Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1889 — STATE SCHOOLL-BOOK LEGISLATION. [ARTICLE]

STATE SCHOOLL-BOOK LEGISLATION.

New England Journal. A crisis has been reached in the condition of the public mind in a few Western States, concerning th** publication of school books. There will be, hereafter, a better understanding, amors healthy conditioffof public sentiment. With the origin of the agitation we have nothing to do. Suffice it to say that the buoyancy of spirit and temper of criticism that they have Characterized a half-dozen rapidly exploded and early forgotten agitations directed itself to the publication of school books with rare fury. It was useless for any one to protest,or express an opinion. Nothing less than an “official investigation,” full and genuine, would answer the case. It was fortunate, therefore, that the legislative commission recently appointed by the Senate and the House of Ohio to investigate “busts,” visited Cincinnati for the purpose of summoning a ’arge number of witnesses, publishers, booksellers, agents, and others, who were examined under oath as to the alleged “school book trust.” Full reports of the testimony were published in the city papers. As this is more than a local issue, and as it is the first official utterance upon a matter regarding which there has been much heedless talk, we give the result in detail: It was proven by the sworn testimony that there is not now, and never has been, any “school book trust,’’ or any “pooling of issues,” or anything else in the nature of a trust, or any arrangement to lessen competition in prices. But there is, however, a “School Book Publishers’ Association,” organized and susta:ned solely for the purpose of bringing the business of introducing books under wholesome regulations and proper restrictions, having reference only to the operations of traveling agents and resulting in the best interests of the public.

It was proved that there is not now, and has never been, any combination among publishers for the purpose of maintaining, or “keeping up,” or in any manner controlling, or tending to control the prices; but on the contrary, its avowed object is to “cheapen the price of school books,” and that such has been the result, every house, member of the association, being free to make tbeir prices and terms as low as they please, change them as often as they please, reduce them as much as they please, and sell their books as cheaply as they can afford. and never has been, as alleged, a division of territory among publishers, such as assigning one State, or a portion of a State, to one firm, and another to another; but that on the contrary, all publishers are at a perfect liberty to compete patronage in any State or county where competition is not prohibited by law, and that the only reason why the publications of certain houses are more largely used in one section of the country, while those of other houses are more largely used in other sections, is the natural result of choice in selection, local preference, and the natural desire for uniformity. It was proved that there is not now, and never has been, as alleged, any such thing as “school book monopoly” in any State, county or territory.-except where such ‘ monopoly” has been forced upon communities by unwholesome Jaws creating sucn monopoly; but that on the contrary, with these exceptions, every State, county and city is open alike to the competition of ail school book publishers whenever they desire to submit their publications upon their merits, together with their most liberal terms. Boards of education are at liberty at all times, and have the privilege of selecting, according to their choice, from all the great number of series published, and can be supplied at the very lowest exchange introduction, wholesale or contract prices, and upon the most favorable terms afforded to any State, county or city. It was proved that since the organization of the “School-book Publishers’ Association” the evils resulting from the sharp competition among rival publishers, such as strife and disagreement among the boards of education and factions in communities, haye been almost entirely obviated, and at the same time the prices of school books materially reduced. For instance, that the retail prices of school books have in most places been lessened fully 20 per cent., and where they are sold at the publishers’ net contract prices? from 33j to 4 > per cent, and that these contract prices are lower than the prices of any books published by State appropriation at the expense of tax payers.

This will do much toward calling a halt in the injudicious actemps of legislatures to set up a book publishing establishment of their own, supplying, at public expense, that which' private enterprise has done much better and at lower rates. Tbe educational sentimen', so far as we know it, is most decidedly opposed to any step backward in educational progress, such as seems inevitable under the machine-like way of maxing text-books by the State. It is nnt out of regard to the publishers, great has been their service to the cause of education by their alertness in embodying in text-book from every advance in methods of instruction; every latest fact in science, history, nature, and philosophy, but out of regard to the cause of education, which means the best good of the country in every respect. It would be practically impossible for any man to do as good, independent, prettrt ssive work for the Btate seeking economy through monopoly as for a publishing house pushed to the utmost generosity by competition. ... Tbe American school-book is recognized throughout the wr rld as a model of good taste and beauty, because competition has led publishers to command the highest skill and the best thought, not es One State dr county, bub of the world. The educational influence of these text-books is felt in every home into which they enter. For these reasons we hold that the school publishers should be considered as essential auxiliaries in the promotion es the highest usefulness of the public schools, and while they engage in their work from a business stand-point, they deserve to be regarded as helpers in the advancement of education, and to g* treated like other honorable business men. The needle always has an eye open to business. To regulate the stomach, liver and bowSls, Dr. Pieree’s Pellets excel. One adorn. Who kills all the dead letters?