The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-02-23
A POPULAR MEASURE.
What Prominent School Teacher
Says of Monnot's Bill.
1t Is Great FaVorite Among Grange ands
Labor Organizations ---- 1t Is
Splendid Law, and viii BEN
eft the Masses.

The passage of the Monnot school
book bill by the House of Representa-
tives, with but one dissenting vote, is
cause for cOngratulation by all friends
of the public schools. The almost
unanimous vote on the bill is an nnerr-
ing index that the cause of public edu-
cation has taken long step forward in
the right direction, and we confidently
hope that the people of the state shall
no longer be subject to the eXtOrtions
of combinations and publishers of
school books.
Mr.. MOnnot deserves the thanks of
the friends of the public schools for his
able and efficient services in behalf of
popular education. This bill, if passed,
will prove very beneficial to the poor
people. 1t is essentially a poor mans
measure, for under it a common school
education will be brought to the door
Of every family.
The bill has received the approval of
many grange and labor organizations.
the agitation of the subject has been
commenced, and it will continue until
the present rotten and disgraceful sys-
tenn of selecting and supplying school
books is abolished.
Now that the bill has passed the
House, the agitation should be contin-
ued with renewed vigor. Petitions
ought to be prepared and sent to the
Senate asking for the passage of the
bill. If this bill is passed it will take
from the pockets of the unholy alliance
schOol-bOok publishers, nearly a mil.
lion year. OF course the combina-
tion will fight the bill for all there is in
1t. They can well afford to sink d
million of dollars to defeat the measure,
for the monopoly they have on'school
books will amply repay them for all
money spent in killing the bill
Not only do the farmers and labor
ing classes approve of the measure, but
the teachers are almost unanimous in
their approval of it. A DEMOCRAT re-
porter interviewed an old and expert
enced teacher today and he retOrted as
follows:
"The bill is one that meets my un-
qualified approval. Mr.. MonnOt de
serves the thanks of every teacher in
the State for introducing the measure,
and l find that the teachers are nearly
unanimous in their approval of it, 1t
is one of the most important measures
that was ever introduced into the legiS-
Iature. 1t will not only save million
of dollars to the people of the State but
it will also give great efficiency to the
schools especially in the country dis
tricts. Under the present methods
country districts are at the mercy Of
unscrupulOus combination of school
book publishers. Boards of Education
are induced to make frequent and un-
necessary changes of text books by
false promises held out by agents.
These freq qdent changes are a great
hindrance to the progress of our schools.
Teachers usually find two or three
kinds of books in district and it is
almost impossible to compel children
to get new books when changes are
made. Especially is this true of poor
children whose parents cannot afford
to buy all the books needed. To one
who is in good circumstances the cost
of school books may seem very inSig-
niticant. But to man with a large
family to feed, clothe and educate by
the resources of his arms, the item of
school books is very significant. The
plan of Mr.. MonnOt's bill is simple,
practical and can be put into operation
at very small cost | despair, how
ever, of its passage in the Senate be-
cause of the inactiOn of its friends. No
matter how numerous the friends of
this measure may be they must exert
themselves or the bill may be lost for
this year at least Every year of delay
is million dollars taken from the
pockets of the people. The friends of
the measure should then make their
influence felt. They should remember
the words of the English Statesman,
Burke: When bad men combine the
good must associate; else they will fall
one by one, an unpitiable sacrifice in
contemplate struggle