The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-01-22
SCHOOL BOOK QUESTION.
The Scheme Proposed Which
Will lnfIict on the State
AN ENORMOUS, COSTLY JOB. "
ExperIence-Argument
to Bring it About tslmllartoT Those
Used Hcre-something for
Legislative Members.

our State had attracted an unusual pr
portion ofthe restless and even the Law
less elements, which in earlier years la
to be dealt with byan arm stronger thai
that of the law the complete collapse Q
mining speculations, which had atfecte,
all classes'of the people, had rudely dis
sipated dreams Of wealth; the msgnif
cent fruit and wine industries, whicl
now give ample employment to all VIII
are willing to work, had not then beef
created, and thousands OF honest ant
willing men and women saw themselve
suddenly reduced from imaginary attlu
ence to grinding poverty.
Upon this congenial soil was rapidly
developed avirulent form OF social dis
content, which became widely known a
"Kearnyism.n The center OF the cancel
was San Francisco, whore each Sunday
wild.eyed demagogues harranged howl.
ing mob and melted 1t to deeds of vio.
leuce. But the better class OF citizens
comprising, Of course, an immense ma.
jority OF the population-were by no
means iutimidated some leaders of the
mob seem to have been bought of,
probably as the cheapest course, Others
disappeared. Returning prosperity re-
moved the real causes OF disGoltent, and
after a few years society resumed its
normal course.
But during these years Of excitement
grave injury was done to the State by
the many attacks under the form OF law,
or Of proposed law, upon all forms Of
capital. a new Constitution was adopt
ed, which experience has proved to be
innocent enough, but which was intend.
ed by its authors to be IN attack upon
capital, and which, in fact, did drive
millions OF capital from the State, and
deferred for ysara the establishment Of
those industries which alone could give
employment to the idle and prosperity.
TO the State; railroads, banks, insurance
companies, were in turn the subject Of
attacks, sometime, doubtless, deserved,
and the State was the paradise OF those
demagogues who pander to popular pre-
judiCe and passion in order 10 secure
legislative positions wherein they can
introduce bills which business men will
pay them to suppress. During the per
iod Of ferment the introduction OF such
bills was an absolutely certain source OF
advantage TO their authors; II they were
bought of, their real point was gained;
ifnot, they might pass the bills and get
great glory with their constituents, and,
at any rate, their very introduction
would bring some credit. They had q
genuine sure thing, with q chance Of a
bonanza.
TIE FIRST TEXT book RESOLUTION.
In 1882, when the effects Of this mis-.
chicyous force were at their height,
there was a general election, in prepar-
ing for which the various party conyen.
tons wed with each other in declara.
tions and promises which 1t was sup.
posed would be popular with the un.
thinking and prtjudiced in tho Republi.
can convention succession OF mere
chances brought the man who for the
moment had the ear OF tho convention,
and who had political motive for car
rying some measure over tho heads of
the Committee on Platform, into com,
munication with some crank, whose
special hobby was tho publication OF
school.books by the State; the astute
politician at once seized upon the idea,
and with no knowledge OF the subject
and no thought hsy9nd scoring an I'm.
mediate point against hia political oppo
nents, introduced the following resolu.
ton, which he preiaeed by a fervid and
telling dsnunCiation OF "monopolists,"
and which was unanimously adopted by
The convention with thunders Of ap.
plause:
eve recommend to the Legislature the
establishment Of some system by which
the State shall print an provide the read.
ing and other textbooks used in the
public schools, supply the same 10 the
pupils at actual cost.P
uSoAILEp poR EXCEPT by POLITICIANS.
The name Of the real author Of this
resolution must slumber in obacurity;
the distinguished gentleman who intro
duced il could not recall the name half
an hour later, ifindeed he eyer knew it,
but he told the writer that he was pret-
" sure he w8s not . teacher, or in any
way connected with schools or with ed.
ucatlon. This was the fret public mem
ton Of State text book publication ever
made in California; no tsacher, no
parent, no school officer had called for
it; no human being except o few un-
Known enthusiastic had apparently
thought Of iii and the Hrst public utter.
snce upon the subject was the resolu'
tion Of atumnltuou5 political convention
practically pledging great party to zee
It done.
Among the very lew people in the
State who had ever considered the sub.
jcct was one teacher, Of undoubted hon
esty and vigor, with whom it was the
dream Of his life. As the teacher for
m6ny years. OF q small graded schoo! in
the outskfrts Of San Francisco, he had
become so impressed by the abject poy.
erty about him as to bs willing to sacri'
fee everything else to chespneas. Be-
lieying that the State Conld print cheap
he had b.en for yeats an ar.
dent and outspoken advocate Of State
The earnest aud unsel6sh
devotion OF this one man to what he
believed the interests Of his poverty.
stricken flock has constituted the only
Crediiable and dignifed incident Of
State publication in California. Hap.
penipg at the time to hold a leading Of.
iiCial position among the Knights OF La.
Dor, who were then Just coming into
in the State, he was able
subsequently Ia appear before legisla.
tive chmmiLtcOs not only as a teacher,
but also az representative Of that or.
ganization.
The resolution Of this convention was
regarded simply &C a piece Of ordinary
political cIap.tIap, to be forgotten as
soon 40 election was over. The leading
newspapers on both sides Ignored II;
some Of the small country papers made
little approving remarks and dropped II;
such OF the laEt5r papers as favored the
party gave 1t some Intention, and oan'
didate for CongresSman.at large told the
writer that he lound II decidedly eHee'
tive in whoopipg up the back country
meetings. The Democrats, however,
carried the election, and 60 In the usual
course Of political events the resolution
should have gone into the limbo OF OBJ
livion.