The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-05
That School Book SwindIe.


As for this text book matter We do nos
hesitate TO say that of all the bold. open
faced outrages ever attempted upon the
defenseless children OF . state. IN the in
:ersst Of city and q bomoastlc iunat-c
that, through q strange turn OF the politi-
cal wheel. has been ho;s;ed beyond himself
into office. this leads them all
The Pop law gotten through by Pop
S,ryker n the interest OF the Topeka Syn
d.cate was bad enough. but pushed on by
this home industry he goes beyond the
law. utterly Ignoring il. and uses dis high
oticiai rank 10 deceive the masses 10 the
betts-ing OF an institution for Topeka, in
which no one who IS informed doubts FOR
a minute that he IS personally interested
He Is IN Topeka ard ne evidently expects
10 stay there. not as state superintendent.
but as a private business man
In las, Sundays Eagle We called st;en-
ton 10 the law OF the exchange OF text
books and how Il Was beng twisted ana
since that time the officials az Manhattan
brought suit 10 compel this Topeka crowd
20 take the books IN exchange. as We stated
the law. As soon as the papers were
fled demanding that The contractors take
all books used last year without regard
70 their condition. they came forth and
offered 20 pay all costs II the suit was dis
missed, admitting tia, the law was clear
on the point. They evidently hoped to
take advantage OF the people in that they
did not know the law. and il is evident
that they car use Stryker 70 deceive the
people as TO their rights under the law. for
no sooner had they made this arrangement
than they took another turn by saying
that they would take all books used last
year regardless OF their condition tha;
We're presented by district boards" The
publishers decided 20 make this require
ment. without a vesuge OF law 10 back IA.
in the morning, and In the afternoon
Stryker was seen coming from their Of
fees and the next morning he comes out In
the Topeka Capital with the following:
Upon the request OF any district any
books used last year w,n be taken" lie
has the gall to send forth this in spite OF
the fact that the state Is filed with his
ruling in various different forms saying
tina; all books exchanged must have their
covers and all their printed leaves. The
object OF accepting books from district
boards" is easily seen. In gathering up
the books OF a district as q whole Stryker
and his gang think that a lot OF books
in the hands OF the children will be over
looked and that afterwards when the par
ents come in and demand their exchange
they will say We settled with your DIS
trict. Again we mant TO inform the people
that the law says all books used last year
must be taken and Il does not say tha,
they must be offered by a district board.
Any parent can bring the books OF his
children used last year and demand 30 per
cent Of what is asked him for the new
book and not 80 per cent OF what the agent
pays the contractor. Fathers and mothers,
demand this and have II. and II this man
S,ryker continues 10 st or his throne and
try 10 deceive you IN the interest OF To-
pe1a and himself do something with
him. He IS taking advantage of what he
thinks is your ignorance of the law and
seems willing 10 write as law for YOUR
anything that this Topeka
Syndicate may wish him 10. He has Gale.
eastern publishers of standard books
trusts" and worked upon your prejudlces
10 ge; through a law 10 shut them out OF
the state. He got the law through and
when rid OF competition he could easily
put the contract where he wanted II and
for just such stuff as he could get OF these
parties. Now. he can no longer cover I'D
his tracks by stirring up your pretudices
for the matter stands there are only
two interested parties. The man he has
given the contract 10 and yourselves
Either the children OF the state are 10 have
the benefit Of about a quarter OF a million
dollars for their books they now own orr
these books are 10 be rendered worthless
and you are TO pay these contractors about
a quarter Of a million dollars more than
the law says you must The law plainly
says the contractors shall allow you this
much for your books displaced by theirs
and Stryker IS trying 10 mislead you in
every possible way. even 10 the extent or
publicly m.squOting the law In order 10
put this money which the law SAYS IS yours
INTO the hands OF these men with whom
ne has made the contract. The contracts
Rave been made. eastern publishers with
standard books are shut out and II Is
low only question Of whether this home
CTopeke Industry viii deal hon
orably with you or not. You have every
'eason TO expect that your state superin- |
endent would a. least give you the ben
FIT OF the law. but he has repeatedly put
himself on record IN prtnt as demanding /
II you for these men with whom he has /
made the contract nearly ole-haH more |
han what the Law says you mus; pay
lie keeps Topeka papers fun OF abuse OF /
EASTERN publishers that are no longer a
actor in the game In order 10 throw sand /,
n your eyes while ne hauls in this 20 per /
,ent. or as much OF ,tashecan succeed T. 1
leceiv.ng you out % for the Topeka capt |
arsis 1t does nor seem poSs-bl. that a {
nan sworn 20 defend me welfare Of Tire 4
'eopie Of the state would DO such a thing. 1
Jut step Into any agency for these books 4
ma read the set o. rules he has hung Cp 1
n your faces as law and then 70 20 your 4
ounty superintendent and read The school /
aw OF this exchange % books and you 4
vii md that we are actually confronted /
WITH such a disgrace.
As for the seihshness OF Topeka. q bat
le has been going or between the mem
.ers OF her own board a. . whether shs
erssl: vi use -hs BOOKS che has hoistei
nto the rest % the state. and 80 fsg
sjority % the board say they viii not /
ave them. II orier % give their home
1s.ituti0n some prestige before the last
sgislatu Topeka used come u their books
nj We have Z, direct from those N q pest
on 70 know mat they nearly ruirsd TIE
asses in which they were used. and fhst
hey Will 70 further IN tbs pros,fiutinz
-e welfare az their children foG nat %
few capitalists.
Several cir!es n re state hzve contracts
)r eastern publishers for standard BOOK.
n the attorney generally has repe8.st-
ruled that these contracts are bladiaE.
" IL spite % tais fact stryker continues
, say through re Topess papers sni 81
ers5ral espo1Sle-ce taat .hsF s5e ncl.
"a must De atazt-ae1 -; content vith
4
ing about & sac ruo-opo.y o. E-a2oi
sru..3-e al Re IRE people 70 Bag a. 60
lai- tetEs arf user f4--.t1rs from ere
s~ss -.st~- I