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

Merrill the damages that he may justly
claim. What are they? Not alone the
money that he has expended, but l think
anv lawyer will say that we would be
Obliged to say to Mr.. Merrill, "What is
your contract worth Win you make
&c. 600 year on an average off the fur
nishing of these books for the next fifteen
years." If so there's
AHUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
Is this State prepared to take out of the
pockets of its overtaxed people hundred
thousand dollars, or any other considerable
sum. to settle with Mr.. Merrill? And
for what To get cheaper books No; the
utmost that is proposed is that we shall
have 'sds cheap" booki
What inducement is offered, what reason
given for it? Why, says
some gentleman, there's clamor from the
people that this bill shall be done away
with. shall be repealed. Yes; have here
seventeen petitions The mountain in labor
has brought forth this mouse. Laughter.
SEVENTEEN PETITIONS,
and what are they? Are they the sponta-
neous outgrowth of the people of this
State, proceeding from every, hamlet, vii
lage and country place, against this law!
| No, Mr.. Chairman; look at them! Eve
nv one of the seventeen is printed! don't
know where-possibly in New York;
printed and sent out with agents paid to
circulate them.
Have we here petition that asks for an
unequivocal repeal of this act! No, read
that's
1--WE, the undersigned, citizens of said
State. respectfully petition your honorable
body that the act of last winter, known as
the text book law, be SO amended, that
It's books shall be sold directly to schools,
thus letting out the State Treasurey."
Now that sounds very we'll to man
who has not investigated it; and some
farmer or tradesmen wants the law amend
ed-Oh yes,-but
THEY WANT THE PEOPLE TO TAKE THE
direct; they don't want the county treas
urer to stand in between.
''And that it may be made optional with
the rural districts to take
its books or not: or else we respect
fully ask that acih due regard to the ex-
penses of the contractor -
See how artfully that is put in! They
don't want to hurt Mr.. Merrill in his
efforts to furnish cheap books;
THAT with due regard to the expenses
of the contractor thus far incurred in
almost futile efforts to put it into opera
ton, it be Internationally repealed -
Now great many men have innOcently
signed Just such harmless petitions as that.
Now ask
WHO PRINTED THOSE PETITIONS?
Who paid for themg Who paid to send
these agents around through all parts of
this State!
have here an extract from the Chaska
Herald: ga. J. Greer, formerly teacher in
Carver, made our village call in the in
terest of school book ring by presenting
petition against the execution of the
school book law of last winter Although
our citizens are mostly in favor of the law,
good many have signed said petition
without knowing what they were doing
Mr.. Greer even ''set 'em up" A very nat
ural question arises, who pays for the
beer" Laughter.
Now isn't it remarkable that the public
school system of this State il to be re-
vised and improved through the instru-
mentality of beer? Laughter.
Now l have here, TO show how this
thing goes in other sections, one or two
letters. Here is letter from a very well
known gentleman the
EDITOR OF THE ST. PETER TRIRUNE,
Mr.. J. K Moore:
'Mr Boright of lie Sueur. formerly SUI
perintendent of schools here, has spent
two or three days getting signers to 4 petit
ton for the repeal of the Merrill
law We have started other Pc
titions here and all over the county
against the repeal. and shall have FIVE
signatures to his one, and shall get many
of his as they signed under misappre-
hension"
Here is the point to which / wish to
call the attention of the Senate: "Mr
Boright admitted" says Mr.. Moore, ssthat
he was paid his expenses, and presume
HIRED AGENTS ARE ALL OVER THE STATE. "
have some letters from other parties,
but shall not take up the time of the
Senate by reading them. 1t will be OBJ
served too, that these petitions all come
from the cities. Now the cities
are not under the opera
ton of this law Henry Ward Beecher
said that A. never heard that B. was in
want buthe thought G. ought to do some
thing for him. Here is a singular case
where those that object are never to be
| subjected TO the operation of the law. A.
himself doesn't come in.
WHAT RIGHT HAVE THK CITIES
to present petition here, They are no,
under this law. By the action of the
school book ring last winter they were
stricken out from the law, and now then
come here and declare that even tue farm
ing community shall not have any benefit
under the operation Of this law.
Nov, Mr.. Chairman, desire to ash
this Senate and to 60 right home tc
the memory Of every man on the floor,-
whether during the last canvass, which
sent many of us here to these seats VA
there
AMI DENAND on THE PART or PEOPLE
for the repeal of this lawi Did any coun.
~ convention of any party resolve against
that law. In two or three instances wherS
county superintendeuts had amazed them.
selves against it, they were buried out Of
sight BY large majorities, and would hav,
been in each and every case hs(
the issue been made befofl
the people. Is there any peutios
before this Senate from any rural diseric
asking for repeal Of this law, from thoo
living under the operation Of if No
one: not single one
Now let me Turn to some psoof1 tn
show that Tie people really wanfed thi
law. would call Tie attention a -
Senate 20 the reeolutioo adopesd " u