The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-02-06
WAR OF SCHOOL BOOKS
Over In Helena the Rival Agents Are
at Il Hot and Heavy.
FIGHTING THE BIG TRUST
Captain Edwards, Its Agent, is a
Rustler-What is Said of the
Scandals In Other States
Plain Facts and Figures.

Special Correspondence OF the Standard.
HELENA, Feb. 5.-The school book war
is on and is growing hot. All the leading
publishers of pedagogical literature have
their representatives on the ground. At
present the fight Is one between the trust
on the one hand and the individual con-
Germs on the other, all the latter having
pooled their issues for tho time being
against the former. The trust is known
as the American Book company, and COM
prises such firms as ID. Appleton Co..
Ivison, Brakeman & Co., A. 5. Barnes d
Co., Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co. The opera
tions of this trust have extended all over
the country and have been attended with
very successful results, successful, that Is,
TO the trusts. Wherever it has gone il has
been charged with all sorts of bribery, cor
ruption and fraud; but 1T manages to got
there almost invariably. The trust S
agent in Helena is Il. l.. Edwards, an old
army officer, a man of pleasing address
and pronounced ability. He has charge
of the trusts interests in the West, with
headquarters at Portland. He says the
bitter attacks made on the American
Book company are inspired by the
jealousy and malice of the smaller firms.
tie contends that the formation of the trust
was made necessary by the ruinous COM
petition that prevailed among school book
manufacturers 10 or Is years ago, and he
maintains that the organization has really
been of great benefit to the public.as re-
CARDS both quality and prices. Combina-
ton has reduced the number OF agents
employed and diminished expenses in
every direction. 1t is the old argument
that can be made in behalf of every trust.
The American Book company represents
about Sl0.000,00O capital.
w. w. Wyiie of Bozeman is here for
CHM & Co. of Boston, l. G.. Cleveland APP
pears for Lovel! q Co. of New York. 1t is
alleged that certain Montana gentlemen
very prominent in educational circles are
displaying pernicious activity in behalf of
certain concerns and all sorts of rumors
are flying about
THE JOY BILL.
The bill introduced by Allan +. Joy OF
Livingston, is in the interests of the
American Book company. 1t provides for
the use of the trusts books exclusively. In
all but two or three cases the school books
used in Montana for the past six years
have been trust books, and the Joy bill
disposes of those two or three exceptions
! by substituting trust publications there
for. Two general charges are brought
against the Joy bill: First, that the
| prices are not nearly so satisfactory as 10
the contract prices the trust has made
with other states for the same books; Sec
ond. that in many instances the books
proposed are old, antiquated and not in
line with present educational theories and
| methods. As to the matter of prices the
following table will be instructive, the
| prices quoted for Montana being those
stated in the Joy bill:
Price list of the American Book company.
prices by contract in the different states named