The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1895-10-17
DEMOCRATS ASKED TO PURGE
THEIR TICKET OF AN UN-
WORTHY CANDIDATE.
A Full Review of His Disrepu-
table Record.
The Prohibition Executive Conn
mittee Issue an Important
Address to the Voters of
Lincoln and Franklin.

|
To the Voters of Lincoln and Franklin Counties:
Believing that tine Democratic par
ty of this Floatorial District has for
mally nominated for Floater Repre-
sentative candidate who, all ques-
tions of party aside, is positively un-
fitted for this important legislative
Office, the Prohibition Executive Com
mittee of Lincoln County have deem
ed it timely to republish and call at
tention to the following article con-
cerning said candidate, which was
published in the Brookhaven Leader
of July 8, 1891, and append thereto
some facts which we think worthy the
consideration of all patriotic voters:
From the Brookhayen Leader of July 3, 1911
The last Legislature passed an act
entitled, Gan act to provide for the
adoption of a uniform series of text
books by the counties of this State,
for use in public schools approved
Feb. 22, 1890. Under its provisions
the county school boards of the sever
al counties were required at their
meetings Oh the first Monday in Au-
gust, 1890, to "appoint five teachers
of recognized ability, one from each
supervisors district, and the superin-
tendent two from the county at large,
| who shall constitute committee for
| the selection of uniform series of
textbooks" The county superin
tendent is made ex- official secretary of
the committee and authorized to fill
any vacancies. Four members con-
stitute quorum. The object sought
to be attained by the law, as its title
and provisions indicate, was to secure
the adoption of a uniform series of
textbooks in the several counties of
the State for period of five years,
| thus saving to parents the expense
and annoyance of frequent changes
| by different teachers, and to insure
the use in the public schools of text
books of approved standard and mer-
it.
One of the immediate effects of the
passage of this law was the springing
up of sharp rivalry between the sew
eral book publishers of the coun-
try to secure the adoption by the va
rious counties of the State of their
respective books. This competition
became the more spirited, because the
advantage accruing to the one that
secured the largest favors was very
great, and among the competitors
1 A Of
Cincinnati, CHM g. Co. of New York,
j. B. Lippincott & Co. of Philadel-
phia, F. F. Hansell & Bro. of New
Orleans, and others, and in few
counties some ugly scandals haye
grown out of the methods adopted to
accomplish the desired end.
Section IA of an act entitled, IAN
Act in relation to free public schools
approved March IS, 1886, and which
Act is grouped with other school laws
in an official pamphlet by State Su-
perintendent Preston and furnished
to all county superintendent for their
information and guidance, reads as
follows:
'SEC. IA. No county superintendent
shall act as agent for any publisher,
author or bookseller, nor directly or
indirectly receive any gift, emolument
or reward for his influence in procur-
ing or recommending the use of any
book, school apparatus or furniture of
any kind whatever, in any public free
school in this State; and any Super
intendent who shall violate this sec
ton shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,
and be removed from Office, and shall
forfeit all money due him as salary"
Presumably, with this plain statute
before his eyes, it comes to light that
Supt. Edward Smith of this county,
last year when the competition be-
tween the rival book publishers was
approaching its height, wrote the fol-
lowing letter to Mr.. Benson, the New
Orleans agent of Lippincott g. Co.,
proposing, for q consideration, to use
his influence to secure the adoption of
the Lippincott books:
BRooKHAvEN, MISS, June II, 1890
Mr.. b. X. Benson:
DEAR SIR:-Yours of recent date to
hand and contents noted. / am very
greatful to you for the favor: will take
pleasure in showing up your arithme-
tic to the teachers of this county.
am not able to tell you the name of
| the person hired in this county by the
book trust. Twill try to find out who
it is and then will let you know.
Any assistance that can be to you
in any way will take pleasure in be-
ing so. If should have to lose much
time in advocacy of your books, | feel
sure that you will repay me-. II you
could remunerate me sufficiently,
think ii probable that could have the
last one of your books introduced in
the schools in this county.
Please Let me hear from you immedi-
ately.
Supt. Ed. Lincoln Co. Miss.
4 The original of this letter was not
written on the official paper of the Su-
perintendent. All OF it except the
last sentence and the subscription
was written on one side of q sheet OF
ordinary legal cap, and the last SEN