The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-02-14

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towns might want to have them put into
the hands Of some merchant. We have
an amendment covering that. We pre-
vide that the
TOWNS NAY ELECT DEPosITARIEs
who shall give bonds to the town and be
responsible, and that the town may agree
upon the price and compensation for
his services, not to exceed 10 per cent.
1t seems to me that in many cases towns
under this law will get their books hand
led for nothing. In this city of st.
Paul l understand u the booksellers
came up and offered to sell Mr.. Merrill's
books for nothing, at cost price. That
would be the case in the country towns
with the merchants III order to draw trade.
Thcv would say. MAKE me the depository
of your books: will handle them for
nothing" The operation of the law is not
interfered with; the people get cheap books
and the bug-bear that has been raised
about the district clerk has been avoided.
Another point raised is, they say
s'LET THERE BE AN OPTION
in the counties; let every county decide
whether they will take the books or not"
Well, Mr.. Chairman, nothing could be
more unfair than that. What would be
the resultg Why, every county in the
State would be a battle field between Mr..
And if Mr.. Merrill's contract
did not afford him sufficient profit to pay
for putting agents in every county in the
State to carry on that war, his business
would go to pieces. for those powerful
combinations, reaping millions of wealth
and plumber, would flood this State with
their agents and drive out the books What
would be the result? Your county COM
missioners would be besieged, your county
superintendent, teachers, school clerks
A perfect war would rage; money would
flow like water into the pockets Of these
men. And what would be the result!
Could Mr.. Merrill go into such contest?
He has agreed to put these books down to
A WONDERFULLY Low RATE.
because yon have said to him that he
should have the furnishing of all of these
books for fifteen years. Can he furnish
them at those rates if
you are going to treat him in
such a way that he can't furnish any Of
them unless he makes battle for every
book he sells! Besides that, it is not in
The contract. You couldn't amend that
contract without Mr.. Merrill's consent;
and to get his consent you would have
to pay him for the damage he would sus-
tain thereby.
"But them" say some of the opponents
of this measure, "this legislation is
compulsory Why of course it is!
All legislation is compulsory. You pass
law to hang man for murder, it is COM
pulsory legislation you don't give the
fellow the option in that case to say
whether he shall be hung or not
ALL LEGISLATION Is COMPULSORY.
You put taxes upon every man in this
State who owns property to support the
schools, to educate, The perhaps being
chil1less,) the children of his neighbor.
Isn't that compulsorys Why all govern
ment is compulsory.
But who made this compulsions Why
the representatives of the people last win
ter, by an overwhelming majority. Then
the people did it. The people have done
this thing-the people are satisfied with it.
But the men who have lost their profits,
either by the sale of books or prospective
commissions from handling the books,
they have risen up here to say that
to live under the very law
they have imposed upon themselves
What is the
LAST PROPOSITION
that has come to US within day or two
The book men h.ving canvassed both
branches Of this Legislature, and found,
as am informed, a large majority in favor
of maintaining this law, what do they do
Why, they get together four houses, viz:
Van Antwerp, Bragg 81 Co., A. $.
Barnes d Co., Ivison, Brakeman, Taylor
& Co., and Cowperthwaite &
Company. These four houses nave got
together and they say that they will fur
nish-they appear to say on the face Of 1t
that if you smash this Merrill contract,
turn Mr.. Merrill out of doors and ruin the
man, flor he has put his whole fortune into
the effort to carry out this law)-put him
out, turn him adrift, let him clamor TO
you for perhaps hundred thousand dol
lar damages-and they will furnish you
what Books any cheaper than Mr. Mer-
rill's pricesg No, books at the same price!
What reward have your could conceive
it possible for legislative body to do
mighty mean thing If It
could make something by il, bnt for leg
islativc body to override all justice and
fairness with contractor and ruin him,
simply to get the same kind Of books for
the same price, is something TINT passes
beyond my comprehension. But, Mr..
Chairman, they don't even say that their
books can be had 40 cheap as Mr..
Merrills. Van Antwerp, Bragg 4
Co. nay: 1--WE will agree to sell them in
Minnesota for the next fifteen years ct
prices - good a. those Of the Merrill
law" "As good" Good TO whom
Laughter Why "good" to
THK FELLOWS THAT SELL THEM.
[Renewed laughter.l Now look