Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 June 1889 — THE STATE CAPITAL [ARTICLE]

THE STATE CAPITAL

The State Beard of Education met at the State House, Tuesday, to open bids for supplying the pupils of Indiana schools with text books at lower prices under the new law. sapsg representatives of publishing houses were present, including * stenographer who noted every word that was uttered. The first bid opened was fram the Wherewithal Manufacturing and Publishing Co:, of Philadelphia, offering a special chart system at a discount of 50 pier cent, from the regular price. No bond accompanied its bid. Harper and Brothers submitted a price-list of their books, and offered to supply them at a discount of 25 per cent, from regular prices. The proposition was not in the required form. J. D. Brant, of Grandview, Ind., offered the MS. of “the best grammar in the State” for the SSOO each for the elementary or complete form. Van Antwerp and Bragg did not bid, but sfibmitted au affidavit in which they affirmed that thev “are not directly or indirectly connected with any other publishing bouse, or party to any compact, syndicate or any other scheme.” The proposal which most nearly complied with the requirement was that of A. S. Barnes & Co., New York, and with the bid they sent a set of sample books, which they are willing to supply, subject to the "law, if the form of the bond is modified so that they will not be held liable for a technical default, and “provided further that it shall be understood that they will not be called upon to furnish more books than the schools will actually absorb.” Continuing, they said, “As the case stands we might be required to pave the State with text books for whieh we might receive no money, as we read the law.” Their bids on readers and elementary geography were made conditional upon the acceptance of their proposal as an entirity. Their bid was as follows: Speller, 6c; Ist reader, 10c; 2d. 15c; 3d, 25c; 4th, 30c; sth, 40c; intermediate arithmetic, 25c; complete do., 35c; elementary geography, 30c, complete do., 75c; elementary 1 grammar, 25c; complete do., 40C; physiology, 35c; U. S. history, 50c, copy book, 6 nos.. 5c each. G. W. Michoels and W. W. Williams offered their system of rapid penmanship. The commissioners decided that none of the bids were in accordance with the requirements of the law and new bids will be solicited. The Grand Lodge. F. and A. M., met here Tuesday and Wednesday in sixtyeighth annual session. The condition of the craft was reported as pros perous, progressive and healthy. The following officers were elected "for the ensuing year: Grand Master—Thomas B. Long. Terre Haute. Deputy Grand Master- Jacob T: Todd, Bluffton. - Senior Grand Warden—Nicholas E. Ruckle, Indianapolis. Jun or Grand Warden—Nieholas R. i’eckenp.iugh, Leavenworth. Grand Treasurer—Martin Klee, Indianapolis. Grand Secretary—William H. Suivthe, Indianapolis. Sylvester Gorby, Wednesday, filed a plea of abatement in the circuit court, eetting forth that he is not a resident of Marion county, that the quo warranto proceeding filed against-him by Prof. John Collett for possession of the state geologist’s office does not lie within the turlsdiction of the Marion circuit court, ’rof. Collett will, therefore, begin similar proceedings in the circuit court of Dearborn county, where Prof. Gorby is a resident. Governor Hovev, Friday, appointed John Worrell, of Clayton, State Statistician, to succeed W. A. Peele, who has held the office for four years and was re-elected by the last Legislature. The Governor maintains that the last Supreme Court decision does not settle the question as to the right of the Legislature to appoint officers, because the Legislature can not determine for itself what are its rights and powers under the Constitution in the matter of making appointments. Mr. Worrell is a farmer of prominence in Hendricks county.