St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-23
FREE TEXT BOOKS.
The House Local Option Bill
Passed by the Senate.

The House local option B1iI
Passed by the Senate.
Senator Allen was the first to discuss
the free text book bills when they came
before the senate as special order yes
terday afternoon. He reviewed the eff
feet and purposes, as we'll as the method
that will be pursued should the bill be
enacted. The house file was the first
discussed. 1t is local option bill,
while Senator John Day Smiths bill is
compulsory. Senator Allen favored the
OPTIONAL bill One of tine counties,
Becker, has adopted the system already,
and il has operated satisfactorily, said
the senator from Carlton, and he moved
that House File 592 be engroSSed and
placed upon the calendar, and Senator
Smith moved to amend SO that Senate
File 202 take the course designated III
Senator Aliens motion. Senator Mayo
entered into q discussion of the CD
tional feature of the problem. He
conceded that he favored the house bill
providing an optional system because
he feared the senate file might meet
with dangerous resistance i'll the house.
His convictions were that the provisions
of Senator Smiths bill were really pref
cradle.
Senator Smith, under such circum-
stances, was willing to withdraw his
bill, but lie insisted that the latter is the
most Statutory. He doubted the policy
of Yestng the powers in the trustees or
board of education of selecting the
books and to contract without restric-
tion for text books. He read CORE
spOndence with the state superintendent
of public instruction of Nebraska upon
the effect OF the law in that state. Sen
ator Smith accenuated that the cost per
pupil III Becker county, where the pro-
posed system IS lii vogue, Is about
Thirty Cents Wear.
Senator Bell, in an earnest speech,
moved as an amendment that the house
| file be considered section by section,
| and that section l be adopted. This
was accepted by Senator Allen and then
| the latter withdrew his motion entirely
| Theleupon Senator Smith. j. D., moved
! as a substitute that section of Senate
| File POP be adopted, and Senator Craven
| in a flank movement, moved to indet
| nitely postpone the Smith bill. Senator
Sanborn suggested that if no ont
! particularly desired TO speak hi
would move the previous question
but Senator McHaie ntimated tina
the interest of the bill demanded al
omen and free debate. He failed to cou
ceiye the specific good that can be &C
cOmpliShed by the operation of the act
lie did not believe that there is pupi
in the county of Scott that is not pro
vided with text books. He spoke from
experience, as he had served the count,
in the capacity of teacher, and then a
superintendent Of public schools. HI
even held that Benton county must pro
coed contrary to law, for tire reason tina
no authority is conferred upon the trus
tees to use public funds for the purpOSt
of buying text books for the free books
Senator Mciale WaXed eloquent as h,
progressed. He argued for the creates
development possible of the publi
schools, and he wanted all children il
the state provided with every facility t.
educate themselves. He argued tina
iuetfable good results from owning tn,
books by the pupils. When they pas
from one grade to another the bOOl
should be placed on the library shelf a
An Eloquent Reminder
He suspected that the book concern
were behind the bills, and conlende'
that they will dump the whole cata
lugue upon the trustees should the Law
| pass. OeIl6lOT MCl1dlG SdNS ny pOIHSlL
cal illustrations with effect.
Senator Bell was reminiscent. HI
went back To primitive days, when tn
parents boarded the teacher and evcl
furnished the fuel for the use of schools
To show that this is progressive age
and he affirmed that the state will neve
do its full duty until free text book
shall have been supplied to all tn
pupils in the state. Still, he favOre
the optional system, and Senator Leavit
suggested that the discussion was nc
upon the pending motion. Senate
Smith had moved his bill as subSt
tute, and then Senator Sanb0rn Offrre
an amendment to the house file, addin
a compulsory clause.
Senator DUnnelly realized the impol
lance of the measure. He argued upo
philosophical basis. He was free t
assert that he did not believe the publ
schools can be brought to a perfect sy;
tem until the school books are as fire
as the educational system itself. ii
described
The Philadelphia System,
where he had received his education
and where free text books were useC
He favored the house file in preferenC