Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-03-15
THE PRICE OF SCHOOL BOOKS.

When Mr.. Perkins, an able and we'll
meaning member of the Ohio House, re.
introduced certain bill of his proposing
% lower the cost of school books to the
people, a bill which was defeated in the
last Legislature, we gave the subject seri-
ous attention. Ten minutes examination
of the bill is sufficient to show that ii pro-
poses a most dangerous interference with
the rights and business of the citizens, and
contemplates putting the entire job OF
furnishing the school books for the whole
State of Ohio into the hands of a single
individual or firm, or combination OF at
most three individuals or firms. 1t pro-
poses to destroy the competition amongst
booksellers in school books, and its imme-
dinte effects will he TO cripple book
sellers in the larger cities, and bankrupt
them in the smaller cities and towns.
Such measure fraught with such seri-
ous Consequences, could have no effect
except the opposite of what ills author
contemplates. And even il the erection oI
gigantic monopoly of the sale OF school
books under the sanction of law, could
really lessen the price OF school hooks still
the imperative reasons would be shown
that not only are school books enormously y
high in price in proportion to other books
and other manufactured articles, but that
those who sell them are determined not to
lower the price and that therefore even
the most desperate and dangerous expert.
ments must he tried against them.
Now, what are the inctSi We are de.
termined to be just in the matter, aud
have made careful scrutiny into certain
assertions of those who favor this bill
They say the price Of school b oks new i.
kept up to the most inflated prices that
prevailed during the war. So far from
this being the case, we see by comparison
Of the scale of prices prevalent in the book
storeA Of this city with those of three wears
ago, that there has been general reduc.
tion in all these books of from 25 to &c
per cent. A very substantial reduction
took place only last September in the en-.
tire list OF school books.
Not to make this article too long, we
select McGnfFey's Readers for an example
The price OF the First Reader, before Sep
tenlber, was 20 cents, now tits l6; Second
Reader, then 40 cents, now 80; Third
Reader, then 55, now 45 Fourth Reader
then 65, now So; Fifth Reader, then 81 .05
now So cents; Sixth Reader, then Sl.25
now $l00.
It may be asserted that these reduction,
have been in consequence OF the agitation
upon the subject but as all articles oil
clothing have fallen in like proportion
and as this was not influenced by some.
body threatening to establish a State mo,
nopoly for the sale OF coats and panta.
looms, the sense and justice of the asser'
tion are not apparent.
n,,k aya,, SAn,fffinO fha NaInnifnn "A
may be said that the prices are still extrav-
Agant. Is this so? A reporter for this
paper went into a Columbus bookstore
Yesterday, to make some comparisons. lie
made many, all tending to the same re-
anlt. A specimen or two will suffice.
McGuffey's New Fourth Reader is o
book in what we believe is called paper
binding. Il contains 2I2 pages and sells
for 55 cents. The "Nursery for Youngest
Children" book hound in precisely sim.
liar style and having but ls7 pages, sells
At 81 .25.
MeGuGey's New Fifth Reader is sub
stantially bound in cloth, with excellent
paper and clearest print, and comprises
1888 pages. 1t sells for SO cents; while a
volume of "Early French Poetry" not
copyrighted, not as we'll bound and with
no better paper or print, with 3l9 pages,
sells for Sl.75.
The New Sixth Reader iS bound, ETC., as
the preceding, has AGO pages, and costs 81,
while q copy of "MoOre's POEMS" not
copyrighted. and In similar style, with 442
pages, sells for $3.50.
II il impossible 10 resist the conclusion
that school books are not only from one
third to lwo-thirds cheaper than any other
books in the market. but that considering
the copyright upon them. they are the
cheapest manufactured articles sold.
Mr.. Perkins hill, then, with all its dan
Kerons principles, ilS unwarranlabie inter
terence with private business aud lis pro-
posed immense monopoly, would not only
Intensity the evil which II is aimed at III
any Anch there werel, but strikes at an
evil whieh In NIL honesty does not exist
Sunday Ib old.