The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-03-04
THE DISEASE OF THE
SUPERFLUOUS BOOK
hooks Have to be Destroyed in Great
Quantities Because Market is
Ciogged by Bad Selling.

New York Times Review.)
Ar. Herbert Jenkins, the new eng
iish publisher. protests in The-Daily
News and Leader against the public
ity hat is demanded OF the pub .
Usher He a been assailed. since |
his arrival in the publishing field. !
with volleys OF questions from eneT-
Eetic reporters. and his creation of q
new publishing house has even been
the subject OF a violent controversy
IN n above-named papers. Evil
IDENTIFY Mr.. Jenkins foresaw. in his
minds eye, and ere he entered the
arena. a neat private sanctuin to
which he could retire and. undis-
turbed. consider the manuscripts for
warded for his consideration. He
was to be a monarch alone in his
glory. But he was not counting on
n increase in socialistic sentiment,
II persistent increase OF the public's
concern as to how business organiZa-
tons are managing their affairs. And
so he has been disa greeably surprised
that his private office has become a
public office. that his private den has
been turned into q den OF lions. to
which the public violently disputes
about the control Of the book mar
ket, whether too man. books. are not
being published. whether the Super
fluous Book cannot be eliminated.
Mr.. Jenkins'S surprise at the way
the public coOlly ransacks his draw
| ers and demands information as to
his plans and movements is due to
the fact that he does not realize that
the publisher is, at the present time,
a business man-with very few ex-
ceptions. In this the modern pub
Usher differs radically from the pub
Usher Of a number of years who
regarded himself as a sort OF minis
ter and guardian OF the sacred torch
Of literature: who aimed primarily at
publishing such books that. though
they would, to be sure. bring him a
profit, would also distinctly endoW
him with q reputation and practically
guarantee that a volume that bore
his imprint was Of distinct value.
While this ideal is still the ideal Of
some publishing houses. It Is not thai
Of the majority. h publisher is no
longer the educator OF the cOmmun-
ity. He no longer teaches the ON
munity What to read. He is no longer
the oracle. He is simply the prov3.
der Of a certain line OF goods which
he supplies ia return Tor a certain
demand-a deInand created, not bl
aim. but by the schoo1master and tia
teacher. The former educator hal
become comme,cialized. Thus. with
NAC 80 80
renewed demand for more and mort
books. the speed of the printing pres
Is Increased, and the publisher, in or
der to keep his presses at work. L
keep his employees busy, is forced t
produce small books for lack Of ma
, terpieces. to make small profits Oh
many books rather than large. 9
moderately large, profits on 4 small
!, number OF books. Here enters tn
t problem of the Superfluous Book.
We do not propose to deal her
. with the various methods, mostl
more ingenious tina practical, Or rid
ding ourselves Of this obnoxious pro
duction. We are going to offer q 80
luton Of our own. It seems to u
that it Is the channels Of distribute
that are ~clogged. that prevent tn
smooth passage Of the book from tn
publisher to the reader. The boo
is superluous principally because tn
n publisher does not work to improv
t I his middle man. He publishes wei
There are comparatively few book
stores ia New York. for instance. tha
one can browse in with ~contentmer
and peace. The atmosphere is elee
trio with hospitality. The overzeal
GUS attendant IS always on hand Wit
his pad and pencil to take your orde1
So that one seldom enters q boo
shop to look over the new book
3 One enters to buy 4 volume that on
has determined on beforehand. Ths
is fatal to the bookseller and tn
p book. The former reduces his SALE
by q good halt, the latter'S life is CT
short a score OF years.
g The cement of ~congeniality is mis-
ing in the bookstore of America. tn
. are not we'll trained, It
Of them have the slightest re~alizatio
OF The relative value Of c~ontemporaI
q publications. One is often calie
upon to laugh at some joke at the e.
IS pense Of the ignorant buyer OF bool
who confuseS titles and authors. u
have a thousand more Opportuniti'
to laugh at the expense of the IL
norant attendant in the bookstor
He is not trained as le should be.
he Is in Germany, for Instance whe!
q each applicant Tor the position mu
= be an apprentice for a year before
is allowed to come in touch with ii