The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-01-13

that monopoly has fastened itself upon
the people of Missouri which calls loudly
Tor your interference. In my judgment
there are but two remedies for this evil.
i The first Oftfese Is TO provide for the
selection OF textbooks by the board. of
directors in each school district separate
ly. This plan is not without objections,
but | should regard it as in every way,
superior TO the one now in force. The
other plan,' while involving a radical
change in the law, has much TO recon-.
mend 1t. Governor Sherman. in his re-
cent biennial message to the Iowa legis-
lature. IN discussing the same question.
says:
II respectfully ask your attention 10 a
matter not mentioned in the report. but
which believe to be an important one
! to the State. Il allude to the subject of
SCHOOL BOOKS,
which has grown to besa very serious enc
TO very many of the people. Every head
of family is cOgniZant of the fact that
! one of the most expensive items connect
ed with the education of his children. is
| that for the purchase of school books,
and when he removes from. one district
| to another, he is often. subjected to the
necessity of purchasing an entirely new
SCIICss uAlLClCiL HUH lfdl III
the locality where he previously resided,
although in the same county. That this
| is serious and expensive matter. is
known TO every parent, and oftentimes
the cause of real embarrassment. Every
! one knows, too, the enormous profit en-
jOyed by the. publishers of these text.
books, averaging, as it does, over one
hundred per cent. above the cost of pub
LEGATION. In order to the relief of the
large portion of our people, and as well
TO establish uniformity throughout the
State. which in itself is a great desid-
erarum. / am earnestly in favor of the
State adopting and publishing series of
elementary books intended for the earlier.
instruction of the pupils i'm our schools,
which shall obtain in all our schools. A
committee of competent educators,
citizens of our own State, can easily be
secured who can prepare and edit these
works. and the State publish the same,
furnishing the books at cost price, and
thus insure great saving to the people
and the State.
| am thoroughly satisfied of the feas-
Utility of this suggestion, and would be
glad To see il adopted by the General
Assembly. There is no good reason why
hundreds of thousands of dollars should
thus be expended without the State, to
the pecunary advantage of few book
publishers. when the State through its
own publication of these works, can save
so much to its own people.
l commend the subject TO your un-
prejudiced consideration
| believe. with Gov. Sherman, that
the plan providing for the publication of
series of text books by the State. is
feasible. and furnishes solution of this
important question. / earnestly urge you
TO give this matter the attention Its mag
nitude aud importance demand. Many
of you have personal knowledge of this
matter and will. therefor. feel a personal
interest in its proper adjustment.
LUNATIC ASYLUMs.
There is no class of humanity so des-
CRYING of sympathy and the best efforts OF
philanthropy as the insane. They ap-
peal TO us. by every feeling of humanity.
for assistance. From the exhaustive re-
port of DIR. Il. X. III. Smith. superinten-
dent and physician in charge of Fulton
Lunatic Asylum, learn that the institu-
lion is in excellent condition and L am
convinced that the institution is In excel
ent condition and / am convinced that
it is managed with great prudence and
economy. / feel it is my duty. however,
to call YOUR attention til the meagre pro-
vision made for the care of the insane in
this State. Both the Fulton and ST.
Joseph asylums are now oyercrowded
Each of these aSylums now has one hun
dred more patients than it can properly
care for. In addition to these there are
about 900 insane i'm the State, confined
in jails and poor houses, or not cared for
at all. This state OF affairs ought
to be PERMITTED to exist no longer.
It cries TO heaven against us. AIDE
quate provision ought to be made at once
for the proper care and treat
ment of these unfortunate people.
The accommodations upon that subject
are so intelligently and fully set out in
DIR. Smiths report (Which will be laid
before your honorable body. and are
supported by such cogent reasons, that
commend them to your earnest attention
and endorse them as worthy of your best
thoughts and efforts. DIR. Smiths re-
port is most valuable document and is
entitled to a careful perusal. | have not
had an opportunity TO examine the re-
port of DIR. Geo. e.. Catlett, Superinten-
dent of the Lunatic Asylum No. =. at
St. Joseph. but from the synopsis OF the
report furnished me, believe that lnstl-
tuition to be in excellent condition. Its
management is like creditable to the in
telligence. humanity and honesty of the
officers i'm charge. The fifth biennial re-
port of the superintendent will be laid
before YOU in due time, with the recon-
mendatiOns for the necessary appropria-
tons. The Legislature ought not to hes
itate to comply with the suggestions OF
DIR. Catlett, who is in every respect well
qualified for his important work.
The overtaxed condition of the Insane
Asylums is shame TO Missouri. The
capacity of the several asylums in as
follows:
ST. Louis 3OO
Fulton Hoy
st, Joe zoo