The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-10
STATE BOOKS FOR SCHOOLS.
GOV. ATKINSON SENDS HIS MES
SAGE TO THE LAWMAKERS.

The Communication Not In the Ma
ture OF "a Recommendation But IIs
Tenor Seems to BE Favorable to
the Publication of the Books by
the state, Unless Some other PLAN
to Lesser Their Cost Is Presented.
The Governor Presents Figures.
Atlanta, Ga, Nov. 9.-Gov. Atkinson's
special message on the school book ques-
tion was sent to the Legislature to-day. 1t
was not in the nature of a recommends
tion, though the tenor seemed to be favor
able to the publication of the school books
by the state itself unless some other plan
can be suggested to cheaper the books.
The message Incorporated both the ma-
jority and minority reports of the book
commission, The majority report, signed
by Commissioner Glenn. II. r. Goetchiuss
w. b. Merritt ard T. d. Tinsey is strong-
ly against uniformity. while the minority
report submitted by J. c. Beauchamp. adj
voeates system Of uniformity by gradual
changes.
Gov. Atkinson limits his message to a
brief statement of facts and presents Al
table OF comparison between the cost of
books now and the prices offered him by
a prominent publisher. IL given a contract
to furnish the states school books. The
publisher has offered to give bond to conn
ply with such contract. The difference
in price is interesting and not far short OF
startling. The message says;
1.-THE following statement presents
clearly the comparative cost of our code
published upon the states account under
the comparative bid system, and what wa
are actually paying for the school books
used by our children in the public schools.
"Code-Three volumes, containing ], 500 0O0
words cost $4.,
"School Books-Five school books con-
tanning 659OOO words, cost $685.
Five school books, containing 2l5000
words, cost $4. ..t.s
"The cost of printing the same number
of words in school books as In the code
would be $952
I'm this calculation / haven't computed
the compensation which must be paid To
authors, nor other necessary expenses.
which will readily suggest themselves to
you. on the other hand, 1t must be born
in mind that only a few thousand copies
of the code were printed, while school
books are issued by the hundreds of thou
sands, and their printing. therefore, costs
less.
"At my request one of the best equipped
and reliable publishing houses In the state
has furnished me the following statement,
showing what is now being paid for school
books IN Georgia and at what price Ir
would be willing to print the same books
in lots of 100000:
"Wentworth's Practical Arithmetic CHM
& Co, publishers, 400 pages, publishers
price, G5 cents; price bid, IS cents.
1. .taI yIs4., aY4rI~
256 pages, publishers price, 40 cents; price
bid, IL cents.
First Book in American History Eg
glestonl, American Book Company pub
fishers, 224 pages, publishers price, 60
cents; price bid, II cents.
"Swinton's Word Primer American Book
Company, publishers, 96 pages publishers
price, Is cents; price bid, cents.
"SanfOrd's s Higher Arithmetic, American
Publishing Company, publishers, 160 pages
publishers price, ST. price bid, "a cents
Graves new grade speller CHM q Co,
publishers, 100 pages, publishers price, 25cs
price bid, l0e.
''McGuffey's third electric reader, Ameri-
can Book Company, publisher, POS pages;
publishers price, 40c; price bid, lie.
This company is able and willing to
take the contract to publish at the prices
named, and give bond to comply with their
contract.
"You can add to these prices a fair roy
atty to be paid to the author, and draw
your own conclusions as to whether or nok
we are being made to pay an unreasonable
and unjust tribute TO a lordly trust"