The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-06-16
THE BOOK OCTOPUS.
Its Tentacles Reach the Pocket
Of Every Father.
FORTY STATES m son0Aot
Isdisns aaa Minnessss Are Nes Estirsly
Observation-Disclosures - 80 Msrsy
Of the Hsgs Txsss-
g.. Lou,. Kepsshlie.

q. Louis Republic.
The schools book trust viii now have
business its own way in forty Of the forty.
tuo states In the union said . gentleman
well qualified 10 discuss the subject 70 .
kxpsaAic reporter yesterday.
The Standard school Book Company
has contract for about I've years TO sup
ply books for the public schools OF Indiana
A ike contract has been entered into By
the state oil. Minnesota. But the
trust has had control Of the STAN
dard School Book Company since
last Monday. and il Is reported that they
have Also Afforded . controlling interest in
the Merrill Publishing Company, of st.
Paul This leaves the trust without oppo-
si,ion- IL viii be compelled. however, 20
carry out the contracts entered into by the
companies it now controls In Indiana
and Minnesota Bur IL may furnish,
through the companies that entered into
those contracts. such an inferior grade of
books that these states will find themselves
SCARCELY less 1t the mercy of the trust than
viii the forty other states, which must take
from the trust whatever books il offers
at the prices demanded. The lat
ter states are absolutely ct the mercy of
the trust
The school-book trust is peculiarly OBJ
noxious and burdensome. Its full weight
for oppression viii now soon be felt 1t
affects every head OF Q family. The estab-
fishing OF it means high prices for every
school book bought in the country. The
effect Of II, in my Judgment. will be diff
ferent from that OF most trusts. In many
lines at business and manufacture com.
bination results in lowering prices. II
cheapens the cost of production. II lessons
the expense OF sale and distribution. Hand.
some profits can be made by the combina-
ton ut cheap prices. and il exorbitant
prices were demanded the trust would find
composition springing up everywhere. They
would be unable to strange ell new con-
Germs and keep prices high. This is true in
regard 10 comb atoms of almost any class
OF manufacturers. It does lot apply with
much force. however. to the school book
business. Two hundred thousand dollars
will be required TO start school book pub
fishing house. Ii will not be easy to get
that amount OF money to 60 into such q
business. The principal reason is that so
the publishing business. Knowing nothing
about il, . man with 10000. $4,000 or
800, ZOO will be chary about putting IL into
= business that Is now controlled abso-
luteiy BY trust with Sc. eco 600 of capital
You will see in time that IL Is . very diff
cult matter to get money to 60 into that
business.
Then II the capital was at hand to begin
work now il would take two years to get
out complete and satisfactory set OF
school books. Thus 1t Is plain that the
trust has glowing prospects for the next
few years. Why, they are now selling
school books for double the amount re-
ceived by the Standard Company in In
diana. and the latter company made on its
contract what would be considered in other
lines Of business handsome profits.
There seems - be but one remedy. II
should be applied promptly. Ali Of the
state legislatures should pass bills similar
to the one passed in Indiana. The con-
tract should be for ten years. however. II
the states will make contracts ct fair
price for al the books used in the public
schools for that long . period, capital can
be obtained to establish publishing houses
that will compete with the trust OF course
the contracts should be awarded some
time before the books are demanded TO
enable men who are willing to go into the
business 20 do the work after receiving the
contracts"