prises may exercise a slightly deterrent influence on the Paper Trust, the effect cannot be material because the trust owns the largest and best powers in localities where spruce wood is cheap, and from which transportation is prompt and cheap. A successful and energetic competition cannot be maintained within the United States. The outside mills that do or can make paper are not equipped for the economical manufacture of news paper. We must look to Canada and the foreign countries where ground wood can be produced at a cost of $7.50 per ton, and where news paper can be produced for one cent. per pound. Free paper is therefore the only strong and permanent assurance of protection from this combination. "The Commissioners should consider whether they are justified in furnishing protection to a combination organized in restraint of trade and intended to extort excessive prices from a representative industry. The question of protection or free trade has nothing to do with the question of free paper or free pulp. The tariff duties on these articles have been availed of by a monopoly to obtain an unfair advantage, and the issue is not one of revenue. The duties are not needed to protect any paper or pulp mill in competition with foreign rivals.

"The duty on paper stops cheap books and cheap newspapers. It taxes intelligence because the newspapers are the people's school and their library. All taxes upon paper are taxes upon reading, upon knowledge, upon the dissemination of information. Under any government such a tax would be oppressive and proscriptive. In a government based as ours is, upon the intelligence and resultant virtue of the people, it is anomalous and monstrous. To make newspapers artificially dear is wantonly to restrict the number of readers and so increase the sum of ignorance. When this is done or proposed, simply to add to the profits of a monopoly, the injury to public interests becomes a matter demanding the intervention of the Government."

BENJAMIN W. BOND RETIRES FROM

THE CENTURY CO.

or five years he devoted his entire time to the sale of Zell's subscription-books. Later he became general agent in the metropolitan district for Bryant's "History of the United States," with which he was eminently successful. He was also agent for Prang's “Native Flowers and Ferns of the United States," for the publications of S. E. Cassino, James R. Osgood & Co., and Henry Holt & Co., and for a time acted as general agent for Houghton, Mifflin & Co.'s illustrated edition of Longfellow's works, all of which he handled to the satisfaction of his principals and with profit to himself.

Early in 1883 he was invited by the Century Company to organize their subscription-book department. The regular book department was established at the same time, and Mr. Bond became the head of both, a position he has held until the present time. Although the Century Company has made but four or five subscription-books, the business in them has been almost monumental, while the miscellaneous business has reached large proportions also.

Mr. Bond has always sold books of high literary merit, and has steadfastly refused to deal in others. He prides himself on having always done a clean subscription-book business and on having maintained the best traditions of the trade.

Through his many connections and his uniformly courteous and pleasant manner, Mr. Bond, has made many friends in the book business, all of whom will be pleased to hear that his labors have not been unrewarded and that he is enabled, while still in his prime, to enjoy a life of leisure that seldom falls to the lot of his countrymen. It is to be hoped he may enjoy it for many years to come.

BOOKSELLERS' ASSOCIATIONS. BANQUET OF BROTHERHOOD OF COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS.

THE BROTHERHOOD OF COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS held its fourteenth annual banquet on the evening of the 28th inst., at the Hotel Marlborough, Broadway and Thirty-sixth Street, New York. Owing to illness and business engagements, many members of the Brotherhood were absent. Among this number was the President,

Mr. Bond was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., October 21, 1837, and is a graduate of the New York University. He began his connection with the book business as bookkeeper in Bradstreets' printing office. Leaving Bradstreet's, he became a member of the printing and publishing firm of Moorhead, Simpson & Bond, which afterwards became Moorhead, Bond & Co., who published medical books chiefly.

About 1870 Mr. Bond became the New York agent for T. Ellwood Zell, of Philadelphia, with whom he had close business relations for nearly fourteen years. This connection with Zell gave Mr. Bond his first experience in the subscription-book line, and for the first four

of pneumonia. At about half past eight o'clock thirty-five members of the B. C. T. and their friends took seats at nine tables, four being seated at the smaller tables and the remainder at the guests' table. At each plate was a pretty menu card, furnished by Powers & Stein, and an etching entitled Inseparable," showing a "drummer" with his grip in one hand and the other resting on a magnum, while hovering over the two, in dainty outline, appears the head of the "drummer's" sweetheart. Other souvenirs were a card-case of black sealskin, also a bottle of Canada Club Whiskey, presented by Hiram Walker & Sons, of Ontario, Canada.

John Hovendon acted as chairman and toastmaster. After the dinner had been served, Mr. Hovendon called attention to the fact that, owing to changes in business conditions, many of the members of the B. C. T. were obliged to make trips even earlier than ever, and that for this reason it might become necessary in the future to change the date of the dinner, and, possibly, the form of entertainment. His re

grets at the absence of the President of the Brotherhood were warmly seconded by all present, and Mr. Caldwell's health was drunk standing. The chairman also announced that Messrs. Munn & Co., through their agent, Mr. Brickelmeier, had, as usual, presented to the Brotherhood a check for $50 and a consignment of magnums of their wine. The Gaylord Cigar Co. also again presented a lot of their cigars.

Telegrams and letters of regret were read from C. W. Sherman, John H. Black, and J. A. McQuillan. Mr. McQuillan's condition, we regret to learn, is hopeless. Though he has recovered partially from the paralytic stroke which he received a few years ago in Chicago, it is not likely that he will recover his sight. The night was spent by the members in informal speechmaking. Henry N. Morgan favored the company with a number of songs acceptably sung. Before the gathering broke up, W. J. Kelly, of the Souvenir Committee, presented the insignia conferred upon the retiring president-an ivory gavel, suspended in the case from a red, white, and blue wateredsilk ribbon. Clarence A. Caldwell received the

token in the name of his brother. With the singing of "Vive la Compagnie," the gathering

broke up.

THE NEW ENGLAND SCHOOL-BOOK MEN.

THE NEW ENGLAND SCHOOL-BOOK MEN is the permanent name chosen by the travelling representatives of the school-book houses at their dinner at Young's Hotel, Boston, December 12. Simple by-laws were adopted, providing for an annual winter meeting and dinner, and continuing the form of the temporary organization. H. I. Smith, of Maynard, Merrill & Co., was elected president, and J. R. McDonald, of The Macmillan Company, secretary and treasurer. An executive committee will be appointed by the president.

The guest of the evening was the Hon. Harrison Hume, who spoke in a reminiscent vein and gave entertaining sketches of the ups and downs of a bookman's life twenty-five years ago. Other speakers were: A. H. Kenerson, of Ginn & Co.; F. A. Fitzpatrick, of The American Book Co.; E. C. McClintock, of Silver, Burdett & Co.; G. H. G. McGrew, of The University Publishing Co.; J. J. Lyons, of Sheldon & Co.; W. H. H. Bryant and Wm. Tappan, of Ginn & Co.; and E. F. De Normandie, of Thomas R. Shewell & Co.

A PLEASANT little dinner was given by the staff of the Fleming H. Revell Company on the evening of Tuesday last, at which the guest of honor was Louis E. Turk, who, after having been in the employ of the above concern for the past eight years, is now about to sever his connection and assume the management of the Board of the Reformed Church in New York City. The occasion was especially auspicious as being the eve of Mr. Turk's marriage to Miss Edith Morgan, which happy event occurred at St. Stephen's Church, Wednesday, December 28, at 4 P.M. Short speeches were made by Mr. Briggs, manager of the New York house, by Mr. Turk, and by Wm. H. Wooster, who was for many years with Revell, and now returns to accept Mr. Turk's vacated position.

LITERARY SOCIETIES.

THE BIOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. A DINNER was given on the evening of the 21st inst. at the Metropolitan Club, New York,

by Colonel Johnston L. De Peyster to his assoSociety of America. After the dinner the first ciates in the recently incorporated Biographical meeting of the society was held, and the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Colonel Johnston L. De Peyster; first vice-president, Walter Rutherford; second vice-president, James Duane Livingston; treasurer, Augustin H. Goelet; recorder, Samuel Marsh.

its officers. The society is fortunate in the selection of General J. Watts de Peyster and the greatIts president is the son of Majorself was breveted colonel and received a vote great-grandson of Robert Livingston. He himof thanks from the city of New York in recognition of his services when serving on General Weitzel's staff in placing the first United States flag over Richmond in April, 1865. He has twice been a member of the New York Legislature, lives in summer in Tivoli-on-the-Hudson, and in winter in Washington, and is a Mr. Rutherford is a banker; Mr. James Duane member of many leading clubs and societies. Livingston is the trust officer of the North American Trust Company; Dr. Augustin H. Goelet is a practising physician, and Mr. Marsh is a retired lawyer, upon whom the University of Virginia recently conferred the Doctorate of Laws.

It is proposed to form a nucleus for all the American biographical and genealogical societies, and concentrate them in one national association. The future and policy of the institution will be outlined at the next meeting.

AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORICAL
ASSOCIATION.

THE AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION held its seventh annual meeting at Philadelphia on the 26th inst., with a large and representative gathering of Jewish scholars and writers. The following papers were read: "Contributions to the History of the Jews in Suranim," by Prof. Gotthell; "Some Early American Jewish Composers, Musicians, and Actors," by Max Kohler, of New York; Mexican Jewish History," by the Rev. Dr. H. P. Mendes, of New York; "A Noted Jewish Burgher of New Amsterdam," by Leon Huhner, of New York; "The Jews of Jamaica," by Oscar S. Straus (read by Max Kohler); and "Notes on Jewish Cemeteries in New York," by Miss Elvira N. Solis, of New York. Simon W. Rosendale presented the report of the Committee on Dutch Records.

The following officers were elected: President, Dr. Cyrus Adler, Washington; VicePresidents, Simon W. Rosendale, Albany; Mendes Cohen, Baltimore; Prof. Charles Gross, Boston; and Prof. Herbert B. Adams, Baltimore; Treasurer, Prof. Richard Gotthell, New York; Corresponding Secretary, Dr. Herbert Friedenwald, Washington; Recording Secretary, Dr. J. H. Hollander, Baltimore; Executive Council, Oscar S. Straus, the Rev. Dr. B. Felsenthal, Prof. Morris Jastrow, jr., Mayer Sulzberger, N. Taylor Phillips, Simon Wolf, Max J. Kobler, John Samuel, the Rev. Dr. David Philipson, and the Rev. Henry Cohen.

THE DISAPPOINTED AUTHORS' CLUB. THE DISAPPOINTED AUTHORS' CLUB has just been formed in Philadelphia. It is composed of only such persons as can produce large numbers of unsold manuscripts. Under no circumstances would a successful author be permitted to join. As soon as a member begins to sell his stories he will be regarded with disfavor by the club. All rejected manuscripts are to be read by the writers before the club, and at the conclusion of the reading the literary judgment and the character of the editor who returned them are to be assailed.

GESELLSCHAFT der BIBLIOPHILEN.

As was predicted a few weeks ago, a society of German book-lovers has been formed with Victor Ottmann, 54 Theresien Str., Munich, Bavaria, as secretary. The new society will bear the name of Gesellschaft der Bibliophilen. The plans of the society include publishing of literary monographs, bibliographies, and reprints of rare literary productions; a bureau of bibliographical information; arranging for auction sales of books and art objects; and the making of contracts in behalf of its members with international literary and art societies. The organ of the society will be the Zeitschrift für Bücherfreunde. The society already numbers forty members, among whom we note Karl Junker, Johannes Klasing, Dr. F. Lippmann, Dr. Paul Lindau, Otto Mühlbrecht, and Fedor von Zobelitz.

OBITUARY NOTES.

CAROLINE SPENCER, a poet, known, perhaps, better by her pseudonym, "Carl Spencer,' died at her home in Catskill, N. Y., on the 20th inst.

MRS. ISABEL A. MALLON, author of " "Bab's Babble," and known also by the pseudonym of "Ruth Ashmore," died from pneumonia on the 27th inst. at her residence, 475 Fourth Avenue, New York. She began writing Bab" letters in 1888, and continued until a few weeks before her illness. Under the name of "Ruth Ash

she wrote a series of letters, entitled "Side Talks with Girls," for The Ladies' Home Journal.

GEORGE LEARY, for years bookbuyer for John Wanamaker, subsequently in the employ of the Syndicate Trading Company, and, until recently, again with Wanamaker, committed suicide on the 22d inst. at the Florence Hotel, 208 Eighth Avenue, New York, by drinking carbolic acid. He was forty-three

years old.

He left a note which read: "I am

G. Leary. Notify my wife, 131 West Thirtyfifth Street." Leary had been off duty for a week past, and had been drinking.

GEORGES RODENBACH, the Belgian author, died in Paris on the 24th inst. He was born July 16, 1855, in Tournai, Belgium, and early in life wrote verses. After he had written "La Belgique " (1881,) a historical poem, and several others, he made his home at Paris. There he wrote his most important work in "La Règne du Silence," in 1891. He wrote also " Bruges la Morte," "Musée de Béguines" (1894.) a novel entitled "La Vocation" (1895,) and the collection of poems called "Les Vies Encloses" (1896.) At the Comédie Française he had produced his one-act play in

verse,

verse, "Le Voile," which he wrote in 1895. He was on the staff of the Figaro up to the time of his death, and did much literary work for that newspaper.

ANDREW ALLEN BONNER, eldest son of Robert Bonner, the founder of the New York Ledger, died on the 27th inst. at his residence, 21 East Sixty-fourth Street, New York, after a week's illness, from pneumonia. Mr. Bonner was born in Brooklyn, where his parents then lived, in 1851. About 1870 he began his business career, when his father took him into the office of the New York Ledger. He devoted himself mainly to the commercial department of the Ledger, thereby relieving his father of much of the routine of the office work of the establishment. He remained in charge of this branch of the paper until 1887, when Robert Bonner retired into private life, at the same time turning the Ledger and building it occupied over to his three sons, who formed a partnership under the name of Robert Bonner's Sons. Allen then became the treasurer of the new firm, and continued so until his death.

F. TENNYSON NEELY has just published "The Child's History of the War with Spain "; also "Bismarck: His Life and Times," by Ferdinand Sonnenberg, translated by Miss Grace H. Webb and Miss Ida L. Saxon. He announces a new edition of Julius Chambers's "The Rascal Club."

GINN & Co. have just ready "Physical Geography," by William Morris Davis, assisted by William Henry Snyder, master in science in Worcester, Mass., a book intended for elementary instruction, describing the earth's physical features as they make an environment for man, and making clear its teachings by carefully made reference maps.

HERBERT COPELAND and F. H. Day, of Boston, Mass., have privately printed, for distribution among their friends, as a memento of the Christmas season, "The Sermon to the Birds, and The Wolf of Gubbio," being part of chapter xvi. and the entire chapter xxi. of the Fioretti di San Francesco, translated out of the thirteenth century Italian by Louise Imogen Guiney.

RICHARD G. BADGER & Co., Boston, announce a book by one of Roosevelt's "Rough Riders," with the somewhat lengthy title of "Pepys's Ghost; His Wanderings in Greater Gotham and

His Adventures in the Spanish War, Together With His Minor Exploits on the Field of Love and Fashion, With His Thoughts Thereon." If the "Ghost" is as eloquent as the worthy author of the "Diary" was in real life, the result ought to prove entertaining.

AFTER ten years of litigation, Frank Sanger, the theatrical manager, has, by a recent decision of the Court of Appeals, in his suit against Thomas Henry French, established his claim, under a verbal agreement of partnership, to one-half of about $125,000, the net profits of producing the play "Little Lord Fauntleroy" in cities, not including Boston and New York, about the year 1888. Daniel G. Rollins, who tried the case as referee, found on all the issues in favor of the plaintiff.

J. B. LIPPINCOTT, Co. have ready "Historic Homes of the Southwest Mountains, Virginia," by Edward C. Mead, author of "The Genealogical History of the Lee Family of Virginia and Maryland." The section of country covered has been the birthplace of presidents, governors, and statesmen, as well as the seat of a refined and hospitable people. The book describes the homes of the Jeffersons, Randolphs, Everetts, Chanlers, Riveses, and others, and twenty-three illustrations and a map illuminate the interesting text.

LONGMANS, GREEN & Co. announce a book entitled "The Perverse Widow,' Being Passages from the Life of Catharina, Wife of William Boevey, Esq., of Flaxley Abbey, in the County of Gloucester," compiled by Arthur W. Crawley-Boevey, of the Bombay Civil Service. The work is illustrated with family portraits, among them being the 'Perverse Widow" herself; also those of the deprived Nonjuring Bishops Frampton and Ken, Dr. George Hicks, and the Rev. John Lloyd, by Hogarth. Among the pedigrees in the appendix is that of Izaak Walton. They will publish early in February next a new novel by S. Levett-Yeats, author of "The Chevalier d'Auriac," entitled "The Heart of Dénise."

THE REV. JAMES BRITAIN MILLER, the Yale graduate who was arrested at New Haven, Conn., on the 22d inst. charged with stealing 5,000 books, is regarded as a criminal curiosity by the police and by the clergymen of the city. Miller is an intellectual young man, about thirty years old, and stood high in his classes at the Yale Divinity School, where he was graduated four years ago. Since then he has preached irregularly. He is the son of a Michigan business man, but he has made New Haven his residence since he went there to college. While at Yale Miller had charge of the reading-room of the Yale Theological Seminary, and there, it is supposed, his uncontrollable desire for books was developed. His counsel declares that Miller's case is a psychological study, that his researches in libraries unsettled his mind, and that he could not keep away from bookstores nor abstain from grabbing the books when nobody was looking. Miller said on the evening of his arrest that he took the books in fits of absent-mindedness. The leading booksellers of the city have been engaged every day since Miller's arrest in sorting out their stolen books from the thousands at Miller's rooms. He furnished bonds for $500 and was released.

FOREIGN NOTES.

JOHN LONG, London, will publish in March next Robert Buchanan's new novel, which will probably be called "The New Don Quixote."

SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & Co. will publish Herbert Maxwell's exhaustive next year-possibly not until the fall-Sir "6 Life of the Duke of Wellington."

JOHN LANE will publish shortly a selection of Aubrey Beardsley's drawings from The Yellow Book and elsewhere. Portraits of the artist and a prefatory note by H. C. Marillier will form parts of the contents.

AT a philatelic exhibition just opened at Birmingham there are on view the two most valuable stamps in the world-a penny and a mens of the 1848 Mauritius stamp are known twopenny Mauritius. Only twenty-three specito exist, and the market value of the two on exhibition at Birmingham is $10,500. They belong to a Parisian collector, who has loaned

them for the exhibition.

RENÉ CHAMBOLLE announces that he has become the proprietor of the bookbindery established by Duru and conducted for forty years by his late father, Victor Chambolle, under the firm-name of Chambolle-Duru. René Chambolle has been for a number of years connected with his father's bindery, and will no doubt make good his promise to maintain the reputation of the establishment for good and artistic work.

early printed books, the property of the late THE six days' sale of early manuscripts and Mr. William Morris, realized 10,962. The

"Sherbrook Missal," an illuminated manu

script of the early fourteenth century, produced 350; a twelfth century manuscript of the New Testament (Latin Vulgate,) £225; and "Georgica et Enesi," 164. The specimens a fourteenth century manuscript of Virgil's of early typography also commanded good prices.

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS will shortly publish a new novel by Beatrice Harraden, author of "Ships that pass in the night." Her original intention for a title was a line of William Watson's, "I, too, have come through They have nearly ready a wintry terrors.' work entitled, "The Pure Literature of the Nineteenth Century," by Logie Robertson, whose pseudonym is "Hugh Haliburton.' Mr. Robertson is preparing for the Blackwoods a new edition of his previous book, Horace in Homespun," with many new pieces.

ULRICO HOEPLI. of Milan, has just issued the second and concluding volume of Dr. G. A. Scartazzini's "Enciclopedia Dantesca," a dictionary of all that pertains to the life and works of Dante; and a third edition of "La Divina Commedia," edited by Scartazzini, with corrections and annotations and an exhaustive index to proper names and important subjects, besides a list of the perfect rhymes of Dante, compiled by Dr. Luigi Polacco and arranged alphabetically according to final syllables. This is considered to be the best edition of Dante's work, the editor being acknowledged throughout the world as a final authority on Dante.