In the first century after the settlement of this country the New England Primer had a history which in some respects resembles that of the McGuffey Readers.  In that case, the settlers were widely removed from the source of supply which had in past years served their needs.  The Primer was strongly religious and fully in accord with the faith of the people.  It served as a first book in reading and was followed by the Bible.  This Primer was not protected by copyright and any enterprising bookseller or printer in a remote town could manufacture an edition to supply the local demand.  The excessive cost of transportation was thus avoided.

[Changed Conditions]

Somewhat similar causes contributed to the widespread use and long-continued demands for Webster’s Spelling Book, which was copyrighted.  This book had the support of the authority of Webster’s Dictionary—­an original American work; and it soon became a staple article of merchandise which was kept in stock in every country store.  It supplanted the New England Primer and became the first book in the hands of every pupil.  Less marked in its religious instruction, the speller spread through the South and into regions where the people were not trained in the Puritan doctrines.  The wonderful sales of Webster’s Spelling Book remained for many years after the War; but have now dropped to insignificance.  It is not probable that other books will under present conditions repeat the history of these books.  There is now no wide region of fertile country rapidly filling with settlers and separated from their former sources of supply by great distance and by mountain ranges unprovided with passable roads.  Even the more newly settled regions of the country are reached by railroads and the parts early settled are covered by a network of railroads, of telegraph and telephone wires which bring the consumer and the producer near together.

In the manufacture of books as with most other articles, machinery has taken the place of hand work.  When W.B.  Smith carried on his business in the second story over a small shop on Main street, Cincinnati, nearly every process in the manufacture of a book was mere hand labor.  The tools employed were of the simplest character.  Now a book-factory is filled with heavy machines of the most complicated kind, which in many cases feed themselves from stocks of material placed upon them.  New machines are constantly being invented to cheapen and perfect the manufacture.  Thus a very large investment of capital is now required to set up and maintain a plant which can produce books economically and with perfect finish in every part.  Books are seldom manufactured in places remote from the large cities and very few of the publishers of schoolbooks make the books which they sell.  They contract for them with printers and binders.

[Stereotyped Editions]