The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-28
BOOK MEN IN A GREAT RAGE.
THEY'RE NO JUNK DEALERS AND
DECLINE TO BE so CLASSED.
Secretary RsynoIds's Attempt 70 Apply
the Junk Ordnance 70 Them win He
Fought 70 the End-lt's FeoI Molten.
They Say, and VIII Hurt the Public, Toe.

"
Dealers In secondhand books-and there
are several hundred Of them In this city
are unanimously opposed to the plan OF
James B. Reynolds. secretary to Mayor
Low, to class them a. junk sellers and to
mako them keep q record OF every book
they buy. What 10 more, they are going TO
nght Mr.. Reypolds's scheme to the end.
The book sellers are to hold another
meeting at the auction rooms OF John An
derson, at Of Fifth avenue, this evening to
map out their campaign.
They have already como to one definite
conclusion. This Is that II the city officials
take any immediate action to prosecute
any secondhand book dealers that dealer
shall at once have all the legal assistance
he wants. Meanwhile the dealers will
try to persuade everybody interested that
the measure emanating from the Mayors
Office Is not only . hardship to tho second-
hand book dealers and won't ooryect any
Of the abuses which it's sponsors say It will
correct, but II is so utterly unreasonable
that II will hurt the reading public to q
great degree.
The junk ceiling ordinance which 1t IL
sought to apply to the secondhand book
stores provides that every dealer must
have a license and pay S3s for It. 1t also
demands that every dealer keep a book
record Of every purchase, and that no article
except wooden furniture. stoves and
kitchen utensils shall be sold by the dealer
until a month has elapsed after its purchase.
According to the book dealers, no one
ever thought Of applying this ordinance
to them until Mr.. Reynolds got his Official
49, tk. tvvxx AvxN
tack.
Mr.. Reynolds's idea Is that a lot Of books
are stolen every year from publishers
and others and that the secondhand deal
ers act az fences In many
full owner is able to get on the track OF his
A sun reporter talked yesterday with
several Of the book dealers, and none Of
them had good word to say for the scheme.
One Of the most prominent book dealers
the measure IL foolish. It won't cor
rect any evil and 1t will do . lot Of harm
to legitimate business. Every publisher
and buyer OF books knows that In the course
Of q year many books are stolen and then
sold In other stores. The number is start
ling. It happens right In my own eetab-
lishment, must admit, and also In every
other house in the city. The thieves 60
to extreme lengths, too. Why, II fire.
sheets and put the books together later.
sThese stolen books find their way into
other reputable book stores and into some
whose reputation isn't 80 good, because
the thieves distribute their booty as widely
stolen every year from private libraries
and they GO the same way.
But the Junk selling ordinance wouldn't
stop this trouble BY any means. II is well
known in the trade that many OF the best
but second hand books. II they were
compelled to keep record OF every second
hand book bought, that part OF the business
alone would cost them Thousands Of dollars
every year.
would have q bad effect on the general
reading public. The poor man who has
got into the habit Of reading books builds up
his little library by buying books that are
out Of date and that don't cost much. The
secondhand dealers can give him juft
what he wants under present conditions.
But II this measure goes through there
will be q great change II the dealer were
REQUIRED to keep q record Of books which
he buys in quantities he would chop the
= clerk to keep making foolish records.
Then where will the reader with limited
means get books that he really ought to
II the measure goes into effect no dealer
IN the evening. That will hit the second
hand deaiers very hard. III tell you why.
Thssdsaisfs 70 around 70 owners Of pnvais
libraries and make purchases In the evenings
bSeau:e thst 4 !hs only tine the oSnsts
in the evening that win make lots of<rouble
sFDslly, We book sellers think We can
do more rood In correcting the evils Of the
business II We are let alone than We can II
the city classes us a. junk dealers and
subie<,fa ma TO little worrying measures