Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-09-25

the fact is considered that bribes are
carefully offered and s1ccessful bribery
h always secret. and that for one ST.
tempt exposed ma y more are success
ful, the demoralziBg and coFrupiiBg
nature Of this company in its dealings
with public sgeptsa and officers must be
universally eoDeeded-"
Then follows a review Of the methods
Of the trust in Portland and how IiIau:
Of the local professors" are its secret
emissaTies TO rob the unsuspeciing
school patrons. To regard - it, opera-
tons in our state at large, the report
continues:
"In Oregon the influence Of the
American Book Company and 4 The
combination which II represents for il
must be borne in mind tbst this ecm-
binatiOn, at least in part, existed for
many yeans before the Incorporation
already described) ia very early mani
fest. The combination was from the
very beginning represented by lis at
toFney as q member Of the house, and
the law and rules and regulations for
the selection Of school books, when
analy zed, chow plainly that they were
framed in the interests Of the combi
nation, and bear its earmsrks, aud
every attempt at legislation rs, for in
stance, the attempt to obtain the right
oflocal se cotton Of pu: lie school boOks),
thought iDimical to the interests of this
company, have been promptly sup
pressed"
1t shows that all the books used In
he Oregon public schools except three
lDimportant ones ere bought under
.ur law from the American Book com
pany, and that at extortinBate prices.
In regard to the ''cinch" in Portland
the report goes on to say:
an no place in the state is the hold
Of the company frmer OF more COM
plete than il the city Of Portland, aud.
10 fact from Portland It rules the en-
tire state. A majority of our board Of
school directors seems subservient to its
interests, and it may be reasonably
suspected that the book company con-
trolling our school organization and
Derverting it to its own purposes has
dictated to large extent the election
Of several directions. The interests Of
this book company and the subser-
yIency Of our school board explain as
nothing else can the late slaughter Of
teachers In this district. RI. Edwards,
who was one Of the parties indicted for
bribery In Washington, is and has
been for some time the agent for the
company In Oregon. Professor Frank
r gler Is his close personal friend, and
although not In name interested in the
American Book company, has often
caused remark in teachers' meetings
by his familiarity with the company's
plans and prices. Professor F. @.
Young; 9 perfectly satisfactory teacher,
against whom no just complaint has
been displayed, is displaced from the
high school and Professor Rigler put
in his place.
"The selection of books for the high
school, unlike the other schools, Is in
the board Of school directors of this
district, and in making a selection
they naturally are conn He'd TO follow
the lead Of the principal elected by
them. This secures the high school
for the company"
Beside showing up that county 3d.
perintendent Ackerman, of Portland,
who, by the way, also holds the posi-
tlon Of principal Of the Harrison Street
school, Is too clclely identified with the
book trust. the report concludes: "The
effect Of this monopoly is disastrous TO
our public school system, and is largely
responsible for its unsatisfactory results
In this state and city. The very poor
eat books of concern directly inter
ested In selling its poore1t works are
put In the hands of the children at
prices far above their real value. Re
spectacle publishing houses, that sell
upon the ground Of merit only, unable
aud unwilling to compete against such
unscrupulous practices, retire to more
enlightened states, and our entire
school system, veritable school ma
chIne,is is put into the hands of foreign
corr oration for the furtheranco OF it's
own interests and the perpetuation Of
It's own power"
II as the above report shows, bribery
Is commonly resorted TO by this blood
sucking corporation, 1t is but natural TO
infer that some Of Its money has been
spent here In Oregon. No one would
undertake to prove this. but there are
b 1t few thinking people who do not be-
lleve II 10 be the case. On the face OF
II our school book law Is is made In the
interest Of this trust. IL Is n fact Of
common notorety that the trust exists
20 extort double price from all school
patrons for It's poor books. The law