The Portland daily press., 1872-02-16
Is it a Trick?

To the Editor Of the Press:
The matter of State Uniformity of Text
Books is brought suddenly into the Legislature
and is rushing through its several processes on
its way to become a law with apparently little
opposition This scheme is SO old and has been
SO often beaten in fair fight before the legisla-
turc that it has seemed impossible that enough
vitality should be left in it to move at all. For
four successive winters before this, attempts
have made to effect this thing under various
DISCUSSES, skillfully sugar-coated in the most in
nocent looking and tempting styles by its able,
adroit and INSCRIPTIONS advocates In the win
ter of 1870 long vigorous and determined effort
was made to pass it. All the forces were ar
rayed on both sides.
Augusta swarmed with book agents repre-
senting publishing houses which were in the
ring and vigorously advocating the measure
without regard to expense, while publishing
houses which were not in the ring and which
had many books in use in the State were of
course opposed in interest to the scheme and
assisted in the opposition to it. Mr.. johnson,
the State Superintendent, with strong force
of his supervisors "a portion of the time all of
them--were on the ground pushing the project
with all their influence, personal and official,
with all the assistance which they could arouse
by persistent effort among school committees
and other educational persons. Against them
appeared many teachers and other friends of
education, backed by overwhelming remon-
strances signed by school committees of a large
proportion of the towns and cities of the State
Hearing after hearing was had before the COM
mittee on education in the Senate Chamber,
before large audiences of members, in which
the subject was extensively debated. As full,
careful and considerate attention was given to
the subject as it can ever hope to receive, and
the measure was rejected by the Legislature by
a vote of about two to one. On the other occa-
sions when the matter has been presented to
the Legislature it has invariably been refused
sanction, and now in the last part of the ses-
sion when the public attention has been occu-
pied by other important subjects it is brought
forward with an active force behind it and has
been passed to be engrossed in the Senate in a
quiet way without debate and without ques-
ton. fiN' 'h''ait 'i' ,a3iHEii .'.-
We do not propose here to enter upon dis
cussion of the merits of this question. Our
purpose is simply to call attention briefly to
the history of this 'tJack in Box which has
sprung so suddenly forth in all its rampant and
obtrusive liveliness, and to demand of the Leg
islature that it do not suffer itself to be cheated
and hoodwinked into sanctioning without con-
sideration measure which has been condemn
ed after careful investigation by SO many sue
cessiye Legislatures. We are confident that
it will be satisfied ON close examination that a
gigantic scheme for advertising certain text
books at the expense of the State is concealed
under the specious provisions of the bill, and
that suspicious of 'job' in the matter are too
rife to allow it passage without the most
searching scrutiny. M OH Ha .aef3 %. x.
p. S. We do not wish to be understood to
intimate that Mr. johnson has any corrupt
connection whatever with the "ring'' named
above. ia .,.--.;