The record-union., 1891-02-09

not know of the details of the four years
past relating to the issuance of the text
books; nor can it be expected of him that
he should know of the hundred and one
little things which would, if brought for
ward, defeat the tricks and misrepre-
sentations of the book ring.
The Governor. but just inducted into
office, q member of the State Board OF
Education, is in q more unfortunate po-
sition than Superintendent Anderson.
He can know nothing of the details of the
period and activities in which the text
books were issued. When the Legisla-
ture has adjourned, and not until then,
will he be able to study and inform him
self fully as to the facts.
The new State Printer has the records
OF his predecessors but nothing else to
present. Nor could he be expected to
volunteer, even If well informed upon
the technical points of the question, be-
fore the committees in resistance of the
book rings, for he has enough to do to
manage his department just now.
Who is there to say one word for the
State, to defend the school-book system
before the Legislature and to bare the
bones of the rascally scheme now on foot
to break down faith in the State text
books? The State needs friend, but
there is not one to come forward. The
most outrageous falsehoods have been
published in assault upon the textbooks,
and aside from the REooRD-UNIoN and
the other Sacramento press, and one or
two other interior papers, there appear to
be none to give them the lie.
An old expert report, in which not even
the prices of the school books are correctly
given by as much as 25 per cent. is being
scattered about and reprinted in the book
ring interest, and this report is supposed
to prove the incapacity of the State to
issue textbooks. But even the expert
who made the report declares that it is
not Of value, since he was cut short in its
making, and he worked in one direction
| only. Moreover, it was made nine
months after the State entered upon the
new system, and when it was proceeding
upon an erroneous estimate made by a
former Superintendent of State Printing.
The legislators now in Sacramento
want information n ,1pon fbic v,bola s,,b
ject. Mere cold figures will not give
it. The book-agents keep the air filled
with stories calculated Ito confuse and
mislead; no one appears for the State
and the legislators are left to their own
devices to get at the truth, and are
limited to but few days in which to
accomplish the task.
1t is certainly sad case, when a great
State is unable to command a champion
in the time of need to go before its own
legislative bodies and present the truth.
There are men-we could name them
equal to the task, thoroughly informed
and not at all afraid Of the book-ring, who
could represent the State ably in this
matter, but none Of them are likely to
leave their own affairs and volunteer.
In this situation the committees must be
trusted to feel their way and drag out
such truths as they may stumble upon.
We can assure them that there are indus
trious agents secretly and openly at work
&
to closeavenues leading to the facts, to
obscure the question, to assail the State
system, to comfort figures and reports
and create the impression that California
has made huge blunder in attempting
to free herself from the abomination of
book agents and book-house hirelings,
bribing school boards, blackmailing
friendsof education, lobbying in Legis-
latures, riding honest bills with dishonest
supplements, and fleeing the people of
hundreds of thousands of dollars annu-
ally. The peoples only hope now is in
the Legislature, and in the belief that it
will not do anything to cripple the text
book system, or hinder the completion of
the two volumes remaining unissued.
When they are finished the State will not
be further called upon-with that COM
pletion the school-book revolving fund
must. and will produce all the books
needed. That will be the test, and the
only perfect one, of the worth and practi-
cability Of the system.