The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1877-09-24
A RECKLESS JOURNAL.

A KEUkLESS JUUkNAL.
The Times has the cheek to venture q
defense Of it's recent statements in rela-
tion to the selection Of school books by |
the State Board of Education. 1t pub
lished, it affirms, "a plain reportorial
statement of the proceedings OF the
Board, and the complications into
which the matter had fallen, which re-
port was correct in all material particu-
lars Let us see how far this presump-
tuous allegation Is sustained by the
facts.
The Times charges: 1. That, on Ger
tain day the Board selected certain
books, which selection, under the law,
could not be changed for four years
but that the Superintendent OF Public
Education, Of his own motion, In de-
fiance of the law, and, why did 1t
not add, OF the interest OF Harper
Brothers, substituted other books.
q. That the books substituted will cost
the children OF the city twenty thousand
dollars extra.
3, That the children are allowed only
ninety days from the introduction OF the
new books In which to change the old
for the new books at the reduced rate.
and that this is great hardship upon
poor children.
Several other statements were made
by "the organ" Of the Harper Brothers,
in relation to this subject, but we have
not time or inclination to trouble our
selves with them. That every one OF
the material statements we have quoted
Is incorrect, exposes the recklessness OF
the Times in making charges and its
impudence in standing by them, and,
at the same time, renders it needless for
us to 20 into refutation Of it's whole
catalogue.
In refutation OF the first charge 1t is
only necessary to say that the first
selection OF books by the State Board
,oas only conditional. The Board did
not pass positively upon the matter but
left the Superintendent authority to
mako such changes as, after due con-
sideration. he might deem necessary and
for the benefit of the school children.
The Superintendent had full and ample
authority for what he did; he violated
no law and assumed noimproper power
The second charge Is utterly without
foundation. The contract entered into
with Messrs. A. s. Barnes Is Co. will
easily place the books in the hands Of
even the most INDECENT children in the
State. If the editor Of the Times will
inquire into the terms OF the contract
he will be satisfied of this fact himself.
That a change from the Wilson books
was necessary is shown by the unfavor-
able opinion entertained Of the books
by the most experienced teachers.
Thus, even If the change should
require an aggregate additional expen-
diture of twenty thousand dollars by
all the children of the city, it should
be made, for the cost TO each would
be quite insignificant, and it would
certainly be better to incur that cost
than continue defective books In our
schools. The purpose Of the Superin-
tendent and Of the State Board is to
establish an efficient educational sys-
tenn, and though Harper Brothers
squeal through the columns OF the
Times they will not be deferred from
their purpose.
In the third place, the children are
not required to change their old for the
new books in ninety days. They can
effect the change at any time while the
Watson books are in use in the schools.
Even in year or in a longer period.
But what is the use of wasting time In
refuting the wild or crafty-we know not
which-statements Of paper which
permits it's reporters to indulge In such
recklessness as this? It is a matter o.
indifference to US whether the Times IL
interested with Harper Brothers agen
or not; but we are very sure that baseless
statements like these, defiantly made
and pugnaciously adhered to, impress
plain people with the belief that there
is purpose to bully the Superinten
dent and the Board into contract witt
the Harpers. OF course, we hope tina
such is not the case, yet IL the Time
would escape such disagreeable sus
picions, it must change it's styl'
Of journalism. It opened this silly wa
upon the Superintendent Of Education
and the State Board without any foun
dation for it, and has only hurt itself b.
showing how little influence it possesse
, and how little respect it's growing com
: mands. The DEMOCRAT, on the othe
, hand, took up the subject, dealt fairl
with the Superintendent and the Boar
and the bookmen, and when it pointe
t out, along with the merits Of the read
: ers selected, a glaring objection to them
, it's views were respected, and the oh
: jectionable feature will be left out in al
3 future editions OF the Watson readers
: When the Times finds men Of tn