Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-03-07
SCHOOL BOOKS.

6OhUOb OOVAS' 81.
We print on the first page of this is II
,re Hon. VIM. II. Carter's bill "to
for furnishing the people Of the Il
STATE of Missouri with cheap text P
Il
After 8 careful examination Of ali the r
now before the legislature S
we can confidently say, that Mr.. Car r
ter's bill seems to US the best thing that
is offered. We do no care to criticlse I
adversely any of the bills pending.
is good i'll all of them. and we
recognize the sincerity and patriotism
of every gentleman in the general as
sembly who has, during the session,
addressed himself to this difficult and
very important task. We shall content
ourselves with stating wherein we be-
lieve MIR. Carter's bill to be strong, and
wherein it avoids very serious ob]ec-
tons which are urged to other meas
ures.
In repeating the county adoption
plan the legislature has advanced one
step III the right direction. by demon
strating that it can act independently
Of and in defiance of the powerful lobby
which is maintained this winter at
Jefferson City by the school book syn
dictate. But, as a matter of fact, we
believe that therein, and therein alone,
are the people benefited by the repeal,
because unless some better measure is
substituted for the discarded law the
people will be no better off than they
were before. But, it is said, if this be
true, why were the syndicate represent
atives opposed to the repeal? Simply
for the reason that they were against
any and all legislation, per Sc, fearing
that once started legislation would pro-
coed until a practices" law would be
framed that would, beyond q perad-
venture, provide the relief that the
people seek.
Gentlemen say, "Having repealed
the old law why not let matters rest
as they are for two years, that we may
see if district adoption will not pro-
! duce a competition which did not exist
I under the county adoption plan?" The
best answer to this, it would appear to
us, is the fact that the horde of lobby
z lists ut jefferson City, who are nearly If
s not quite all republicans, favor this
.. plan, and are continually speaking up
on Its d~esirability and it democracy.
We see no partisan measure here.
. Republicans, as well as democrats, are
interested in shaking from the should
{ ers of the state all Old Man Of the Sea
D that has for some years been riding il
d in~exorably and numerically. To the
n demand for a law that wH give the
people cheap books the syndicate
agents reply: "Throw the gates oper
to competition; that will accomplish
the object" Why do they say SO? Fol
a very simple reason. They know, i
u the weak, independent houses cannot
;, afford to spend the money necessary tc
1 follow them into counties, that the,
will still less be able to 60 to the mucf
greater expense of following them int
school districts. They feel confident
in other words, that the syndicate. i
G left to itself, can down all opposition
d and we believe they sre right. So ia
as our knowledge goes the people VIII
have thought upon the subject are op
posed to leaving the matter open, as i
:. stands with the repeal OF the law
=, They almost uniformly desire some
i hing safer and better.
In what manner is waiting two year
10 benefit the people? In most of til
III counties of the state III adoption ha
g. been had. In SUCH counties two year
as hence it will be difficult to enlist niue
NJ interest. A strenuous effort will be mad
al ny the syndicate to n~arcotize the six
e. teen or seventeen counties that hav
made no adoption. 1t can afford to d
this ' e with very expensive opiate
ka if for five years 1t can, with no prom
Use of relief for the future, 60 on NAL
#. ing q fortune annually out of the otht
ed SO Or SO counties. The people ha,
IN. asked of the legislature in no uncertai
re. tone, ''Give us 8 law that will provit
us with cheap school booksi" To tn
the gentlemen who desire to procrast
nate practically reply, eve will tut
you over to the tender mercies of Il
syndicate" In u opinion this cour
will not meet with popular approval.
In Mr.. Carriers bill we see a pract
cal solution of the difficulty. The b
is not perfect, probably, in all of
ing details, but it is, in its general intent,
Is nearly il accord with the views '
ere have heretofore expressed, that it
up fords US pleasure to support It In t
III main. The house by appointing n
ers Carter chairman ofs special commit
sx- upon this question made it his dnl
with others, to prepare a suitai
DOL measure. That the result of his labs
md has been reached with an eye single
of the public good all who know \
be Carter will concede, and he assures
Die. that in those points where there is
II a apparent chance for favoritism chang
{ It will at once be made In the bill, pl
viding that the contract shall 60 to
Lowest and bes: bidder instead of
Id the first Irresponsible bidder. Nothing Il
III smacks of a possible job will knowil
the ly be advocated by MIR. Carter.
H- side this vital change, section 6 sho,
be amended SO as to provide a penal
not only for Illicit publication, but q
es against directors or teachers who +
en- NIT the use of any other than the ado
ed books; and section 8 should 81
.ss plainly that the books are to be
rs uished, not to the counties bu. to
,,., consumers i'll counties. Unless Their
Il penalty tor a violation of the
there viii be 10 uniformity.
orr- With these, and probably one or
,b., other minor alterations, Mr.. Cart
taIli. bill seems to as Whist the people W,
tents 1t will, certainly, provide books
8. enc half of what they now cost. I'll
:, na 3o,,Ik %hot ,aeno,e;Ilo $780,