Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-02-18
THE SCHOOL BOOK QUESTION.
How the Louisville Courier Journal Views
the Situation.
Loiiisr Ae COuris Journal
The Indianapolis Sentinel has the follow

The Indianapolis Sentinel has the follow
log stupid paragraph:
The school book question is now before the
Legislatures Of West Virginia, Ohio, Iowa and
KENTUCKY. The book tust is hard a. work in
all these states rgnung 10 preserve It's onopoly,
and has succeeding in oOodlerizng pumDer OF
the leading journals incredible As II msy al
PER-, 10 &C ually seems 70 have captured such
Democratic papers as the Cleveland Pvtindeotr,
The COiHisf Journal and the Wheeling REGISTER.
When journals OF such high professions and
Standing as these torn over their columns 10
swindllug monopoly there is certa My too much
cause for he loss popular confidence the in
tegrity OF the PRES.
To an ordinary journal il would occur
that there were Just three chances 10 one
that the REGISTER, PldiRdedler and Courier
Journal were right, as that the Sentinel
Was. in it's position Of this question. But
we have noticed that the journals, with
causes impossible to defend intelligently
and honestly, iud consolation in question
ing the integrity of the press.
We can assure the Sentinel that if il will
follow ia the footsteps Of the Courier
JauTaal it will never again complain that
its readers are losing confidence in the in
tegTisy Of the press.
We are perfectly willing the Sentinel
should formulate the platform OF the In
diana Democrats on State Issues, for 1t is
platform the Courier journal does not feel
called on to defend, but when il obirudes
its advice on Kentucky we shall m ke a
mild protest.
In the first place, we call the attention
Of the Sentinel to the fact that lis success
in maintaining Democratic asceudency
has not been marked. Ii speaks for
State whose electoral vote was purchased
by Dadley in blocks Of ive;" the Courier
Journal speaks for q Democracy triumph
ant.
In the second place, the success Of In
diana in the book publishing business has
not been 30 clearly demonstrated as TO
commend the socialistic experiment to its
nsighbors.
In the third place, we do rot believe
that book publishing is any more part OF
the duty Of government than is sbOemak-
ing
In the fourth plscs, the Democratic
faith calls not for an extension, but FOR a
restriction Of the functions Of the State.
In the fifth place, we fnd that State
monopoly becomes almost without txcfp-
ton a source Of corruption.
10 the sixth place, the Courier Journal
deals frankly ard openly with its readers
andWith the Democratic party, and 1t is
no more afraid of accusatiors such as
those from the Indianapolis Sentinel, than
we are intimidated Big the deuunciations of
tina Republican press, which, IN response
TO our demand for tariff reform, accused us
of completely with mythical whisky
trust, while these same journals had their
hands deep in the pockets of the protected
manufacturers.
10 the seventh place, the scheme to in
volve the State Of Kentucky in the book
publishing business never had any footing
here. Not one argument WAS ever ad'
vanced in its favor; il was Iauk from the
first; it did not rtquiTe any opposition
from the "book trust"; it was opposed by
every true MEND of education; il was con-
trary TO the wishes of the people, aud it
owes it's existence to principles entirely
contrary to Democracy.
In the eighth place, the friends OF the
common schools begin TO realizs that
cranks and schemes are overlooking the
system with such devices as this, and they
see that the continued usefulness of the
schools depends up0n freeing them from
the blunders of their profssssd friends.
The proposition to have the State publish
the school books is the most pernicicus
proposition any deluded people ever sdOp-
ted; il puts a stop to progress il this direc.
tioD, by establishing monopoly; il de-
prives the children Of the benefits which
the science of teaching secures for them
year by year.
We say to the Sentinel it can not
strengthen it's position by the use OF false
insinuations. We are perfectly willing
Indiana shall do as it pleases in such mat
tiers, bat We do not propose TO take orders
from indianapolis. Instead of wasting its
energies in attempts to instruct us, it
should employ its spare moments in
preaching the pure gospel Of Democracy,
and 20 take Indiana out Of the list Of pur-
ehaseable States.