Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-19
TWO LooPHoLEs STOPPED.

Two loopholes were discovered vester-
day in the school textbook bill as it came
from the Senate, and the Assembly prompt
ly, wisely and unanimously corrected the
error and closed the holes, on the sugges-
ton of Assemblyman Jordan, Chairman of
the Educational Committee. The wonder
is that the bill went through as II was
framed, and that such serious errors es-
amended quite to death. Our Legislature
appears to have ucceeded-innocently on
the part Of friends of the bill, we are sure
in legislating for other States, and thus
set an example of broad State philanthropy
that has no parallel. 1t made the bill
read that after California has gone to all
the expense of procuring the necessary
Ms, type, engravings and electrotypes,
that any other State desiring should have
the right to demand and have copies of the
electrotype plates at the cost of their du-
plication and shipment That is to say,
we were TO expend several thousand dol
lars, and then give the results to Nevada
or Oregon, for instance. How easy it
would have been for the book syndicate
the twenty houses composing it under
agreement not to permit competition in
school books, and the proofs of which in
fanny we have at hand and ready for OK
animation by whqmsoever is concerned
to go into another State and work through
bill to ask and receive CALIFORNIA; plates
at a cost probably of two or three hundred
dollars. How easy, by the same influ-
ences, for the publishers to get the job
as printing from these plates for the recipi-
ent, and thus flood the country with books
at a cost to them barely above the price of
the paper, ard probably not to exceed one
fourth of what such books cost California.
As a consequence, the State could not sell
a volume, ana would keep her stock on
hand, and the taxpayers would have to
pocket the entire loss. No wonder the
book influences became suddenly quiet
when the bill went through with such
generous provision in it. The Assembly
corrected the blunder, however, by strik-
ing out the whole business" That Is.
We propose to paddle our own canoe and to
postpone missionary efforts until cry
from Macedonia reaches our cas-.
But this was not all Another rat-hole
was found in the bill, and the Assembly
corrected that also yesterday Section >
of the bill directed the State Board Of Ed
ncaticn to have the necessary books COM
piled. But it was provided that " if CON-
petent authors skall compile any one or
more works Of the FIRST order of excellence,
and shall offer the zane as a free gift to
the people of the Stase. it shali be the duty
of the State Board of Education to accept |
such gift, and to expend no mssey for the |
purpose of compiling works relating to the
subjects treated of in the books thus do
mated"
The trouble with this section may be
thus exemplifed. One of the syndicate
houses having sale, in other States for
some millions of copies of a book We de-
sire, receives back It's outlay and a large
profit from such sales Ii is then in posi-
ton to turn to California and say Here
is boo! You admit to be of
first excellence. You want it. Very !
well, we viii give it to you.
Under the law you must take and use no
other on this subject" The reader will +,
zee that, while the State must go to the {