Where towns select their own committees they are generally made up of the best citizens of the town and the best qualified to perform the duties of such a board. The influential friends of each committeeman are known, and some of them will have important business with these men on the very night of the meeting. The widest combined experience in every department is necessary to publish schoolbooks. When the American Book Company, under twelve directors in the form of a lawful corporation, gathers and organizes experience, this is monopoly, threatening danger to the schools. It is not cheaper books that are wanted, but better ones.
Nothing proves it to be false more completely than the Vermont canvass itself.
Bethel, Vt., June 4. The books are to be used for five years before a change can be made. For two months fifteen publishing firms have been canvassing Vermont. There are 240 town and 40 graded school districts. The publishers had 85 agents at work at first.