The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-12-16
THE SCHOOL BOOK LAW THE GREATEST
FRAUD OF THE AGE.


The next legislature if they are
not lost to all sense of duty to their
constituents will undoubtedly look
into and break the srhool-book
monopoly of this state which has for
30 many years been bearing down
upon, and burdening the patrons
of education. How such infamous
laws. they being amongst the grand
est frauds of the age could remain
upon our statute books and be amen
ded from time time to by succeed
ing legislatures, is question that no
sane person can demonstrate or ac-
count for, on any theory except to
defraud and oppress the people. Be-
fore such laws were enacted in our
State it was not an uncommon thing
TO procure books that would with
stand the wear and tear through the
school days of several different
scholars, each using them after the
ore before had finished a course
through the same book. But since
the enactment of the law requiring
patrons of schools to buy certain
enumerated books, it is som etimes a
difficult matter to procure those
which will last through couple of
terms of school. The law compell-
ing people TO buy certain books
which are entirely controlled by a
certain and only monopoly in that
line has the effect to induce manu-
facturers of such books to perform
the mechanical work on them in
such. an inferior manner as to render
them of no durability whatever.
While if manufacturers are left to
make their books the success of
which depends upon the merits of
each particular book, they will see
to it that they are made lasting and
durable.
The excuse that for the conven-
lence Of teachers they must have a
uniform kind of books all over the
state, is a falacious one because the
principles taught by different books
on the same subjects are of SO much
similarity that teachers if they un-
derstand their business should be
prepared to teach from any of them.
Il they are not thus prepared they
should follow some business that
they can comprehend and thus save
patrons of schools from continually
being taxed to renew the purchase
of worthless books or from buying
another change adopted by the
Legislature.
The books used throughout the
state before we had such law were
generally Of durable class which
patrons could then buy with assur-
ance generally that they would last
through that generation. Then poor
people had some satisfactory assu-
rance of giving to their offspring
some kind of common school educa-
tion at least. In those times it often
happened that it required a great
effort with many poor people to be
able to educate large family of
children. Some of them could not
do so then. But under the new
school book fraud it costs as a rule
more in the extra tax for books than
Il then did to pay the cost OF sending
10 . common school.
Under our system of government
'uch laws in regard to educational
matters, should only be passed as
will extend these benefits to the ,
greatest number of people never
ind never to delay or hinder them.
But so long as it remains the high
st aspirations of the average of man
lind to be elected to the legislature {
where they 30 often vote for laws It
oppressive to the people the effect
# which they know nothing about !
md which ought to sink them into J
liter oblivion just SO long will the
vonderous frauds as the present /
chool book law, occasionally II
ppear. s
The Pspe Of RENE.
An exchange says: The intel.