The Iola register., 1891-01-30

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point, will more than compensate TO
the extra amount of money expended
The whole text book question seem:
to sum itself up into one of economy
not educational economy but financia
economy. The cries "unnecessar.
burden on the pool" "extortionat'
prices" and all such other cries as ar
in common use at the present time
are based upon that one Fundamental
principle-Economy. This is all right
1t is proper that we should practic'
strictest economy. 1t is also just a
proper that we use great judgment il
determining what is the true economy
That the price charged for text books
is not out of proportion to the prices
charged for other books of equal work
manship and authorship.
What, then, is the source of thi'
charge if it be not true? And why /:
it SO strongly urged? Why is it the
popular cry of the masses of the people
today? The answer to these questions
is summed up in one word-Politics.
The great body-politic is suffering
just now from severe attack of ner-
vous debility. 1t jumps and starts al
every stir of the wind. Politicians are
frantically grasping at every straw
that seems capable of giving them the
least relief. They are as rule, shrewd
sharp fellows who understand human
nature to dot; they understand that
the heart of the average American lies
nearer to his pocket book than it does
to his left breast; they also know that
the text book problem is one upon
which the general public are poorly
Informed. The political BOSSES know
ing these things raise the cry "reform,
REFORM" i'm stentorian tones, and
every little jackdaw and puppet, all
over the land Immediately echoes the
words reform, reform"
The bosses begin to run short of ma
terial for the filling of this reform web
which they are so industriouiy weav-
ing, conclude that the text books will
make an excellent filling so they be-
gin. They seek to inflame the popular
in their favor so they use
such choice epithets as steal, humbug,
ETC., in referring to all
persons engaged in any way with the
text book business, denounce a diver
sity of books as an outrage; they plead
economy, not so much because they
are economists as because they desire
to pose as the friends of the masses Of
the people.
One reason why this can be so sue
worked by them is the fact
that the masses of the people have
never taken the trouble to inform
on the question, and are
hence profoundly ignorant, as far as
the facts of the matter go, and when it
is studied by the public generally.
they only look at it from the financial
side, as though they expected re.
turn i'm hard cash for the investment
instead of a return in good hard sense.
Educational problems, among them
the text book problem, are not studied
by the general public as other ques-
tions are studied. Everybody studies
political economy: finance; religion.
Public meetings are held in every
school district for the purpose of
studying these questions, and yet it is
q safe proposition to make when we
that there were not an average
Of six persons to the district at the last
annual school meeting in the State of
Kansas.
Our various labor organizations
meet as often as once every two weeks
In nearly every school district in the
State for the purpose of reading and
the contents of the Con-
yrcssiOndL Record, and all sorts of po-
itical belief. In the majority of the
same neighborhoods religious and lit
,rary meetings are frequently held and
yet / have to learn of the first meeting
If any society, or organization, aside
rom the teachers, profession, that ever
for an educational paper;
,ver purchased and studied work on
,ducation. or spent five minutes of
heir valuable time in discussing edu-
questions, unless it was to
bass resolutions demanding the State
printing of text books.
This demand was made last fall by
nearly, if not all, of the labor organiza-
ions in the State, and appeared in
Iome form in nearly every political
platform placed before the people in
he last campaign.
Let the people study educational
problems as they study political prob
ems; take them up in their lodges,
.ead all authorities at hand and get
more, think about it as earnestly as
hey do financial problems, and the
ext book problem will disappear from
politics as a frost disappears before the
Using sun.
I desire to call your attention to the
solution of this problem as proposed by
he politicians.
They propose for the State to employ
, large force of editors, printers, book
binders; purchase several hundred
thousand dollars worth of printing