Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-16
A COMPLETE ANSWER
IAs American Book Company Scores Its
Enemies.
ScHooL.BooK QUESTION.



company, and to our friends. the people o,
virginia. who are honoring us with thci,
confidence and patronage. as the,
hcnored our predecessors. make II ou-
duty TO notice in a public way the falls,
attacks upon our business lately spread
abroad in the Norfolk Pilot newspaper
we accept the challenge Of the Pilot
ana. without waiting for "the slow ant
voluminous processes Of libel suit" as
II editorialiy taunts US with doing, We
VIII meet the issue and try II by the pub
lie. before whom the methods Of our bust
ness are arraigncd
This outrageous assault. on the honor OF
the Virginia State Board OF Education
mas already been publicly repealed by the
Governor and Attorney General. with a
truthful detail which leaves nothing
omitted TO convince the fair-minded OF
the absolute integrity and disinterestedness
OF their transactions. They have shown
to complete demonstration. that they
nave not adopted other books than those
tney Old without going agans. the
united educational sentiment of the State
This sentiment was expressed by our
county school supcrintendents and leading
teaching authorities. and was substan-
TALLY unanimous IN favor 81 continuing
the books. which were satisfactorily IN
use. In race OF such an expression the
state Board could not have Justified
their action to the public II they had in
terrupted and disorgsnized the schools by
compelling the introduction OF new and
untried books. No more could they have
Justineo their action II they had burdened
the people Of Virginia. In the midst o.
unprecedented hard times with the large
expense which any change of school
BOOKS involves
The answer of the State Superintendent
and others who by name have had their
personal honor assailed will doubtless be
made In The courts. where the issue viii he
tried by their peers and face to face'with
their accusers; and we do not doubt their
triumphant vindication.
AN APOLOGY TO THE READER.
Before entering upon our answer TO the
charges OF the Pilot in detail. our self
respect compels us TO apologize 10 a
sensible public for bringing TO their notice
the insane rawlings Of what charity might
claim to be IAN irresponsible being" IL
sometimes becomes necessary. according
10 the Scriptural injunction. to ANSWER a
FOOL according to his folly
The charges against us are so mon
strous and foul so vicious and violent.
that In many respects they become not
only ridiculous. but absolutely grotesque.
and In this way best refute themselves.
But amid the Pilots interminable mass
OF vaporings there are some statements
which might mislead the right-mnded.
These require correction and exposure.
THE TRUE 1NWARDNESS OF THESE
INFAMOUS ATTACKS.
To clear the vision at the outset. we
will expose the real source and true mo.
tives OF these assaults. They constitute
A BUSINESS METHOD OF Wifi
CATION.
which has been adopted by a publishing
house that was disappointed and unsuc,
cessful in the late Virgins State ador,
ton. Failing to get its publications So
lected on their merits. IL has the hardi-
hood TO charge everything that is cor
rupt and dishonorable upon the methods
OF their successful rivals. and 10 insuIs
the people of Virginia by an attempt 10
impeach the integrity of its State Off
Gals. II aims 10 open up market for
IT'S own wares by attempting TO destroy
the market of a competitor. Instead OF
pressing the merit OF its publications. or
offering lower prices for the same. II
maligns the character of other publish
ers. and attacks the character OF Viz
ginians. To add 10 the infsmy OF such
method. II has the cowardice and hypoc-
risy TO mask itself for these attack,
under the cloak of political reform in
the column of public journal Mr..
Small. OF the Norfolk Pilot. states edito-
rally that he did not dictate or write
a single word or line Of the article, !
and IL IL known by us Just where IL was
written and prepared. and the agencies
and processes by which it's publica alton !
vas secured We have In our possession
letters written by the senior member or
Yf-kf = tor zinc 10 Il
oisely what has been done in Virginia.
THE PILOT NEWSPAPERS RESPON- |
SIBILITY.
But the Norfolk Pilot, having adopted
the role provided for it, has brazenly as
Sumed all the responsibility.
IL would thus appear. from its course. |
that II had established a joint interest
In the school-bo business. This is con-
hrmed by the Pilots editorial of Januar.
5. 1885. as follows:
THE books would have 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 TO
show the truth OF this statement"
Who is your silent partner. Mr. Pilot?
Who is this business philanthrooist. and
what States have been the scenes OF his
benevolence? And. by the way, what are
the everyday prices of his books, by
which he expects to tax the people. TO
make W his "gift-enterprise' and add
profit 10 himself besides?
THE ONE SIMPLE FACT OF THE
SITUATION.
Let IL be remembered that the Ameri-
can Book Company a little more than
four years ago purchased from the lead
ing firms Of Harper & Brothers. ID. Apple
ton & Co., A. 5. Barnes & Co. lvison.
Brakeman e. Co, and Van Antwerp,
N a. D% all tLatr ,ta do ri onh
books the best fruits which all these
houses. with unlimited skill and resources.
had been able TO produce in this line
the capitalization Of the best educa-
tional thought OF two generations-and
has been manufacturing these books and
supplying them to the public by the same
means and agencies through which they
were provided and furnished by their
predecessors: that instead OF having in
creased prices. they have decreased them:
that they have removed all mailing
charges. and established many deposit
tcriex, making their books easily obtain
able at first cost at every post-of'ice and
crossroads store throughout the coun-
try. In the light OF all these indisputable
facts, the charges made against the
American Book Company OF wickedness
and extortion Of every conceivable kind
are nothing less than the insane rawlings
Of a mailman.
AS TO A TRUST AND MONOPOLY.
The following are quoted as gems from
the Norfolk Pilot:
"A trust may be defined as an unjust
and Illegal organization. effected for the
purpose OF crushing out competition. and
Of exacting from customers. In the alb
sence OF competition. exorbtant and I'M
considerable prices
zone OF the greatest and most cor
rupi monopolies ever known in this coun-
try"
Congratulated vampire OF all the trusts. |
that has fastened its beak In the very |
bosom OF Virginia"
-Four cormorant OF a corporation"
''Rspacity OF greedy and extortionate |
MONOPOLY"
Gigantic monopoly and monster"
"FrontIess. braZen, and cynical impu- |
dence."
'Maiodorous and merciless."
''Scaly. old boa-consirictor."
All this is certainly tragedy become !
comic We are. indeed. a corporation, but |
one duly organized. legal, lawful. and |
law-abiding. IL is not shown or proven |
that we are unjust. We have not exacted
"exorbitant and unconscionable prices.'
We are selling books cheaper than our
predecessors. and cheaper than our pres
ent competitors. We employ labor at fair
prices. We buy and sell at fair prices, not |
buying goods or obtaining a market under |
false pretences. and always honestly ana |