Constituency Meeting of the Review and Herald Publishing Association
By D. W. Reavis
The eighth annual meeting of the constituency of the Review and Herald Publishing Association was held as appointed in connection with the ministerial institute at Philadelphia, Pa., April 17, 1911. Upon roll-call it was ascertained that forty-seven delegates were present, representing the Atlantic, Columbia, and Canadian union conferences, members of executive committees of the State conferences in these unions with the members of the General Conference Committee constituting nearly double the number required for the transaction of business. The reading of the minutes of the annual meeting held one year ago in Battle Creek, Mich., was waived. After brief remarks by the president regarding the prosperity which had attended the publishing work, not alone of this association, but of our world-wide publishing institutions, the manager, S. N. Curtiss, presented his report of the work of the association during the last year, the leading features of which are given herewith:— “It seems but a few short months since the Review and Herald Publishing Association of Washington, D. C., was incorporated in August, 1903; but so rapid is the flight of time that we are now assembled in our eighth annual meeting. “Starting in without any capital, and being obliged to borrow the money necessary to pay the freight on the meager outfit shipped from Battle Creek, this association has shown some profit every year of its corporate existence, and now has a present worth of over $115,000. “For some time our board has studied the question of our power supply, as our increased equipment was proving too heavy a load for the capacity of our engine, and it seemed that provision must soon be made for a larger engine, or else this one must be kept for breakdown service, and electric current purchased from the city power company. After full investigation and careful tests, the board contracted with the Potomac River Power Company for current, and the necessary outfit was ordered. This involved an outlay of $1,500 for a rotary converter (which is to be paid for at the rate of $125 a month without interest on deferred payments), and the cost of the installation. It was hoped this outfit would be in use before Jan. 1, 1911; but the converter had to be especially built, and other delays have arisen, so that we have only just begun the use of the city current this week. Our contract is such that any monthly increase in amount of current used will take the lowest rate—less than it would cost us to manufacture it with our own outfit. “The following machinery was installed during 1910:— “A small power-embosser, a wire-stitcher, a second-hand book-folder, a small tract-folder, and a new job-press. The directors also decided to purchase a monotype typesetting machine, and it was installed in December, 1910. This machine not only sets type, letter by letter, but it also makes type. On it we can set our books, correcting by hand the same as hand-set matter. We can also make our head-letter, borders, and job-type at much less cost than if purchased from a foundry, and of quality equal to foundry type. It is proving a very valuable, as it was a very necessary, addition to our publishing equipment. “‘American State Papers’ has been revised by the Religious Liberty Department; three hundred pages have now been added, and about six hundred pages reset. It is now nearly all in plates, and will be ready to print as soon as the index is completed. ‘God’s Two Books,’ by Prof. George McCready Price, is a new book issued during the year. “A Temperance number of the Youth’s Instructor was printed in February, 1910, and had a circulation of 210,000 copies. “Of the Harvest Ingathering edition of the REVIEW, 515,000 copies were printed, and many good words have come from various parts of the field regarding the superior mechanical execution of this issue. “The treasurer’s report shows that the earnings of the year are not so large as for each of the two previous years, and this falling off was on our periodicals. “The periodical business is in somewhat of a transition state; some conferences assumed their responsibilities in taking over the periodical work, and started in a businesslike way to look after it, to follow up the delinquents, hunt up those who were not subscribers, and earnestly push the work. Other conferences did not have the help necessary to take charge of this large work, with various other responsibilities; and as a result, the periodical work dropped down. “We have gone to large expense, and sent many letters to delinquents, in our efforts to assist the conferences in their follow-up work. In fact, the expense of operating our periodical department has been greater than in any previous year, but our efforts have not been so fruitful as we might wish; and it is evident that if the best results are ever secured under the present arrangement, it will be when every conference takes hold of this work, keeps careful records, and continuously follows up its members. “The conference officers and workers can do this much better than the publishing-houses; but when publishers relinquish their direct contact with their individual subscribers and agents, our periodical work will fall flat unless the local conferences take up this work systematically and persistently carry it forward. “The sales from the book department at retail prices increased over thirty-eight thousand dollars for the year. Of this amount, $15,076 was for ‘Ministry of Healing.’ The total sales from the home office, including books and periodicals, were $364,156.70 at retail value. Reports from our book and periodical departments will be read by their respective managers. The branch houses show a gain, and detailed reports will be presented by the managers of these offices. “At the fall council of the General Conference Committee, a memorial from our three largest American publishing-houses was presented. This memorial gave combined and separate statements of cost on several of our books, and asked for counsel as to what should be done to secure better returns to the publishers on their labor and investment. As a result of this, action was taken recommending a reduction in rates of royalty to authors. These recommendations have been presented to our authors, and so far favorable responses have been received. “Our facilities for handling the mail after it is put up in sacks are far from satisfactory, and for some time we have talked of running the bindery floor out over the driveway in the rear of the main building to the power-house. This would give room for storage of empty sacks, a place for mail in sacks, and permit the putting in of a suitable chute for loading. “The board has been quite liberal in assisting our workers during sickness or temporary disability, and in most cases the regular weekly wage has been paid for a reasonable length of time. In addition, this association has been asked to pay one half of a superannuated worker’s wages who was many years an employee of the old Review and Herald of Battle Creek. The amount paid out on these various items during the past year is $553.60; but during the present year considerably more will be required. “A sustentation fund is provided for our ministers, but no general plan has been adopted for such a fund for our institutional workers, and it seems as if this question should receive consideration at this meeting. “Our pay-roll amounts to about eighty thousand dollars a year. If an amount equal to two per cent of this were set aside for a relief fund, it would provide $1,600 a year, which should be enough for our present needs. This amount could be included as a legitimate ‘overhead’ expense. The Pacific Press Publishing Association has adopted such a plan as this, but sets aside a larger percentage of its pay-roll. “We suggest that the committee on plans give both these matters consideration.15 “In closing, we express devout thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father, whose protecting care has been over the institution and its workers, permitting no serious accident nor calamity to befall us, and who, notwithstanding our mistakes and failures, has granted to this branch of his work such a measure of prosperity as has attended it during 1910.” The treasurer, I. A. Ford, presented the financial report of the association. This was most encouraging. The present worth is $115,306.86, with a net gain for the year ending Dec. 31, 1910, of $38,495.42. The report of the auditor, E. R. Brown, certifying to the correctness of the treasurer’s accounts, was read. Reports were likewise presented by J. W. Mace, manager of the Western Branch, and L. W. Graham, manager of the New York Branch; also reports of the book and periodical work from I. A. Ford and D. W. Reavis, the managers of these departments. At this meeting five trustees were elected; namely, W. T. Knox, G. B. Thompson, H. R. Salisbury, N. Z. Town, and R. T. Dowsett. These, together with the trustees whose terms of office continue for one more year,—S. N. Curtiss, D. W. Reavis, I. A. Ford, and F. M. Wilcox,—constitute the personnel of the Review and Herald Board for the coming year. The following resolutions and plans were adopted by the constituency meeting:— “Resolved, That we recognize the kind providence of God which has attended the work of the association during the past year; and that we pledge ourselves with new consecration to the speedy completion of the charge committed to us of publishing the gospel message for this generation to all the world. “Whereas, No provision has been made by which the young, unmarried workers of the Office shall be surrounded by the influences of a Christian home; therefore,— “We recommend, (2) That we approve of the preliminary steps taken by the board for the purchase of such a home, and instruct the officers of the board to consummate the deal. “Whereas, There is no regular provision for a relief fund for our workers; and,— “Whereas, There are those who have grown old in the employ of the Review and Herald, and who on account of infirmity are not able to provide for themselves; and,— “Whereas, Sickness or accident may disable for a time workers who are dependent on their daily earnings; therefore,— “We recommend, (3) That an amount equal to two per cent of the weekly pay-roll be set aside for a relief fund, and that this be included as a legitimate ‘overhead’ expense of operation. “(4) That only permanent employees be entitled to share in the benefits of this fund. “(6) We recommend, That the board give consideration to the matter of additional storage room in the bindery for mail in sacks.” Approval was expressed of the arrangements entered into on the part of the board with authors concerning the reduction of royalties on books. The constituency meeting was favored in having a goodly attendance of ministers and delegates who were visiting the institute. A spirit of courage and hope pervaded the hearts of all, and the meeting adjourned with the determination on the part of every delegate to make fuller use than ever before of the agency of our publishing work in the carrying forward of the work of the Lord in the earth. Following the adjournment of the constituency meeting the Review and Herald Board proceeded to organize for another year. The following officers were elected: President, F. M. Wilcox; vice-president, W. T. Knox; secretary, D. W. Reavis; treasurer, A. H. Mason; manager, S. N. Curtiss; assistant manager, John B. Greenwood; auditor, E. R. Brown; manager New York Branch, L. W. Graham; manager Western Branch, J. W. Mace. But few changes were made in the editors of the various journals. The editorial committees for the coming year stand as follows: REVIEW AND HERALD: editor, F. M. Wilcox; associate editors, W. A. Spicer, C. M. Snow, W. W. Prescott. Youth’s Instructor: editor, Mrs. F. D. Chase. Life and Health: editor, Dr. G. H. Heald. Liberty: editor, C. M. Snow; associate editors, W. W. Prescott, K. C. Russell, S. B. Horton. Protestant Magazine: editor, W. W. Prescott. D. W. REAVIS, Secretary.