National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-10-21

Since the district commissioners insist
on doing the public business in secret
for what purpose no man knowoth-it is
not surprising that other officials should
now md then make private arrangements
that are not entirely for tho public good.
The brilliant detective who has just un-
earthed the school book corner has appar-
emily not pursued his investigations so
fnr as to bo able to givo tho reasons why
Mr.. Ballantyne was given a monopoly Of
the trade in certain books, and tho inter.
csted public, which is compelled TO pay
handsomely for the privilege, Is left TO
guess IT, Under the circumstances the
public will not bo blamed for guessing
that an arrangement made In secret for
taking money out of its pocket was mado
largely for tho profit of tho parties max
ing it.
As Mr. Ballantyne Is business man
and good citizen, he cannot bo blamed
for making all the profit he can. III ho
has taken advantage Of an opportunity to
organize monopoly in his own interest
he has only done what good many
other people are doing these days when
they can, and doubtless others would
have done it If he hadn't. But Mr.,
Ballantyne will not expect us to believe
that he was given this advantage as u
sratuity, without his positive assurance
to that effect We therefore beg to ask,
in the name of every person in the
district who has to buy school books,
"What did 1t cost2 With whom was the
arrangement made. and for whose bene.
fltY
There is perhaps no business in the
world in which there is so much profit as
in school books. The first actual cost is
but tride in comparison with what is re-
ceived for them. Few of those used in the
lower grades cost as much for type-setting
and white paper as a copy of TIE REPUB-
LIcAN, which Is sold for 2 cents. They
are printed by the hundreds of thousands,
SO that the actual cost is at last reduced
to the white paper and tho binding.
They are sold to final purchasers at a
price several hundred per cent. above
first cost, and the profit is divided
between the publisher and tho
various parties through whose hands
they pass before they reach the school
room. If the publisher can make ar
rangements direct with the persons who
control things the profit is very hand
some, and, not being q hog or Wander
bilt, he is always willing to divide, If not
required to divide with too many. Tho
publisher therefore stands in the relation
of q tempter to all school officials. In tho
first place, he wants his particular va
riety of school books used, and he can af-
ford to pay to get them used. Having
got them into use, it is to his advantage
to get them changed, so that the old aud
only partially Worn bovh- -hatI not
descend from the elder to the younger
members of a family, but that an entire
new outfit shall be necessary each term If
possible. He can afford to pay for this.
Somebody seems to be making hand
some thing in this matter. for which tine
rest of us have to pay a handsome price.
We think we are therefore entitled to
know all about it. Mr.. Ballantyne seems
to be in position to give US n great deal
of very desirable information. Let US
have it.
And then, Messrs. Commissioners, and
all others in authority, let US have an
end of doing public business in secret
There is suspicion about it that is not
at sll to your credit