The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-08-15

The principal object OF the republican
proposition 10 increase state taxation Il
10 provide . fund for The purchases OF
school books under tho frce-tsxt-bonk
proposition. Since the Indiana schuol-
book Law Was passed and sustained by
the people Ia the township elections. the
octopus has realized that IL has = bafsle
on its hands. The example OF Indiana
proved contagious. aud there WAS gene
raj awakening OF the people throughout
the country TO the fact that they were
being rubbed BY the giant trusi. The
trust has been making preparations Tor
tho struggle. Ii has taken in some new
arns aud bought out others. until now
II has an sb-0iute monopoly of the
achool-book business except Ia cases
where the state governments have taken
CENTRAL OF the "a after. The scheme il
now pr0po-r> 10 work In indi.ns Is the
free-icxi-book project. which il attempts
ed ani failed Ia securing brlore the ls-f
legislature. Al THAT time sii iis agents
allies anil organs were cIs,n"ring tos
free-texi-bonks. They declared tLst al. (
books cnnii s.ot be furnished Al the prices /
fixed by the new law rhrir idea wss
20 leave the whole question OF price iu
the hands OF the stsie board OF educs-
iipn. The books we're TO be bought b, Il
the state. aud, Of course, the money 4.
pay for them WAS u 10 raised by tax
ton.
Frea textbooks means textbooks
bought by the taxpayers. Instead OF
purs hssing the books direct. the octopus
scheme (foissed on the republican part,
BY the Journal aud few other octopus
orgsns) 10 that the uscrs OF school books
shall psy for them il The taxes. aud that
certain state officials shall do the pur-
with The money SO paid. IL
will be remembered ia this connection
that these organs have never conceded
that there could be ANY reasonable re-
Iiuction from trust prices. They have
always claimed that the lower price oil
The books now IN use Was due 10 their
Inferior quality. Ii the present scheme
works the program Is 70 put the trust
books In the schools IT the old prices on
The ground Of their alleged superiority
n qualify. The trust will then get il
'or'ner enormous profits without the ex-
pense Of maintaining agents Ia All the
ownships.
This syste;n makes necessary . ver,
srge increase OF taxation, aud the prob
EN- Of the octopus was how to divert At ,
ention from the real purpose OF this in
rease. The state debt created by the
'uIlding Of benevolent institutions was
eized upon as Q pretext. The cry WasI
aiscd that this debt must be paid of at
nee. u course the octopus and its a.
lee are aware that il could not 10 paid
u until the bonds mature, even IL the
tate had the money in the treasury. and :
herefOre the money raised could be used
pr purchasing school books from the
Tust without attracting the attention of
be people.
The scheme ID . good one and might :
ave some chance Of success ii il were
OF for the fact that the people oflndianal y
70 thoroughly aroused on the school j
box question and cannot DO deceived
the smooth talk OF the octopus agents. :
reform in Indiana has COME
sisy. and the trust will not succeed in II
sieninx itself on the state again byl
cans o. the freo-eexe-book scheme or
any ofh-r way. Before the people OF q
is state consent to any proposal for in-
eased taxation. they will want 4 very
finite bill OF particulars Of the pur-
Uses TO which the money Is TO be ap-
led, and that the republican party will
yer venture to furnish. Mean while
people OF Indiana will continue 10 en- -
the privilege Of buying school books
half the price paid by the people o.,
her states. which was secured 10 them
the last legislature.