The independent., 1903-10-08
M. Kerr Ranllas

Our good friend, Charles H. Kerr of
Chicago, takes occasion to reply to
one of The independents editorial par
agraphs. Nj. Kerr believes his an
swer is "a fair one"-and SO far as it
concerns what he has done in the way
of publishing socialist books, that is
doubtless the case; but The Indepen-
dent has reason to believe that con-
siderable portion of the large stock
of pOpulist BOOKS" which he was
obliged to sell for waste paper, were
not, in fact, populist books at all. A
good many so-called populist books
were as far from being SO, as are
Christian" and "Utopian" socialist
books from being the real scientific"
article. Mr.. Kerr says:
Editor independent: On the editor
ial page of your issue of September IL
you ask question: "The Independent
would like to know where the money
comes from to pay for the publishing
of the scores of reviews, magazines and
hundreds of costly books on socialism
that are being constantly put forth.
Does the 'proletariat' furnish the
funds?"
AS / happen to te in a position to
give the exact information requested,
trust you will give me an oppor-
tunity to answer through the columns
OF your paper. 1t is probably true that
more than half the socialist books is
sued in America during the last four
years have been put out through the
cooperative publishing house of which
| am manager
In 1899 became convinced that the
only possible solution of the social
problem was through the international
socialist movement, and Ou1 company
at that time made a start in the pub
licatiOn of socialist pamphlets. Our
assets consisted for the most part in a
large stock of populist bools, nearly
all of which we were later Obliged to
sell for waste paper for the simple rea-
son that they could not be sold on any
other basis. The money for publish
| ing socialist books has gradually been
raised In small sums, usually jvst $40
| from each subscriber, in consideration
! of an agreement on our part to sell
socialist boots at cos to each one
subscribing for a share of stock in our
company at $40.
We have now about 700 stock hold
ers who have each talsen share on
| this plan, and one hundred of there
are not individuals, but organized
branches of the socialist party. The
| money thus received has consequently
| come from considerably more than a
thousand different persons. only few
of whom have contributed more than
| $40 each. We have constantly stated
| in orr announcements that there was
no prospect of any dividend on the
money thus invested. and the cubscrip-
tiOns have therefor been made either
because the subscribers desired to see
more socialist literature published. or
because they desired the privilege Of
| bnving such literature at the lowest
possible prices.
| Tt is therefore absolutely trne that
the "proletariat" has furnished the
funds for the publication of the 1T
erotrre Of scientific socialism. AMI
believe it NAV safely be said that this
IS the first instance in which the capt.
tai for publishing noitical literature
has thus been raised in America.
| I believe yonr question was a fair
one. and nv answer is also certainly a
foir one. hope yn"r readers will see
| the moral. CHAS. H. KERR.
Chicago I'll.