The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-01

proposition definitely.
(SignedO SHELDON & co.
Telegram No. 8. (Crane & Co.'S re-
Topeka, Kan, June 7th, 1895.
Sheldon & Co, Publishers.
724 Broadway, New York:
Have written you tonight fully in re-
gard to the matter.
CSigned9 CRANE & co.
Crane & Co.'S letter to Sheldon &
KANSAS STATUTES AND Re
PORTS.
Crane & Co..
Publishers of Kansas Law Books,
Printing, Binding and Stationery.
Topeka, Kan, June Z, 1895.
Sheldon & Co.,
New York, N. Y:
GentIem en-: lettering to- our tele-
gram of yesterday, and your answer to-
day, we will recite briefly the situation
in the state of Washington, although
you are probably fully informed.
Your bid was about the same as most
all of the others that were in, viz:
two-thirds of the present retail price
Our bid was a fraction less than half
of the present contract price.
O11r Readers. THE Excelsior" are
good books from a mechanical as Wen
as educational standpoint, but have the
disadvantage of being, comparatively
speaking, unknown. They are new, ana
our house are new to educators. Our
line being almost exclusively law books
To this extent we are at great dlsad-
vantage before the state board at
Washington.
The situation is, they do not want to
give the contract to US and are natur-
ally afraid that they cannot defend
their action with the people, II they
should let the contract for a much high
er priced set of readers, especially con-
sidering the fact that the people are
very poor and times close in that state.
1t is only fair to state that our OBJECT
was more to gain nOtOriety and intro
duce the books, than the expectation OF
making much money at the price, eS-
pecially during the first year OF the
contract while exchanges would have
to be made
IF our bid is out of the way, or rath-
er if we fail to put in another DID, we
think that the way is open Tor you 70
get the contract, and as your BOOKS
are already in use, and no EXCHANGES
will have to be made, you could make
much more money out OF the contEacl
than any one else, especially CONSIDER
ing the difference in price.
One strong reason We had in view
was the prestige it would give US TO
have it to say that we had supplanted
vol1r books in the state, for ours, on a
five year contract. This is plain state
nent of the situation. We fully realize
that as the time has grown much closer
than frst contemplated, it would call
on our office for its full capacity TO get
out Il. 900 sets of books and nave them
distributed in Washington by the iIst
of SeDtemb her. This fact and the Iact
that we do not want to cut the pr1ce OF
our books any lower on account OF the
damage that it is liable to be IN places
where we are liable to try TO nave ln mem
introduced in future. But we aso Aeel
that it will be necessary Tor US TO Guy
our price still lower to put the poard az
Washington in a position 10 De LOIceo
to give us the contract.
This is the situation in which we ma
ourselves hence our proposition TO you
to draw out of the fight, and leave the
field open for you, for a CONSIDER dI4olI
to he PAYABLE when the contract is
awarded YOU We understand that the
second bids put in were all about the
same as the first. Our bid was just the
same in every respect. we IeeI now IIe1I
+La third hid would have to be lower
our proposition, then, is to ran 10 put
in any bid whatever, either oIrectly -, u
Indirectly, and to not allow anyone l eIsc
to nut in a bid, based upon the eApect[a-
ZION of using our plates, or OF IurhlSn-
ing our readers, for $4OOO.OO, payaDIe
when the contract is awarded TO you;
This would probably take OIL goOo
,1o1.tioy7 of YOUR profits for the nrst year
IF the contract, but it would De pay
ino Investment if the other program
would result in our gettIhS 0iAe OOii az
away from you. -, 49,,
since making our former bid, we nave
secured the influence of the state FrlnC-
err at Olympia, by making an arrange
4,oant with him to print ana Dlnd sOile
81 o11r readers at Olympia. This, with
the reduced price called for by our third
hid We think will settle the matter the
next time +4,
We have been very plain in stating
the exact reasons for our proposition,
and will ask you to treat our letter IN
confidence whether the proposition Is
ocnaDted or not Please wire your an
cx1ra1t at our expense, and also ask Tor
snV additional information that may be
wanted, in that way.
Very truly, 30
(signed) CRANE & CO:
We must get our bid off by the 18th,
hence the necessity for haste II any
'i''''s7 - (sheldon & Co.'S reply.
l ei'7 New York, June 10. 1895.
NFassrs Crane & Co, Topeka, Kan.
Your letter received. Coulu not lhIhh
of such an arrangement. ~
(Signed) SHELDON q -.
Now, Mr.. Crane, IN Whal say re
fer to YOU as a reformer of corrupt bus
mess practices rather than to you as a
tneighbor, but if you are not satisfied
with the above I will say there are
You saw the Gates Pamphlet was
published in the interest OF American
schools and not aided by book publish
ers. This statement SHOWS your lhho-
cence You seem to heartily endorse all
that the Gates pamphlet contains. This
shows more of your innocence.
The following is the drst and the
great crime charged in the Gates
pamphlet:
Il have recently had in my possession
q bank draft for a considerable sum OF
money which was given to a prominent
LAWYER who was a partner of a member
of a school board in their city. This
check is signed by the manager of the
American Book company in one OF the
largest cities in the Union. On the
back of the check is this endorsement:
This check was offered to me in the ma
ture of bride and refused to have II
cashed.'
Would it not have been more manly
in you and President Gates to have
said that the considerable sum OF mon
e1ys' was TWENTY-FIVE dollars and that
the draft was not a draft but check.
The manager was Mr.. Chas. J. Barnes,