The Publishing Association.
By James White
The financial report of the S. D. A. Publishing Association gives the increase during the year ending Dec. 25, 1871, to be $10,879.97. But let it be borne in mind that this is a short year of only forty-seven weeks, or less than eleven months. And while it is true that $5,778.00 of the above sum has been received in stock, taken in the Association during the past year, it is also true that the above figures do not represent the real increase by a sum larger than the amount taken in stock, so that after all, the real increase has been not less than $1000 each month. The following reasons show why the report does not correctly represent the increase. 1. The discount from retail prices, on our books, pamphlets, and tracts has been, until the last year, only one-fourth. This year the discount on this kind of stock is one-third, making a difference of $2,200. 2. The enlarged Review cost, the past year, $1,500 more than the smaller size cost the year previous. 3. In case of prompt payment there would have been received on the Review the past year not less than $10,000; whereas the receipts have been only $8,199.56, at least $1,000 less than cost. There are due on our periodicals nearly $8,000 which was not taken into the inventory. 4. Improper inventories in the past, which have this year been corrected, and the reduction of prices of some books. These reduced the inventory considerably. 5. Had the Association printed and bound its usual amount of books the past year, this alone would have added to the increase not less than $2,000. These considerations taken into the account, the real increase will be seen to be not less than one thousand dollars each month. J. W.