OUR TYRANTS THE LIBRARIES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 722, 22 January 1910, Page 9

OUR TYRANTS THE LIBRARIES.

:->^ ; Mr.r,William ;'ileincmamivWritep;tp.' the ; -''Bookseller" ito explain that he is-in a ':;:; difficulty '<■. 'with, tho k libraries '•: about 'Mr/ ;.■;;,;■ JVilliam'::de' Morgan's -new' novel. .It' , is long,: ; and -as eight.; hiin--iv-dred: closely:' printed.'pages" would -havo t;.v:made : a ." cumbrous, .volume - MrV-. Hciue;r::.;.ihann published, it- in. '■ two, "and" charged i!V-;;for it -■ a-jnominal!.ten;:shillings, which ■i -really ■.riieansV'seven-and-sixpenco; ■'CBut ;v;--'the>''f6ilr'.'loading;.circulating- libraries" ;•■, 'have .■declined, to■;take any" copies unless ■; I- -: ithey ■■ i them • at. the usual rate ):-: for a six-shilling-novel-,: which, would not profitable; to Mr. Heinemann, , who is ':■.'■-.'now :beinj : bombarded with inquiries from :i;:,.;pepple.who;want : to.:rcad the book. There ? .;;; .is. some; convenience iui iv'.standard price ;|- ;for. ! ;novels (commentsyan .llnglisJi jourHHfnal), ;but'-.' Mr.;, dp;: Morgan's books;-:are i;.:':bx)thbxccptipually long'arid exceptionally ■;f: ■■ good."vrlt would'-'1» interesting to know Vj .■ what" -w-ay; but •bf.-.the;"difficulty 'the: li- .:;.'■ liraries wpuld;snggest.if they-accept .Mr'.' ji-Heineniaiih's /assurance"'that, he- cannot

,S;' mako the book pay'at : .the loifbr .price.' K. Will: it. be .suggested■ thit; Mr. do Morgan ■f- 'must'.bo compelled ,'ih ;fntur« : to' write to '■&* the "rcgnlatibii'length 5... Keally," these ; liV;':.- brariesi. will ! lib. taking ;'av.-ay our liberties thtf'House of Lords : -7^i : i» out of. the; way Jwp must rallyVajainst

them.', ..They. have "a legal':'right,.'■ ofcourse,;, to decline: to; buy. any. book, just as ithe; Lords 'have a legal, right to. do. ridioulousr'or. dangerous ..thiugs, 'and' it ;«iay■ be'! feared '.that a- goodymany, .'subscribers', to-libraries will kiiucklo under tp-.thciii. , ;lLr.. Heineniawi. did his. best to meet- their first. objection by, offering to bind'ftho"two -'volumes of Mr. do 'Morgan's, book in, : one, and -then,,ho .says,: thoy.'shifted their ground and objected to tho rpriee. /It: is 'not , that'thqprico ' is impossible..' for; a- .library, book, for-many books that are,not novels are;; circulated, .though 'their prices ;aro much ■ higher,., than''this;: Wo ; hope that Mr. .do -llp'rgan:will;not'■ suffer','. , and perhapssome' pcoplo;/wiU : ask : themselves whethorif they .were to .buy-his book and: a few others they would.not get better value than the libraries give them for their..subscriptions. .;• A/ slow/reader who dozes'a' little before the firo could, spend qnitp- it,pleasant winter' of evenings' over ''It Never. Can Happen , Again."y,.'; ■•-..