The evening world., 1894-08-20
Aided by Recently Enacted Laws and
by Agents Who Hold Places
Of Authority.
COMPETITION EASILY CRUSHED OUT
Was the Election Of County School Super
intendsnts Postponed by
tho Trustf

Jersey as monopolizing and rapacious as
the coal combine ever dared to be-
With equal impudence and power It has
scored with apparent ease all the legis-
lation that its interests required; 1t has
| taken into its employ as agents the paid
| servants Of the people and 1t is now
reaping golden harvest from the
| smooth and perfect machinery it has set
| in motion throughout the State.
This trust is what is known as the
American Book Trust, an organizatio
of some of the largest book publishing
houses in the country, banded together
| for the purpose of crushing competition
and maintaining nigh prices on all text
| books used in the public schools. 1t is
the trust which benefited by the passage
Of the law requiring instruction as to
the effects of alcohol and narcotics on
the human system in the public schools
of New Jersey, and which will require
the spending of nearly $500, 900 within the
coming three years to supply the pupils
| WITH the necessary books.
The World exposed the scheme behind
the passage of that law a few months
ago, and it also exposed the methods
adopted by the agents of the trust in
|
throughout the State to adopt the books
which the trust was ready to supply.
These methods included principally the
labelling of the trusts books as author
ized," and the issuance of forged cir
culars. recommending the fraudulently
called authorized" books. bearing the
signatures not only Of the State Super
intendent of Schools, but of the various
county school superintendent.
But the same mysterious influence
which secured the passage of the law
just referred to also secured the passage
of laws providing that all books in the
public schools shall be furnished the
pupils free and providing for a rear
rangement of the school district lines.
These laws were pushed through so
rapidly by the late Republican Legis-
lature that 1t was not until they were
on the statute books that their full
scope was understood. They were to go
into effect before the opening of the
next school term. They, together with
the Anti-Alcoholic law. involved a ire
mendous extra expenditure for each dis
trict. Yet at the time of their passage
the school trustees for each district had
made their financial arrangements for
the ensuing year, and, besides, under
the, new district arrangement, which
makes each township a school district,
the trustees in many instances found
office.
AS a result of all this curious iegisla-
tion most of the school districts now
ind themselves financially unable to
tomply with the laws and are between
the horns of a serious dilemma II they
do not comply the state authorities can
keep from them their share of the State
t exeee do t GSompy ABBEY ahey
ations and thus render themselves liza
BILE to indictment.
Despite the legal complications into
plunged, the American Book Trust has
steadily and vigorously been impressing
upon the school authorities their claims
business In the State. Their interests
seem to glide along with remarkable
smoothness wherever persons high in
tiers. They are even credited with being
able to exercise wonderful influence
over the State Board Of Education, and
their agents have boasted that 1t was
authorities that the reelection of seven
county superintendent was postponed
from June to September These county
have claimed, will be reelected II they
show proper disposition to advance
the interests Of the trust. but II they
ulspldy an lIlCilHdtlon 10 faVOr concerns
outside the trust their official heads will
be cut off.
The terms of Alexander Elliott, jr..
of Passaic. and Robert Gwynne, IT., OF
Salem, have already expired; John En-
right is acting temporarily as Superin-
tendent in Monmouth and the terms
OF the following expire Sept. !: John Ter
hume, Bergen; NJ. II. c. Vail. Essex
George c. Houghton. Hudson, and f. NJ.
Heath, Of Hunterdon. 1t has been usual
to have the election OF Superintendent
whose terms expire before the opening
OF the school year. ~ order that they
new term. This Is changed this year,
however. A few OF those whose terms
are up or nearly up will not be re-elec ted
and agents of the American Book Trust
have limited that their lack OF enthusiasm
in the trusts interests has something
to do with It,
The reason assigned by the State on
Gals for the postponement OF the election
of the superintendent Is that If the cleo
: ton had taken place In June or July the
superintendent dropped might have re-
fused to make out their reports. This
reason is regarded as ridiculous by per-