ANNUAL MEETING | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Mar 21, 1906

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 12.

ANNUAL MEETING.

THE thirty-first annual session of the stockholders of the Pacific Press Publishing Company was held at the office February 27. There was a good attendance, and a marked interest was manifest in the work of the institution. The manager's report for the past year showed a volume of business amounting to $162,492.20, about equally divided between denominational and commercial work. The present worth of the company, according to this report, is $102,649.12.

Of denominational bound books there were printed: "Ministry of Healing," 10,000 copies; "Heralds of the Morning," 10,000; "Great Controversy," 5,000; "Bible Readings," 5,000; "Cobblestones," 7,000; "Capital and Labor," 5,000; "Priesthood of Christ," 3,000; "Things Foretold," 3,000; "Testimonies," Vol. 5, 1,000 copies.

The average weekly circulation of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES was over 22,000 copies, and over 1,000,000 copies of "Signs of the Times Leaflets" were printed. The average weekly circulation of Our Little Friend was over 16,000 copies. In addition to these, large quantities of tracts and pamphlets were printed.

The Kansas City Branch showed an increased volume of business, and a fair profit. The Portland Branch, tho only in its second year, showed a small gain both in volume of business and in profit.

It was recommended by the stockholders that special effort be made to enlarge the circulation of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES and increase its earnings. To this end it was recommended that its editors spend as much time as possible in the field, interesting our people in the mission of the paper. Also that there be a more liberal use of large type, and that the price of clubs be raised from 90 cents to $1.00 a year per copy.

A very important recommendation was, "That

the Pacific Press undertake the publication of Spanish literature, as far as necessary to supply the growing demands, and secure the required facilities and labor for that work; it being understood that such work will be carried on in harmony with the General Conference recommendation that the Pacific Press and the Hamburg publishing house cooperate in the production of Spanish literature."

It has been demonstrated that the prices of our denominational publications are too low to sustain the work in the absence of the commercial work that was necessarily sacrificed by removal to the country. Therefore it was recommended that we approve the policy of the General Conference Publication Committee in reducing the number of bindings, and increasing the price of our subscription books.

In order to strengthen the financial management of the corporation, it was recommended and adopted by the stockholders that there be chosen a Finance Committee of three to advise with the board of directors.

The outlook for denominational book work the present year is decidedly fair, as there are already in press the following orders: "Ministry of Healing," 12,000 copies; "Patriarchs and Prophets," 5,000; "Great Controversy," 5,000; "Early Writings," 5,000; "Making Home Peaceful," 5,000; "Soul Winning Texts," 5,000.

At this meeting we were favored with the experienced counsel of Vice-President George A. Irwin, of the General Conference; W. C. White, of the General Conference Committee; H. W. Cottrell, president of Pacific Union Conference; W. T. Knox, president of California-Nevada Conference; E. R. Palmer, secretary of the General Conference Publishing Committee, and leading business men of some of our other institutions.

The board of directors, officers, and committees for the ensuing year were briefly announced in last week's paper.