The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-28
The Textbook Law.

the subject of textbooks for public
schools, and are not, therefore, sur
prised at the folly which our legisla-
ture recently exhibited in passing
the "text book BILL" That it is a
monstrous outrage upon the peo.
pie of the State cannot, we think, be
denied, and we are confident that
its evils consequences will soon be-
come apparent and draw upon the
heads of its author and supporters
very general and emphatic con-
domination. Only think OF the State
being bound to purchase its school,
books of D. y. Merrill & Co., OF St.
Paul, for fifteen years at specified
prices! No opportunity being offer
ed for it to obtain the advantages Of
competition, no chance to intro
duce any new books, but constrain-
ed, for term at fifteen years, to
pay tribute to single firm, or its
heirs, or successors!
We deny that the legislature has
the moral right to bind the State to
such an unjustitiable contract, and
we doubt if it has the legal right to
do SO. The excuse is that the offer
of Messrs. Merrill l. Co. is cheapest
when compared with the terms OF
other publishers of the present day.
This may be so, and the reason OF
it may possibly be found III an ar
1angement between this firm and
others in this line of business, which
induced the others to refrain from
competing for this contract. But
suppose such is not the case, but
that Messrs. Merrill & Co.'s price is
really cheap enough, when consider
ed in connection with the cost of
tabor and material at the present
slime, does it follow that, during the
fifteen years for which the contract
is to hold, their everage price will
be cheaDest ? Certainly not, and
the probabilities are strongly opposed
to such presumption. But We're it
otherwise, were there good reason
10 believe that the State Is making
q good bargain, still the principle Of
this law is wrong, in that it creates
monopoly which is likely to become
oppressive.
But as we said above, we despair
Of sensible legislation at present up
on this subject, and for the reason
that we are cursed with a class O.
people VINO style themselves "edu
GATORS" or, PAR excellence, the
friends of education". Freque ntly
these are of shallow attainments
but they are gifted with immeasura
bic presumption and effrontery, and
& singular faculty Of uniting them
selves in mutual admiration societies
Whenever any convention, associa.
ton, or meeting, having in view the
promotion of educational interests,
is about to be held, they are sure to
be there and, thrusting themselves
in to the prominent positions, they
c0ntrive to obtain the management.
Under their influence the meeting is
diverted from its real purpose and
made to further whatever object
they may have in view. These peo-
pie are especially active in the Sc
lection of text books for tire schools,
and are generally ready to recon-
mend a change of some sort. By
keeping themselves posted IN minor
and often unimportant details and
taking frequent occasion to display
their requirements, they manage to
deceive the people into believing
thena shilling in learning, and thus
,induce them to listen to and follow
their advice. Business men, who
have neither time nor occasion fo1
:studying the peculiarities of text