The existing tariff imposes a duty of 25 per cent ad valorem on books, excepting, however, first, books printed wholly in foreign languages; second, books in English which have been printed more than twenty years; third, books imported for the use of the United States or the Library of Congress, or for the use of libraries, educational institutions, or societies of a literary or scientific character.

An import duty on books differs entirely in its effect upon the manufacturer from other duties, in that the copyright laws afford protection to authors and publishers quite apart from the tariff.

The protection afforded, moreover, is extremely limited, affecting only such imported modern books and periodicals as are printed in English. So far as it goes, however, the duty is a tax on knowledge and education; an unwise tax in a republic, the existence of which must always depend on the intelligence of its citizens.

The removal of books for public libraries from the free list will be distinctly a backward step, as the exemption as now existing has been the law for many years, and the results will be the imposition of a serious tax upon a class of institutions which have always been favored or supported by all enlightened governments.

This board therefore respectfully protests against any diminution of the privileges that libraries now possess; and further expresses the opinion that all import duties upon books and other printed matter should be entirely abolished.

Resolved, That an attested copy of the foregoing minute be sent to each member of the Committee on Ways and Means of the present House of Representatives and to the Member of the House representing the First Congressional District of the State of Ohio.

Resolved, That the executive committee be, and it is hereby, authorized to take such measures as it may think proper to have the views expressed in the foregoing minute presented to the committees of the present and the next Congress, either orally or otherwise, as may be thought most expedient.

Very truly, yours,

BOARD OF TRUSTEES, PUBLIC LIBRARY OF CINCINNATI. By EUGENE SCHAEFER, President.

THOMAS L. MONTGOMERY, PENNSYLVANIA STATE LIBRARIAN, OPPOSES ANY INCREASE OF DUTY ON BOOKS.

HARRISBURG, December 24, 1908.

Hon. JOHN DALZELL, M. C.,

Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR SIR: I have heard that there is an effort being made to increase the duty now levied on books and other printed matter imported into the United States, and to remove from the free list all classes of books now included therein.

There is, as you probably know, a duty at present of 25 per cent. ad valorem on books so imported, with the exception of books printed wholly in foreign languages, books printed in England more than twenty years ago, and books imported for the use of the United States,

the Library of Congress, or for the use of libraries, educational institutions, or societies of a literary or scientific character.

In my opinion, it would be a hardship to all these institutions to have such a measure enacted, and that the injury imposed would be totally out of proportion to the benefit which would accrue to the retail bookseller for whose benefit this amendment is suggested.

The importations of the large libraries of the country are made up of items which can not be secured in this country through the ordinary avenues of trade. Very few institutions made use of English editions of current books, even when published in England but reprinted in America.

In the smaller libraries, of which there are thousands in the United States, the importation of current literature from abroad is almost

unknown.

To enact such a measure as would prohibit the acquiring of books and other printed matter would be totally out of keeping with the treatment accorded educational institutions by all enlightened governments, and, in my opinion, this would be the result if the proposed amendment goes into effect.

I have always personally expressed strong sympathy with the retail dealer in books in the difficulties he has had to meet by reason of the encroachment upon his business by the department stores, but in view of the facts which have been stated above I can not see that he will be at all benefited, and certainly the libraries would be injured.

I hope that you may see the fairness of our reasoning in this matter and oppose the passage of this amendment by every means in your power.

Yours, very truly,

THOMAS L. MONTGOMERY,

State Librarian.

THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF BOOKBINDERS ASKS PROTECTION FROM FOREIGN LABOR.

NEW YORK, December 29, 1908.

Hon. SERENO E. PAYNE,

Chairman Committee on Ways and Means,
House of Representatives.

GENTLEMEN: During the recent hearing of your committee on the question of tariff schedules, our organization was represented by Mr. George Rodgers, to whom your committee gave a hearing on November 21, when the subjects considered by your committee were pulp, paper, books, etc.

While Mr. Rodgers gave you a pretty fair idea of what is required by a bookbinder mechanic of this country, we think that perhaps a little repeating of what he said, or adding to his statement, might not be amiss, especially so, as the particular clauses in the tariff that we are trying to have corrected means a great deal to the American mechanic.

In the first place, we want to say that we have no fault to find with the tariff as at present levied. Our objections are principally against three of the clauses, as follows:

First. That clause which permits the importation of books for educational purposes free of duty; and

Second. That clause which permits books published over twenty years to come in free of duty; and

Third. That clause which permits books printed in foreign languages to come in free of duty.

The first-named clause is being used to a very great extent at the present time in the furnishing of books for the libraries, both public and private, of this country.

There is a firm who has a small plant located in Brooklyn, N. Y., who makes a practice to purchase the flat sheets from the publisher in this country of books of American publication, and these sheets are shipped to the city of Bath, England, where this firm has a rather large plant, where the books are bound by foreign workmen and returned to this country for use of the libraries as cited above, and admitted free of duty under the educational clause.

Our understanding of the intent of this law is that books of an educational character would only include books such as histories and works of a like character, but it surely should not intend to include novels or works of fiction, which most of the libraries are made up of. The book published over twenty years and admitted free of duty applies largely to the finer class of bindings which are on the shelves of our more wealthy book lovers and connoisseurs, and we feel that this work could be done just as well in this country as in foreign lands; in fact, we believe it would be were it not for the tariff exemption which allows these bindings to be done on the other side, where wages are less than one-half of the average of what they are in this country.

The books printed in foreign languages and admitted free of duty we have no objection to as long as the books are published and bound abroad, but when they are sent abroad from this country for rebinding we are of the opinion that the tariff laws are being violated.

Ten years ago, or even less, statistics compiled by our organization show that there were over 1,000 bookbinders employed on this class of work, whereas to-day there are less than 300. The cause of this has been that the publishing firms who handle these classes of work find it a great deal cheaper to send it to English, German, or French binders in preference to giving it to the American mechanic, and we believe the free clauses in the tariff, as cited above, are largely to blame for this change in conditions.

We feel that we are heavily handicapped by these conditions, and our hope is that your committee will see its way clear to make corrections as will give this work to the American mechanic in preference to the foreigner. There are two or three instances which we could cite where firms have told our people that the only object they have in sending the work abroad was on account of its cheapness, but that they did not deny that the American mechanic could perform the work just as well.

I trust you will pardon me for intruding upon your deliberations at this time, knowing we are somewhat late in presenting this state

61318-SCHED M-09-31

ment of facts, but we are intensely interested, and will therefore ask that this be our excuse.

Thanking you in advance for your courtesy, I remain,
Very truly, yours,

JAS. W. DOUGHERTY,

HON. ERNEST F. ACHESON, M. C., FILES LETTER FROM LIBRARIAN OF THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA RELATIVE TO IMPORTATIONS OF BOOKS.

1217-1221 CHESTNUT STREET, Philadelphia, Pa., December 29, 1908.

Hon. ERNEST FRANCIS ACHESON, M. C.,

House of Representatives,

Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR SIR: The trustees of The Free Library of Philadelphia have learned that there is an effort being made to increase the duty now levied on books and other printed matter imported into the United States and to remove from the free list all classes of books now included therein.

There is, as you probably know, a duty at present of 25 per cent ad valorem on books so imported, with the exception of books printed wholly in foreign languages, books printed in English more than twenty years ago, and books imported for the use of the United States, the Library of Congress, or for the use of libraries, educational institutions, or societies of a literary or scientific character.

It is the opinion of our board that it would be a grievous hardship to libraries as well as to the other institutions and societies mentioned to remove books from the free list, because the injury imposed would be totally out of proportion to the benefit which would accrue to the retail bookseller.

The importations of the large libraries of the country are mostly made up of those items which can not be secured in this country through the ordinary avenues of trade. Very few institutions make use of the English editions of current books, even when published in England in advance of the American reprint. In the smaller libraries, of which there are thousands in the United States, the importation of current literature from abroad is almost unknown.

To prohibit the acquiring of books and other printed matter from foreign countries would be, in our opinion, totally out of keeping with the treatment accorded educational institutions by all enlightened governments.

The Free Library of Philadelphia has always entertained the strongest sympathy for the retail dealer in the troubles that he has had to meet within the last few years by reason of the encroachments made on his business by changes in trade methods and from the difficulties incident to the carrying of a large stock, which is necessary to meet the wants of the public; but in view of the facts which have

been stated above, we can not see that such a dealer would secure any return which would be at all commensurate with the injury inflicted upon the institutions designated.

We sincerely trust that you will see the fairness of our position in this matter, and by every means in your power oppose the passage of this suggested amendment to the tariff law.

Yours, very truly,

JOHN THOMSON,

Librarian and Secretary The Free Library of Philadelphia. ·

THE LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA FAVORS THE DUTYFREE ADMISSION OF ALL BOOKS AND PRINTED MATTER.

NORTHWEST CORNER LOCUST AND JUNIPER STREETS,

Philadelphia, December 30, 1908.

To the COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS,

Washington, D. C.

The Library Company of Philadelphia, founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin and his friends, has had an existence of one hundred and seven years, during which time, although never a rich institution, by care and economy it has collected some 200,000 volumes or more, which the public freely consults. It has been a great help to the company that it has been able to import its foreign books free of duty; indeed, it would have been impossible to make so valuable a collection without this help. Now, should the duty be increased and the free entry of books be removed, with its present limited means, a very heavy blow would be struck at the usefulness of the library; in fact, it would be almost necessary to cease buying books printed in Europe.

Therefore, the directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia subscribe to and most heartily indorse the following resolutions of the New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations:

At a meeting of the trustees of the New York Public Library on Wednesday, December 9, 1908, the following resolutions were adopted:

The trustees of the New York Public Library have learned with deep regret that an effort is making to increase the duty now levied on books and other printed matter imported into the United States and to remove from the free list all classes of books now included therein.

The existing tariff imposes a duty of 25 per cent ad valorem on books, excepting, however, first, books printed wholly in foreign languages; second, books in English which have been printed more than twenty years; third, books imported for the use of the United States or the Library of Congress or for the use of libraries, educational institutions, or societies of a literary or scientific character.

An import duty on books differs entirely in its effect upon the manufacturer from other duties, in that the copyright laws afford protection to authors and publishers quite apart from the tariff.

The protection afforded, moreover, is extremely limited, affecting only such imported modern books and periodicals as are printed in English. So far as it goes, however, the duty is a tax on knowledge and education; an unwise tax in a republic, the existence of which must always depend on the intelligence of its citizens.