The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-04-09
sOnoOL TEXT nOOKs.

There IN sbffOre The House Of Repreaen-
tatves n bin entitled the "Oren BILL"
II Ia really not the "0ren Bill, /" but the
Lewis Substitute" for the "0ren Bill"
The original bill WAS introduced In the
Senate by Mr.. 0ren, but when II WAS put
on ita passage DR., Lewis, Of SIalk offer
ed anbatitnie which the Senate adopt
ed, The original bill provided for the
formation OF commission 10 select and
purchase a uniform set OF school text
books. The substitute M II passed the
Senate, and IL now before the House,
dey0lyes on the Boards OF Education Of
the respective diatTicts OF the State the
duty OF adopting and purchasing such
books ~ tho needs Of their achOOl re-
qure. The original bill created q mo
nOpOly, The bill IN II now stands leaves
the lrrde l'' school b Oks open 10 the
freest competition. II should pass.
| II thH g. III nlHai0n proportion OF the
original "Oren bill" were untrled there
might be some reason offered for ita pas
sage. hut auch In not the case. Quite o
number OF Statea have tried "Slate uni
fOrmity" In school text books. The aya.
TEN has proved an utter failure, aud The
States have been driven back TO the dla
trict ayatem The superintendent OF
Public Instruction OF Minnesota, In clos
ing an elaborate report, wherein he aet
forth beyond dispute the disadvantages
Of estate uniformity" saya:
1T IN enough 10 aay that tho law fur tho past tw0
Yeas has made school books DEAR rather han.Chehp,
and We can never realize any better result undfT hn
ihw' MlAliye acphWv exceeds ~ orlRlna ~ Y,
regeneration hnd ture TO work ogt waste aud less, fur
when mere can DO no remedy While tho law fomanh IN
iuroen
| Notwithstanding the utmost care was
taken In the construction Of the law Of
Minnesota, II became the protector Of
the worst corruption which ever affected
the State, II awakened rivalry amOngat
c0rrnptl0nlsts as 10 which could per
petrate the greatest frauds under the
projection OF the law.
| Do the people Of Ohio want their com
mon school syeiem Injured almost be
yond repalrp II they do, LOT them by
special legislation create monopoly ~
the manufacture Of school books. II
they desire TO increase the expense 0I
the system and at the same time destroy
its ell iiency, let them place the right L
furnish school books In the hands o.
one or more firms, TO the exclusion q
others, II they want 10 bring into dia
repnte the most cherished institution o
the State, let them engratt upon ita ma
chineTy that which will corrupt II h
the ntlermOat.
The friends OF uniformity" In tex
! books profess that they desire 10 cOrTec
! an evil. They assert that the Boards o
Education OF the State are corrupted
! y and that certain publishing houses ow
: them There are over two lhOugan
! Boards OF Education In the Stats. lti
, not only fair TO presume, but II Ia q
= actual fact, that these Boards are con
\ posed Of the most reputable men In theI
!, localities. Amongst their fellows the
!, enjoy regulations for honesty and II
y tegrlty, and II Nv left TO members Of III
II Legislature 10 charge them with dl
\ honesty and corruption VIII Mr.. 0reI
h or Mr., Basse,t, or any advocate of N
a original bill, rise In HIS place aud 10
a that the Board Of Education In the tow
a where the member resides, Ia corrupt
|. Is any member willing TO say that Il
" knows a BOOrd that has been corrupted
NJ We do not believe that such u man On
be found. IL the evil Is as wIdeeprea
as II In claimed that u IL, II would be q
eaqymatter TO point out the delinquent
Let each member ask himself N
question: "ls II more di0lcult TO 60
rupt s'yen men than IL IN TO cOrru
seven thouslndw No man Of aen
would assert such proposition. II Il
commission idea" prevails there vi
Oe but seven men TO corrupt, Indeed
will only be necessary ~ corrupt "A m
jOrity Of these say four. Pass lhe orl
lnal loren blll," or any other embod
ing the commission idea" and the
viii be opened up a bed In which ca
ruptlon will grow fat, The pOailiO
Will be sought by persons who desire
no corrupted, and that class viii &
h'm,
In the discussion Of this questiO
however, there stands out above /
= things else the fact, that II IN pr0p0a
to create n monopoly In the sale
school books. The only prOpOgitl
, which does not DO thla IL the bill ~
. now stands before the House. II Il
bodies the t,ue Democratic doctrine
free competition In the trade, and LOT
government, Os against monopoly n
Capitalization Of power, There is
eyadlng the fact that this ls "A elrugJ
. between those who would control
%, "sChool Book" question In the intere
o, Of some firm or corporatlon and tht
IA who favor u System Of complete com
10 titiOn, The bill which the House
Y, called on TO dispose Of, In IN tho inter
no of chean echool hooks, aud should
o, o, come q law. Let there be no monopC