclusively Northern pub
fishing house and there is no legiti-
mate field for an exclusively Southern
publishing house.-Louisville Cou-
rier- Journal.