Smyrna times., 1890-06-04


tance of the deal is impossible. It
gives to the trust command of 80 per
cent of the school-book sales of the
country. Nearly all the textbooks
used in Chicago public schools are in
cluded.
THREE OTHER DEALS.
The purchase from the Harper Bros.
was preceded by three deals of less
Importance than that one. Altoupb
the transactions were not stupendous
they put out of the way three outsid.
ers who might have been extremely
troublesome and gave to the trust alb
solute control of two Western States
that otherwise would have been he
yOnd reach. The Standard Publishing
company of ST. Louis and d. D. Mer-
rill u Co., of St. Paul have been fnr.
nishing books to the Indiana School
book company, which deals with the
State of Indiana Indiana is one of
the States that supply school children
with books. D. D. Merrill & Co.. had
seventeen-year contract to supplv
school books to the State of minnesota
and that contract cut profitable slice
out OF the possible trade of the trust
fesides, the Standard comDanv and
Merrill q Co. had declared for fIobt
and were giving the trust any amount
OF trouble in the West and Southwest
particularly in Iowa and Arkansas
BY purchase and pursuasion control of
these houses was obtained two weeks
ago, and now, with the Harper Bros.
in the trust is practically proof against
competition. The smaller firms that
have either resolutely staid out in the
face of invitation or have not been in
vlted in are pOwerless unless they can
arouse public sentiment against the
trust, which is just what they are try-
ing to do.
we are not going to oppose the
trust on the ground that it will raise
the price of school books" a member
of small firm said, although it NAV
attempt that when it feels the ground
frmer upon its feet. The danger fea-
ture of schOOl-bOOk publishing by
trust is the possibility of improperly
controlling the education of children.
AS the business was conducted no sect
was powerful enough to influence
more than one or two of the manv
great competing houses. Now, with
the business controlled by one man.
as it must be, the task of introducing
improper matter in the books or of |
distorting history for one purpose or
another does not look hard"
The trust began with Van Antwerp.
Bragg & Co., A. S. Barnes & Co.. D. |
Appleton & Co., and Ivison, Blackiston
4 Co. Its name is the American Book
company. 1t was not noticed general. |
ly until it sent out a circular last week.
This says THE company is organized
in the interest of reasonable econo.
my in the production and sale ofschool |
books, and it will employ its capital. |
its combined labor, and experience to
to produce books of the highest aual.
ity at the least cost and will offer them |
at lowest price at which similar books
can be sold in any country. II will |
pursue an open, direct business policy |
towards competitors, customers. au. |
thors, and patrons. 1t seeks no mo. |
nopoly aud invites an open and honor !
able competition with respect both to
quality aud to price of books for use in
schools"
The places of business are given as
Nos. SOC and SOS Broadway, New
York ; No. 1S7 Walnut Street. Cincin.
atti; and Nos. 25S and 200 Wabash
avenue, Ghicag, The officers are :
Birdseys Brakeman, President; Alfred
G. Barnes, Vice.P President Harry t
Ambrose, Treasurer; Gilman II. Tuck
er, Secretary. The directors are
William H. Appleton, William w. Ap-
pleton, and Col. Danial Appleton, ofD. |
Appleton & Co.; Gen. A. G. Bar
Henry B. Barnes, and Carles J. Barnes
of A. S. Barnes & Co.; Birdseye Blake
man, David B. Ivison, and George r.. |
Cathcart of Ivison, Brakeman & Co; |
and c. 5, Bragg, A. H Hipkle, and |
Henry II. Vail Of Van Antwerp |
Bragg g. Co.