Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-09-08
rHE SCHOOL TEXT BuOK Trust.


Under The hesd Of Ignorant Jour-
nalism," the Portland CbTOuicIs says;
"THg CAPITAL JOURNAL Uf Salem,
an Intermittent sheet Of doubtful lin
eAge and more doubtful intelligence,
has spent its force in discussion Of the
text book question, AID thrown itf
columns open to the learned gnungers
Of Marion county that further light
may be reflected upon the subject. A
communication In its pages Of Tuesday
last from fertile Drained re-id, ut o.
Jefferson, unveils the intelligence thai
Oregon is making the grandest mistake
Of modern times by not compiling and
publishing Its own text books.
''This erudite citizen scjrnfully
brushes aside the great educators Of the
age as being no better, possibly not a.
good In bis estimation, or 30 well quail
fled to oimpart instruction to the learner.
rs hundreds OF local educators who's,
brains might evolve text books Of supe
rloF merit and lesser cost 10 the tax
payers. To the granger-pop0list al
things are simple, even the workings
OF the Creator. Governments are
primer studies to him. And the mat
ter Of stealing the copyright OF text
books and publishing them here for the
sake Of keeping the business in the
state, would have no terrors for hin.
The puerile attempts OF incompetent
journals TO discuss subjects Of which
they have no understanding Is too
ridiculous and absurd TO excite more
than passing notice. With the return
Of cooler weather the JOURNALS editor
win again be at the helm with text
book in hand"
We do not know the person who ed
its the Portland Chro nicle. 1t is little
weekly paper printed at East Portland
and generally understood TO be one of
those prostitute newspapers that are for
lire to anybody who wants TO use their
columns for any dirty or selfish pur-
poses or to rob the public under guise
Of legislation.
There are such newspapers in the
state and, OF course, the whole pack
viii be yelping in the interest Of the
school book trust. But they will not
deter THE JOURNAL from doing its
duty. THEJoUaNAL will IN few days
PRINT the law passed by the Last legis-
iature by which 1t is now sought to
force change Of text books and fasten
the highprlced books upon the necks
OF the people Of this state for six years
to come. No one asked for that law.
No one is asking for change la text
books. All intelligent educators, who
are not ain the trust" are against It.
There is no evidence that 1t would give
us better books or cheaper books. It is
certain that 1t would compel change
In many text books with which fami-
lies are now already supplied and fix
prices for six years at present trust
rates, 1t is an attempted outrage at a
bad time, when 1t should not succeed.
We propose to show the influences that
crowded tho bill through the legisIa-
ture at the last session. The whole
proceeding should be struck down.
A state superintendent OF schools going
out Of office has no right 10 ram such a
thing down the throats Of four hun
dred thousand people when the
mere thought OF having to buy an
equipment Of new and different text
books for family viii bring tears 10
the eyes OF thousands Of fathers and
mothers and drive thousands OF chill
drsn from attending public school.
The editor of the iiEiAst Portland chToH-
icle IL probably some ex-school Official
shout 20 retire from ONCE aud seek
ing . Job at tile hands OF the school
book trust.