The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-08-07
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST I.
Tactics of the school Book Trust

passed the school book trust and its paid
organs and tools raised howl of denuncia-
ton. The law was impracticable. 1t was
unconstitutional. 1t was dangerous. 1t
would establish uniformity in text books.
IEigbty-five per cent. of the text books in
our schools are now supplied by VAN
ANTWERP BRAGG & Co. 1t would disor-
sanize the schools. II would force inferior
text books upon them. Nobody would
bid under it. II could not be carried out.
It imposed no penalti IS for its violation.
1t was stupid, ambiguous and conflicting
in its terms It would establish school
book monopoly actual fact: that's one
of the objections VAN ANTWERP, BRAGG &
Co. urged against the law.l And SO fol-
lowing.
OF course the law is imperfect. The
amazing thing is that any law at all was
secured in the face of the tremendous
fight made by the ring. Finding that the
bill was certain TO be passed, the ring sue
ceeded by strategy in having certain pro-
visions inserted, which, it believed, would
render the law imperative. The failure
of such Law would be better thing for
the ring than If no law had been passed
because il would discourage further efforts
In this direction in Indiana or elsewhere.
The ring fancied that it bad made the
failure OF this law reasonably certain, but
10 make assurance doubly sure, it went to
work Systematically, 70 poison the popu-
lar mind against it, and to throw all posi-
bic obstacles in the way of its execution.
The mails were loaded with circulars
containing every species of misrepresen-
tation OF the character and purposes of
the law. These circulars were sent to
booksellers, teachers, school trustees,
Euperintendents; editors, etc, all over the
state. Although the law contained an
emergency clause, and therefore took
effect upon its passage, school officials and
book dealers were formally advised that
it would not be in force until after the
publication OF the acts, or too late for new
books to be introduced during the coming
school wear. But while all this din and
clatter were being raised, the school book
ring was doing very effective underground
work The law made it the duty of the
state superintendent of public instruction
10 call a meeting OF the board of education
1,s,ediatslu upon its passage TO take
steps Tor advertising under its pro-
visions. Supt. IA FoLLETfE forgot TO per-
form this duty ior many weeks
indeed, the meeting was not finally called
until The SENTINEL had repeatedly invited
attention to the requirements of the law,
and then so late date was fixed that it
seemed very probable that no books could
be received for the opening OF the schools
In the fall, even if q contract should be
awarded. But the meeting was finally
held, and it then and there developed
that, in confding the execution of the law
TO the state board OF education, the legis-
lature bad done the one thing necessary
10 insure that 1t would be carried out in
good faitb. The state board of education
Is composed of the foremost educators of
Indiana, some Of them men OF national
reputation for high scholarship and
vigorous sbility-nearly all OF them above
the suspicion OF being governed by any
but the Hottest motives in the discharge
OF their public duties The ring soon re-
allied that it could not manipulate this
u 9
ia securing the adoption of conditions
OF bidding under the law, which, il was
believed, would prevent any bids from
being rendered. In this matter the ring
stole march upon the board Of education
How this was done THE SENTINEL will ex-
plain af another time. The board, how
ever, advertised for proposals under the
law; fixed an early day for the letting. and
In other ways showed that it proposed to
do its duty honestly and fearlessly.
The chief object of the trust was to pre-
vent any bids from being submitted. This
accomplished, the law would be failure,
and could be pointed to by the trust for ali
time to come "a a convincing evidence of
the inpotency OF a legislative enactment
for the suppression of school book jobberv
aud robbery. 1t was not so difficult a
matter to prevent bidding as might be
imagined. All the great school book
houses IN the country were in the trust
They were leagued together for the practice
of extortion upon the people. They were
under compact not TO "cut prices" nor
20 invade each others territory" These
concerns had parceled out the country
among themselves like so many feudal
bazons. Indiana had been assigned 10
VAS ANTWERP, BRAGG & Co., other trust
firms being allowed a small percentage OF
the business here, in order to keep up a
pretense OF competition. None of the
trust houses could put in bid under the
law without violating its compact and for
feiting heavy penalty to its confederate
firms. Besides, bid which would come
within the prices fixed under the statute
would be confession that books could be
supplied at such prices, and that the prices
heretofore charged in this state, and still
charged in other states. were extortionate.
Selling first reader in Indiana for 10
cents, publisher would be estopped from
claiming in Ohio that il could not be sold
for less than 20 cents. 1t would very soon
force down the prices in Ohio and other
states nearly, if not quite, 10 the Indiana
standard. because the low-priced Indiana
books could and would be shipped into
the other states and put on sale there at a
slight advance upon the Indiana schedule.
60 the trust houses were certain not TO
bid. The houses outside the trust were
nurnoroue ar afrouO Soma of than