Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-10-11
The School Desk Purchase.

4MV AOAAOOA-DCOh L u1 CAAODCe
Mr.. EDlToR:-In telling his little
story" in the BULLETIN of Oct, 4,
among other things, Westburg says:
Said gentlemen showed their creden-
tials, in the shape Of recommendatory
letter from Supt. Parker. This letter
had the desired effect on the members,
and reduced them into the belief that
they wanted something they really did
not need"
We ask Westburg to give the proof
OF this last proposition. There is moth
ing like .facts, logically used, to estab-
fish assertions. What was in the letter?
OF course, Westburg read the letter, or,
as person careful of his statements,
he would not recklessly assert, 'This
letter had the desired effect on the
members, and reduced them into the be-
lief that they wanted something they
really did not need" IF person is
really careful and candid in making pos
tive assertions, it requires but little ef-
fort to adduce the facts and show that
the proposition must stand. Give us
the facts, that the assertion may be
tried as to it's correctness. For, if by
word, line, or "recommendatory letter,
we have so wofully misled intelligent
men and taxpayers Though they be
small ones at that, we are at the peni-
tents altar, ready to sacrifice the COM
fort, physical health and intellectual
vigor OF the children and youth, to war
ranty deeds, and ready to worship at the
feet of Mammon.
If Westburg has forgotten the con-
tents of the letter,-we would not for a
moment suppose that he had not read
the letter, and made his positive asser-
ton from mere hear-say, or from splen-
etc emotion,-we will send him an exact
copy, or have it published.
In the letter in question, the points
are three in question: First, we certify
to the moral character of the gentleman.
~ to the quality Of the desks, and (3)
to the terms upon which the desks can
be purchased. TO which point does
Westburg object, or which is the point
that had the desired etfect?" The let
ter was given to protect school officers
in their purchases of school furniture.
The manufacturers of school desks
have formed Board of Trade, and have
bound themselves not to sell desks, nor
furnish them to their agents below a
certain fixed price. Above this price.
agents are at full liberty. The higher
they sell, the better agents they are; the
more they make for themselves and
their employers. There is every induce
ment for the agents to ask and work for
all they can get. Nothing but the sharp
est competition will bring them down to
the lowest prices. Every year, from the
necessity of the case, school houses are
being re-seated. Agents are constantly
visiting the county on errands of mercy.
An agent meets a school board that
wishes to purchase desks; for certain
desk he asks Sc; he drops to $3.50: to
s.; and maybe to $3.50 or $4 Now. I'M
der sharp competition, that same desk
may be bought for $3.50. Below this,
the manufacturer will not fill orders for
this kind of desk.
We have frequently been urged to
take agencies for the sale of school
desks but steadily refused, until few
months ago, when we told an agent he
might put a sample desk in the office
for the inspection of school officers, and
give us the lomest price at which he
would fill orders We told him we
would have but the one price, and would
charge school officers no commission,
nothing but the necessary postage. The
agent put in the desk, and gave the sell
ing price at which they might be sold
under favorable circumstances, and the
lowest price at which they might be
sold under the most unfavorable cir
cumstances. We kept the sample desk
one week, when we ascertained that Mr..
Ames was acting as local agent for this
County, for several firms. We examined
his desks and the terms. We found the
terms all the same.
For sales made in this County, Mr..
Ames pledged himself to ask but one
price, and that the lowest at which or
ders will be filled. We Immediately
turned our sample desk over to Mr..
Ames, and gave him the" recommend
atory letter in question. In the whole
letter, neither by construction nor i'm
plication, can one word or sentence be
construed into even polite invitation
to buy desks.
10 encourage responsible home
agent and to assure school officers that
as to quality and prices, they could not
do better elsewhere, when they wished
to buy, was the letter given. When it
is necessary to buy school furniture, to
what extent they must buy, and when
they are able to buy, school boards
must determine. They are sovereign
in this class of purchases. We have
said and still say, observe the strictest
economy in carrying on school work !;
but that kind of economy which would
save dollar at the expense of two, is
extravaganza.
The above is the history of the rec
ommendatery letter." We insist that
" Westburg " designate the part Of the
letter that reduced them (the mem
bers) into the belief that they wanted
something they really did not want"
w. f. PARKER.
The Report OF the Independence Public
Schools for the Month ending