(_c_) To public libraries, since they are for the most part eleemosynary institutions, and hence entitled to charity. Indeed, when I recount the charitable benefactions that have been exacted and received at the hands of the retail bookseller, he seems to me to have been the most saintly character that has lived in my day and generation. And right here it is of interest to note that these ministers, these teachers, these physicians, these public librarians were actually receiving out of the hands of the public stated salaries that exceeded by far the annual net profit of the average bookseller. 2d. Having secured from the local dealer a discount equal to the best part of his profit, many librarians have gone behind him and appealed directly to the publishers for a larger discount. This has been granted in most cases, so that most librarians have recently been receiving as large a discount as local dealers. 3d. Commission agents have purchased complete editions of popular-selling books from the publishers, and re-sold them at a slight advance: (_a_) To dry-goods stores, where they have been put on "bargain counters" and sold at less than cost, to attract customers to their stores. (_b_) To publishers of local newspapers, who give the books away as premiums or sell them at cost prices, to increase the local circulation of their papers. (_c_) To mail-order agencies, who advertise the books at less than they are usually sold for by dealers. 4th. Many publishers have been advertising and mailing their books directly to retail customers at reduced prices, or at the same price they recommended local dealers to ask for them, and they have prepaid the postage, thus _competing directly with their distributing agents, the booksellers, in their own field_. 5th. Finally, some local librarians, who a few years ago were appealing to local booksellers for a discount, having been granted the discount, have recently been supplying books "at cost prices" to other patrons of the local booksellers. Thus our friends, the librarians, having inverted the good old practice of returning good for evil, having helped to rob the local bookseller of his livelihood, now propose to abolish his office.