The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-02-19
ADDRESS OF " ]. PEELE, ESQ.
PROMINENT STATE OFFICIALS
MIXED UP WITH THE BOOK
TRUST OCTOPUS.


Before the Joint Meeting of the Senate
and House Committee on Z education,
Delivered Tuesday, Feb E2th, 1895 -
A Genuine Sensation Created.
As what / shall say here to day will
be published, and perhaps widely cir
culated in North Carolina and in other
States, and because some Of the facts
stated herein may seem to reflect on
the official conduct of certain distin-
guished citizens of our State, have
thought it proper to reduce it TO writ
ing. The question upon which I shall
address you is of more Importance both
to yourselves and to the people than
may at first appear; regulations have
been made and lost upon it; the people
wish to buy their school books in an
open market where there is free COM
petition, and as cheap as possible.
have written down the names Of the
Senate and House committees on edu-
cation, in this address In order that the
people who read it may the more con
venlently keep in mind those to whom
have been delegated the first consid
eration of one of the most vital ques-
| tions that will come before this Gen
eral Assembly. The Senate commit
tee is: a. 1 Grant, Chairman; ]. B.
Parsons, 8. A. White, J Y. Hamrick,
B. r Brown, w. r. Farthing, 8. E.
Marshall, John Ammons, g. w. Wall,
@. A. Cook, A n Paddison, W. @.
Dowd, W. j. Adams, E. s Abell, I. E.
Green, A. J. Dalby, A, Q. Sharpe, E.
l. Francks, Theo. White.
The House committee are: R. 8
White, Chairman; W H Leary, J. A
Reynolds. G. z French, ]. ri Sutton,
f. G.. Mckinney. H G EWart, Abner
Alexander, Q. III. Harris, FL. Yonng,
R l. Smith, s. P. Gentry, J. D. Yates,
J. A. Cheek, M. 81 Flack, O. L Smith,
nj. T. Lawrence, B. B Winborne, J.
w. Wick, e. ]. Harrington, ]. H.
Baker, J. T. Payne, j. r. Ray, I. j.
Turner, D. 81. Abbott, s. s 81. Mays,
L. D Robinson, T. L. Smith, @. 8,
Wooten, T. v. Cox, Moses M. Pearce.
In alluding to facts which seem to
testify against the conduct of certain
public officers, do not wish to be
understood as charging or intimating
that the book monopoly has bri6ed all
those who have assisted In its enthrone-
ment In North Carolina. Take, for
example, Mr.. Scarborough: am re-
liably informed that he refused two
offers to bribe him since he has been
Superintendent of Public instruction.
This monopoly, and the system which
spawns it, are all the more dangerous
because it has means and resources to
interest, influence and dominate men
who cannot be directly approached.
Human nature is so weak that the con
science is often put to sleep by the mar
cotic of self interest. I hope, therefore,
that you will view the facts here devel
oped with proper charity for those who
may seem to be affected thereby, ,remem
bering always that am not attacking
men, but a system. Shrewd and sub
tie efforts will be made to make you
believe that before you can break up q
cOrrupting system you must destroy
the characters of a dozen or more
North Carolinians. If the monopoly
can succeed in hiding it's head, it's
cloven foot and it's forked tail behind
the characters of q dozen or more of
our citizens, it will deceive the unwary
into believing that this fight is against
those individuals. No monopoly could
live and grow in these enlightened times
if it did not interlace its interests with
as many human heart strings as pos
sible. So it is my desire, gentlemen,
that you be as tender with character
and reputation as you can, and that
you be as hard as you can upon sys-
tenn which undermines character and
destroys reputation when they stand
in its way. Your experience, gentle
men, has taught you that many a man
who cannot be directly approached,
can beinfuenced by strong party preiu.
dice and affiliations, by campaign con
5ributions in the interest of his party
and by the fear favor and affection of
those who have been directly influ-
enced or corrupted. Suffice it to say
(and q hint to the wise is sufhcient)
that the book monopoly in North Caro-
lima could well afford to make cam
paign contribution of five thousand
dollars, if thereby it could insure the
adoption of it's books.
lam glad to have an opportunity to