The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-09-27
ANOTHER ASSAULT UPON STATE
TEXTBOOKS.

In announcer column we publish an as
sault upon the State textbook system,
signed, ga Sacramento City Teacher"
upon it's face so evidently prompted by
sinister influence that it largely defeats
Its own ends, and because it is so sus-
ceptible of complete answer that it really
serves good purpose.
1t is unfortunate for the writer and
fortunate for the people that false as
chief matter of the communication, thus
exposing the true motive of its compost
ton. AS dogmatic document, in its
boldness and its abuse, it represents the
dire distress that moves the bowels of the
Eastern book rings, which biennially
are disturbed as a State election APP
proaches. Prior to the adoption and in
stitution of the State textbook system,
the teachers of California in their State
Association assailed the proposition.
With few valiant exceptions they ragged
insanely against the scheme. denouncing
not only the plan as impossible and I'M
economic, but assailing the motives of
every person who dared to differ with
them and advocate the system. But des-
pite this surprising and non-progressive
opposition backed and egged on by the
book rings, whose paid agents then
swarmed in the State, with not only
specious arguments but coin in plenty,
the people by an overwhelming vote in
corporated the system in the Constitution
and elected Legislatures pledged to meas
ures to carry it into effect
The communication, as will be seen,
states some elementary truths-as, for
instance, that the cheapest books are not
necessarily the best, nor are the highest
priced; that the selection of textbooks is
a duty fraught with grave responsible
ties; that prices should only be consid-
cred when competitive series of equal
merit are offered at varying prices, and
that then the worthiest should prevail:
that the foundation of the Government
rests upon the intelligence of the peo-
pie, etc.
But one of these principles it is neces-
sary to modify in this contention, that
is, that in competition the worthiest
series of books should prevail.
The difficulty was, and is, that
in the school-book matter true COM
petition was and is unknown. Early
in the discussion of the subject the REC
oRD-UNIoN published undisputed testi-
mony that the Eastern book publishers
formed a syndicate and a combine, by
which they secretly agreed not to COM
Pete. though appearing to do so, and also
to divide to the spoils, no matter what
books were introduced.
Moreover, preponderating fact that
operated powerfully to bring about the
adoption of the State system was that
bribery, corruption of teachers, Boards
of Education, Superitentendents and
Legislatures lay behind and underneath
the introduction of the works of the book
rings. Their agents concerned themselves
IN all our political activities; they med
died with party primaries and interfered
with the making of tickets down to the
selection of dog-pelter; they forced, by
their lobby, the gravest State measures
20 hinge upon the success of their own
schemes in the Legislature; they dictated
municipal policy and even invaded the
schools and corrupted teachers, pupils
and sometimes parents.
The correspondent to whose false and
brazen communication we give place as a
shining example of mendacity and
effrontery, claims that California has
closed the door to publicity and competi-
ton. 1t has, indeed, closed the door TO
school-book corruption, shameless book
ring lobbying and remorseless robbery of
parents. 1t has shut down upon the
changing of school books as a means of
frequent extortion; it has closed the door
upon host of contending publishers, in
favor of one uniform system of publica-
ton, SO that removal from one county to
smother does not entail upon parents new