The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-11-27
DIRTY WORK OF THE TRUST.
THE FALsEHooDs oFiTs PAID ORGAN.
a Tissue of CowardIy Insinuatfons in the
"Journal" About the school Book In
vestg tlon-statemoats OF Profs.
Parsons and Wiley.

Parsons and Wiley.
The Journals report of the investigation
by the state board OF text book commits
sioners In Fridays issue was tissue of
ialsehoods and dirty insinuations, which, as
a leading republican remarked on the
streets yesterday, no newspaper of any
pretensions would print unless it is hand
somely paid for it. The stuff was fur
nished the Journal, not by one of its regu-
lar reporters, but by fellow named Helm
richs, who Is in the service OF Van Ant
werp, Bragg & Co. The statements as to
the deficiencies in the books examined were
entirely false, as is proved by the report OF
the committee. consisting of President
Parsons of the State normal school, Supt
Layne of The Evansville schools and Supt.
Wiley of the Terre Haute schools. The
Journal quoted Clerk BOOkWalter OF the
state bureau OF printing and stationery as
testifying that the books from Jefferson
county were bound in straw board, and
that the paper on which the text was
printed was of an inferior quality,
less than the paper in the sample
on which the contract was awarded.
To SENTINEL reporter yesterday Clerk
Bookwalter said that he had not testified
at all before the committee. and that he
had made no such statement as the Journal
put in his mouth. He was asked by a
member OF the committee a question touch
ing the Connersville books, but had de-
clined to express any opinion. He was
also asked as to the comparative weight of
the paper in the Connersville books and
IN the sample books filed with the con-
tract, but said that he could only answer
this after weighing the paper.
The Journal also said that the books from
Connersville were shipped with the under
standing that they were to be sent direct
10 the office of the superintendent OF pub
lie instruction in the state-hOuse, but in
stead OF being delivered at the office of
that gentleman were taken by some mys-
terious arrangement to the office of the
publishing company. There was no mys-
terious arrangement or mystery about the
matter The books we're taken in a large
box to the state-house and at the sugges-
ton OF the state superintendent and the
committee of investigation were taken
across the street to the Office OF the lndi-
ana company, where they were followed at
vestigation was made. This was thorough;
the books were taken out, the covers bent
back until they met the leaves thrashed
vigorously over table and none of them
seemed any the worse for this harsh treat
ment. 1t would be hard to subject any
books to a severer test, and all who wit
messed il were convinced that the charges
against the Indiana books were purely
malicious and mercenary and had no sub
stantial basis Yet the Journal did not
mention this test at all, but insinuated that
the committee made no examination OF
the books.
1t was suggested while the committee
was looking into the books sent in from
Connersville that it would be well to
examine books sent out in other ship
ments, and for this purpose a messenger
was sent to the township trustees office
for specimens of the books delivered to
Capt. Many A package of books was sent
by the clerk and was shown to the COM
mittee, which understood fully where
they came from. The journal insinuated
that the volumes brought from Capt.
Many's Office were arranged as a top layer
of the Connersville box for the purpose of
deceiving the committee into the belief
that these were the books returned from
Connersville. This is a fair illustration of
"
Bragg & Co.'S paid newspaper organ
tries to blacken character and deceive the
public in their interest.
The agents of the school book trust,
who were swarming in this city while the
investigation was in progress, were terri
bly, disgusted over the failure of their
latest effort to iniure the home company.
One of them at the Grand hotel yesterday
said ave are beaten again, but we don't
propose to let up on the Indiana COM
pany. We intend to follow that company
as long as the contract lasts and make this
school book business so improbable and
distasteful to its members that they will
be glad to get out of the field. We shall
give them no peace until they withdraw
from the race, and you can bet that we
will see 10 it that they don't make a dol
lar out of their contract. The Journal and
a number of other papers in this state will
stand by US TO the end, and the Indiana
men will conclude before we are done that
it would have been money in their pOck-
cts if they had never been born.
"We would not care anything about this
matter II Indiana was alone involved. The
business OF this state is only drop in the
bucket compared with the business of the
whole country; but if this law succeeds in
Indiana, all the other states will have SINH
Aai avs IL q fNi fteAos anu bAC ud1
OF big profits in the school book business
will be past. You can see that it is a mat
ter Of life and death for the combination
houses to break down the law in Indiana
and drive the Indiana company to the
wall. They can afford to spend practi-
cally unlimited amount of money in order
10 do this. We have got some surprises
yet in store for the Indiana fellows. The
trouble is but just begun. We shall have
3 good many friends in the next legisla-
ftpre. and If Doodle and skillful lobbying
viii do it the Law will be repealed"