The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-13
A REPLY TO THE PILOT.
STATEMENT FROM THE AMERICAN
SCHOOL BOOK COMPANY.
The Publishers Meet the Charges Of the
Norfolk Newspaper, and Propose to
Try the Case Before the Pubic.
AMERICAN ROCK COMPANY'S
SCHOOL BOOKS IN VIRGINIA.
n. -. Ill.rIn nf Niralnia.

fsr,o,,s attacks upon our uus ness lately
spread abroad IN the Noriolh RIOT news
paper We accept the challenge OF the
piiot and without waiting fOr The SLOW
and voluminous processes OF libel suit,
as n editor.ally taunts us WIN do.hE'
we will meet the issue ana try II by the
public. before whom the methods OF our
business are aTraigned.
i ne OUTRAGEOUS assault on the honor OF
+nc virginia STATE Board OF Education
has already been publicly repealed by the
Governor and AttOTHey-General, with
truthful detail which leaves pothlnS
omitte, TO convince the fair-m,rded OF
the absolute integrity and disinierested-
ness OF their transactions. lhey nave
shown. 10 a complete demonstration, mat
they could not have adopted other books
thcn those they did without going against
the unitca educational sentiment OF the
state. ms sentiment was expressed by
county school superintendent and lead
ing teaching authorities, and was sub
stant.ally unanimous in favor of coatinu-
ing the books which were satisfactorily
H. use. In the face OF such an expires
the State Board could not have justified
their action TO the public II they mad
interrupted and d.sorgan.Zed the schools
by compelling the INTRODUCTION OF new
and untriad books. 40 more could they
have justified their action n they mad
burdencd the people OF Virginia, in the
midst OF unprecedented hard times, with
the large expense which any change OF
school books involves.
The answer Of tn State sup .rintendeut
and others, who by name have had their
personal houor asaaiied. will doubtless be
made IN The courts. where the issue VIII
be- tr.cd by Their PEGS, and face 20 face
with their acusers; and We DO not douDl
their triumphant Vindicauon.
AN APOLOGY TO THE READER.
Belor. entering upon our ans Her 20 the
charges %: the Pilot IN detail. our self
respect rO.Lppls US 90 dpOlp. ze 20 Il S"i.Si-
bic publ o. a.. bringing to their notice III"
insane rawlings OF what cHdEty, IT. sHt
claim 10 he AZ irresponsible BENZ. u
sometimes becomes Necessary, according
to the Scrip;Ual INJUNCTION, 10 answer
fool according ID bis folly.
The charges against US axe 80 mohslfOuS
and foul, 50 VICIOUS AMI violent ina ~
many respects they become not only riIic-
ulOus bat absolutely erottsqu". and IN
tbs way best rCiute themselves. but
amid the Pilots intern-n&Dle mass o.
VapOriugs there are some iaist MOODS
stated as facts which might mislcad the
raht-minded. These require correction
and exposure.
THE TRUE INWARDNESS OF THESE
INFAMOUS ATTACKS.
10 clear the vision at he outset. We
will expose the real source ana true mo
tives OF these assaults. TAey constitute
ABUsINEss NtIHoD By yILLITIcAHoN.
which has been ABORT ted by a publishing
house mat was disappointed ana uusuc-
ton. Failing to get is publications Sc
lected on ine.r merits, II has the hatdI-
hood to charge ever! thhS thdt is cor
ruIt and dlsnOnOra1le upon the methods
OF Their Successful rivals, ana 10 insult
the people OF Virginia by an attempt 10
impeacn the integrity Of It's state Oihclals.
r. aims TO opca up market Tor us own
wares by attempting TO destroy the mar
kCt Of a. competitor Instead a. pressing
the merI. OF IFS publications, or Oucfhs
lower prices for the same, IL mdlShs me
character OF other publishers, and dlldchs
the character Of 'IeluldHS. 10 ddh 20
,he intdmy OF such inethod' IT, mas '!iC
cDWard-ee and hypocrisy TO mask ltscii
for these attacks, under the cloak OF po-
lticdl reform, I'm The columns OF . pubilc
journal. Mr. Small, of the NoiioiR li'ot.
states editor.alIy thdi ne ana non "il 'ate
or write a single word or line oi ;he dTu-
Gle; and it is known by Us JuSt where III
was written and prepared, ana the aseh-
clcS ami processes by which its pubhoa-
ton was secured. "" have "a our pos
session letters written by the sen or
member OF publishing irm threatening
to do precisely what nAs been done ih
Virginia
THE PILOT NEWPAPERS RESPONSE
BILlTI.
But the Norfolk Pilot. HAVING adopted
the role provided for il, has brazenlN as
sumed All the responsibility. and has ser
ylely converted its columns INTO com
mon sewer. through which all the NTH OF
these falsehJods Is daily discharged
II would thus appear. from It's &C urSe.
that il had established JOINT interest
in The scEOOl-boOk business. ihIs IS cun-
frmed by the Pilots editorial Of January
D. 1888, as follows:
The books would nave been changed,
as in some other States, book for book
without the expense OF a nickel on the
part OF The PEOPLE. We are prepared 10
show the truth Of this statement
Who Is your silent partner Mr. Pllot?
40 t.- D. llf- mn % d
what States have been the scenes OF his
benevOlence? And by the way. what are
the everyday prces OF his book ny Whlch
he expects TO tax the people 10 make mp
FOR his gift enterprise ana add prOnt
TO n mself bes des'
THE ONE SIMPLE FACT or THE
SITUATION.
Let it be remembered that the Ameri-
can Book Company, nttle more thdn
four years ago. purchased from the lead
ing firms of Harper " Brolhers' - Ap-
pleton Il Co. y. :. Barnes ~ Co. IVioon,
Brakeman x CO.. and Van Antwerp, Bragg
4 Co. all their standard school books. the
best fruits which all these houses, with
unlimited skill and resources, mad been
able 10 produce N this line-the Crys,Illi-
zation Of the best educational thought Of
two generatOus-dnd has been manuldc-
turing these books and supplying them
to the public Dy the same means ana
agencies through which they were pro-
that instead of having increased prirts
they have decreased them. that they have
removed all mailing charges ana estab-
l.shed many deposition -eS. making their
books easily obtaindble at first cost at
every DoSt-Ofiice and crossroads store
throughout the country. In the light OF
all these md sputablo facts, the charges
made against the American Book Com
pany Of wickedneSs ana cXtortiou of
every conce .vable kind are nothing less
than the insane rawlings of a mailman.
As To y TRUST AND MONOPOLY.
The following are quoted a. gems from
the Norfolk Pilot
- trust may be defined As an unjust
and Illegal organization effected for the
purpose of crushing out competition, and
OF eXactiug from customers, IN the ABB
senee Of competition, cAorbitdnt and un-
CONC enable prices
"One of the greatest and most CORRUPT
mouoUol,es ever known In this country
"Gorgon-he AIDED vampire OF all the
trusts. that has fastened its beak n the
very bosom of Virginia
"roul cormorant OF corporation.
"Rapacity OF "A greedy and extortonate
Gigantic monopoly and monster"
"Frontless, brazen and cynical impu~
dencc."
'Mal-odorous ami mercless."
''Scaly Old boa cons trictCr.
All this is certainly tragedy become
comic. We are, indeed. corporation,
but one duly organized, legal lawful ana
law-ab.ding II is not shown or proved
that we are unjust. We have not exacted
"eXorD tant and uncomfortable prices.
We are selling books cheaper than our
predecessors. and cheaper than our pres
ent competitors. " G. employ labor at Ialr
prces we buy and sell az fair prices,
not buying goods or obtaining a market
under false pretences. ana always hon
estly and promptly paying our debts. we
earnestly endeavor 10 find out what is
wanted and then by all our skin and