166 THE AMEEICAN MONTHLY [June, 



house fees, commissions, insurance, exchange, and some other 

 small items which necessitate an advance in price. Of the books 

 contained in the above list, there isnot an American editon of one. 

 The tariff and the dealers, therefore, in each case, inflict the higher 

 price upon the purchasers and prevent many other people from 

 buying at all, while at the same time they benefit not one 

 American printer or binder. The dealer is benefited even to a 

 less extent than he would be if the trade were unrestricted. 



Now turn the picture. We publish a few microscopical 

 books in America — such as, for example — 



Dolley — Technology of Bacteria, $2.00. 



Lee — Vademecum of the Microscope, $4.00. 



MacDonald — Examination of Water, $2.75. 



wStokes — Microscopy for Beginners, $1.50. 



Stowell — Microscopical Diagnosis, $3.00. 



The above are the American prices. I do not find the books 

 listed at all in the catalogues of London dealers. What would 

 be the use to do so.^ Europeans will not pay such prices plus the 

 cost of transportation, insurance, commission, brokei^age, etc., 

 when they can buy certain other books of home production that 

 cover the ground pretty well at a quarter or half the cost. 



In order to induce them to buy, the American publishers offer 

 to sell to London dealers at lower prices than they sell for to their 

 own countrymen. That, however, stimulates but very little 

 trade. 



On the other hand, Americans, in spite of the tariff' and of the 

 65% advance in price, do buy a good many of the English books. 

 Moreover, every traveller coming home brings his trunks packed 

 with books as well as with clothes, tools, etc. Of course he does 

 not carry such articles with him when going abroad. Now what 

 is the net result.'' 



Prices are high in America. We can buy foreign goods, pay 

 the duty and still they cost only about the same as home products. 

 Prices are low in England. Even though we sell to foreigners 

 for less than we sell at home, and even though they pay no duty, 

 they still cannot afford to buy from us ; they can do better at 

 home. Hence, the United States is now importing more than it 

 exports. During the past three months (January, February, 

 March) we have imported $62,000,000 worth of goods more 

 than we have exported, although one year previously during the 

 same months we exported more than our imports amounted to. 



We want every reader of this periodical to at once send us his 

 opinion on this question of book tariff'. If you are in favor of it 

 say why ; if not, say so and why. Later on we shall publish the 

 returns. 



Finally, if you will have foreign books you can often order di- 

 rect from London much cheaper than to buy them of our own 

 dealers. But every time you do it you help to swell the balance 

 of trade, which is already terribly against us. 



