Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-13
THE TEXT BOOK Law CANNOT WIN
BY FORCE.

/ BY FOkCE.
! Mr.. Donnelly says the people demand
cheap books under this law. Well, then, re-
piled Senator, leave the majority of the
electors in any school district to decide
whether OF not they will take the books? No,
was the answer: that would spoil the law.
Well, then, fix it so that if every voter in
any school district votes no, the books need
not be taken. The firm retort was, that
amendment would defeat the measure!
Now what does this mean? Simply that
the advocates of the supplementary law are
determined to retain its compulsory provis-
ions, while at the same time they profess to
believe that this plan for supplying books
suits the people generally. If they are right
in this belief compulsion is unnecessary; II
they are wrong, it will not win.
The numerous petitions for modification
or rereal of the law, plainly indicate that the
people do not like to be bound for fifteen
years, or to have their school funds applied
to the purchase of books without their con-
sent. These petitions are signed by county
officers, by business men, by voters IN the
rural school districts, and the demand is,
that the law shall, at least, be made optional
Grant what they ask-the liberty of choice
and they will take the books. if they will
stand inspection, and the way of paying for
them is satisfactory. But continue this mad
attempt to coerce such citizens, and they will
not submit
: The friends of the law can have but little
knowledge of the laws that govern human
3 nature if they expect to win by force some
/. sixty counties and some twenty three out of
every twenty-four school districts in the
State that have thus far declined official
action under the law. And here we will re-
mark, that it is base SANDER upon the intel
!. rise in his place in the Senate and say that
ninety out of every hundred of our county
and school Offices are controlled by a school
0 book ring The offers of free trade and salts
a factory terms of payment made by publish
ers to school boards, will be accepted by
: school officers in all those counties which
II have refused to act under the law as it
stands, and any further show of force and
fines, any further coercive measures like
g those embodied in Halls supplementary bill,
9 will only provoke additional resistance, while
y full option will secure fair treatment of both
/ the books and the law.
The Hall amendment will inevitably fail
> to accomplish its purpose in those counties
L in which it is to force districts to use in
payment for books, money raised by taxation
for current school expenses. The people
h will not consent to have their funds tied uE
is in this way by clerks and agents who, with
J. the ten per cent. for handling books in view
'e i, can order unlimited amounts. This attempt
:. of the contractor to control district funds in
70 county treasures, will be met by a resistance
ID which fines and imprisonments cannot sub.
D. due.
Force will be equally futile at another point
n The advocates of the law sheer at the opin
If ions of the teachers and educators of the
re State-and affect to consider them of no &C.
count. It is assumed that the books can be
forced upon our schools regardless of what
20 teachers may think of them and the law, but
this must prove fatal miscalculation. Sc
: long as there are features of force in the Law
,1 ~ HAAA PAO'ohAC oAO OPHooACAoAA VI Jul tCICA
! ers in general. The contractor will find thai
: the schoolmaster is abroad, and that his III
fuence is persuasive. The people in theil
q homes will be influenced by the educators O.
- their children. If Mr.. Merrill can show then
70 books that ought to be accepted on theil
! in the act, and the plan of payment is good
- But compulsion cannot secure an introduc-
- ton of the books into our schools against
; the will of the people.
"a Our law makers seem to have
= given no weight to the fact that nearly one
10 third of the counties of the State have, within
the past few months introduced other books
;, Would it not be well to consider what effect
te an attempt to force these books out of use
and force in those of the law will have?
:, These books have been taken because they
q were preferred to those offered by the con.
= tractor.
"a None of the books offered by the Merrill
70 law are new, except the readers, The gram
mars and arithmetics have been urged upon
: the schools of the State for the last twelve
~ years. Yet they are no where in use. II
:, the contractor has something better to offel
;, than these counties have adopted, they will
!, accept his offer if the right of refusal is not
% taken away. But if force is attempted il
40 will be asked, in the earnest words of thu
+ Superintendent of Steele county, ''why will moi
= the Legislature let us alone and permit us tc
=, have the books we want?''
h If the law is made optional such counties
II will treat it and its offers fairly. But if left
compulsory this question of Steele county
If will come from every quarter of the State
al And if not satisfactorily answered by the
J. Legislature before its adjournment members
4 who 60 in for coercion will return to thei1
If constituents to be coerced hereafter into
h. something else than legislators.
j. JOHN SHERMlN AGAIN At THE
FRONT.
v The alarm caused in certain Republican
70 circles at Washington by the conviction Of
returning board Anderson has brought Johr
l. Sherman, the leader of the party of fraui
1t out again. It will be remembered that il
q was this same John Sherman now Mr.