The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-09-25
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25.
Doing Dirty Work For a Monopoly.

Doing Dirty Work For a Monopoly.
STATE SUPT. Ia TOILETTE, in an inter
view printed in Thursdays issue Of the
school book trust organ, made number
of statements concerning the operations OF
the school book law so wildly absurd that
it is a wonder any man in his senses would
dare to make himself responsible for them.
We quote:
Well, here are a few facts. There is ex-
pended annually over $5,250,OOO for public
education in the state, or for the maintenance
of public schools. So that a decrease OF 20 per
cent. in the average attendance would be a
direct loss in value received OF over $l,OOO,OOO.
Then, add to this sum the loss incurred by
throwing away eight hundred thousand or a
million dollars worth Of books, the total loss
under the new law will aggregate $2,OOO,0O0 in
the first year, and to make mp this loss 1t VIII
require not only the profits aecrulng from hve
years, but of 500 years under the new law.
The superintendent flew facts" are lies
of the baldest variety, and if he had been
devoting his time to the duties of his
Office, instead of spending it at fishing re-
sorts, he would have known them TO be
lies. Indeed it is not credible that he
supposed them to be within gun-shot of
the truth, notwithstanding his prolonged
absence from his official post.
He says decrease of 20 per cent. in the
average attendance upon the schools
of the state would mean a direct loss
of over Sl,0000O0 to the people
of Indiana. Possibly it would; but the
facts are, as LAFoLLETTE ought to know if
he doesn't, that largely increased at
tendance is reported from all parts of the
state. THE SENTINEL has no official data
upon this subject, but its special reports
from many points, and the columns of its
state exchanges OF all parties, bear uni
form testimony to an increased attend
ance upon the schools. There is no doubt
that considerable proportion OF this In
crease is due TO the fact that under the
new law the most important text books
can be bought for about half the prices
formerly Charged saving that means
very much to thousands OF parents in
moderate circumstances.
Then comes the statement that $500, 900
90 100000 worth OF text books will be
thrown away because of the new law.
This is 80 absurd that it is difficult to re-
gard the man making it as wholly knaye.
1t is safer to set him down as chiefly an
ass. The records in Supt. LA FoLLErTE's
Office show that less than 100000 books Of
the Indiana educational series have been
ordered all told, and every county in the
state has made acquisitions. There are
nine volumes in a series, the legal price
of which is S3.05. The number of COM
plete series ordered, therefore, is about
$1,000, making the total value OF these
books about SIT, 900. The old books can be
and are being sold by the owners for about
So Is per cent. of the prices of the
new books, notwithstanding Supt. La
FoLLETTE's request that they be re-
tanned ''for purposes of reference" This
reduces the net cost Of the new books to
slS5, 900 providing every copy which has
been ordered is sold to pupils. This, of
course. will not be the case. In a ma
jority of counties the new books are only
being introduced as pupils pass to higher
grades. In these cases they would re-
ouire new books in any event. 1t is a
safe estimate that the new books which
would have been required if there had
been no change in the law, would have
cost $500, 900, because the trust prices av-
eraged double the prices fixed by the new
law. These figures, which are based
upon the official data in Mr.. LAFoL-
LETTE's Office, and are approximately
correct, show net cost to parents of about
SlS5, 900 for new books, as against 100000
they would have had to expend for cor
responding books if Supt. LAFoLLETTE
had succeeded m his desperate efforts to
prevent the passage Of the new law, and
20 break it down after it had been passed.
The statements quoted, and the other
ones equally ridiculous as to the Incl
dental expenses involved by the new sys-
tenn, are simply an echo Of what the hired
agents of the old trust are peddling all
over the state. That man occupying the
position of HARvEYLA TOILETTE should
lend them the sanction of his official au-
thority must amaze those who have not
followed his public career and who failed to
witness the indecent exhibition he made
OF himself when he appeared day after
day on the floor of the legislature during
its last session, at the head of the most
corrupt and brazen lobby that ever in
vaded the precincts of the state capitol.
His actions then showed that he was
totally lacking in seli-respect or regard for
the proprieties of his Office. Nothing ne
may now do or say in the interests of the
disreputable monopoly whose creature he
is need occasion any surprise to the people
of Indiana.