THE UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE CRIMSON:-

THE general cries of grievance in the College press do not include a protest against an evil which is in every one's mouth from the beginning to the end of the year. I refer to the schedule of prices at the University Bookstore.

This name gives a kind of glamour to the place which is irresistible to the Freshman. He looks upon Mr. Sever with no less awe and affection than on the Registrar himself. He considers it a privilege to buy books at a store sanctioned by the Faculty of his dear College, and pays for his Chauvenet and Horace with no thought or wish that there might be better bargains. If not before the end of his first year, then surely at the beginning of the second, he awakes to the knowledge that he is paying exorbitant prices. He looks around for a competitor to Mr. Sever. Finding none, he has recourse to those students who advertise books at second hand. He is fortunate if he finds what he wishes. By the beginning of his Junior year, at least, he experiments among the Boston bookstores. His eyes are then opened to the true inwardness of his large book account. Let me mention one instance as a specimen of his experiences. He has elected History VIII. or IX. and wishes to buy Von Holst's Constitutional History of the United States. Mr. Sever charges eight dollars for the two volumes. At Messrs. Lee & Shepard's, who are mentioned only as representative of Boston booksellers, no copies are on hand, but if there were, they could be obtained for six dollars. Why is this firm out of copies? Because, as one of the salesmen explained to the writer, Mr. Sever came in before the term began and bought up all they had. Why do not Messrs. Lee & Shepard anticipate a demand for the book by students? Because Mr. Sever has the cooperation of the Harvard Faculty, and he alone knows what books and how many will be demanded.

Now it is all very well for our professors to have an agent to whom they can give orders for the books they recommend to their sections; but is it necessary that all should order of one man, thus establishing a monopoly in the book trade? The students suffer by it, and the number is large of those who go to the city to buy when they hear that they can get what they want there. I think there is plenty of room in Cambridge for another bookstore. If no dealer comes forward to supply the demand for books at better prices, the professors should take the initiative and divide their orders between Mr. Sever and some one else. They have the power to furnish us with lowpriced books, and it is a shame that, having this power, they continue to allow and encourage a burdensome monopoly.

Russ.[It seems to us that the difficulty above mentioned might be prevented, if the authorities should have it stipulated with Mr. Sever that no more than the usual retail book-trade price (with discount for cash) be charged for any books used in College courses. EDS.]