The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-19

have exposed may be excused as vaga-
ing vengence upon my company for not
coming up 10 the bull ring as much
cannot be claimed for your insinuation
that attempted to bribe you. You do not
say this in so many words. because you
would be rendered thereby amenable to
the law, but if you cannot do it in
Straightforward. manly fashion, holding
yourself responsible for the conse-
quences, 1t is utterly base and unworthy
to convey such an idea by innuendo.
repudiate the suggestion and deny the
fact. II is an afterthought of yours
which does you no credit. and only shows
how desperate you nave become in at
tempting to conceal from your people
the evident failure OF your impracticaole
schemes. Your reference to our agents,
Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Burton. are equally
untrue and contemplate. The publica-
tons of the American Book company, az
we'll as its officers and agents. have
many friends throughout the state OF
Kansas who will hold you to an account
for your words and in due time repudi-
ate your actions.
You accuse us Of seeking to thwart
the law OF Kansas. Beg pardon, we
bow to the majesty Of the law. and LEI
me here remind you, whose duty II is ID
execute it. that the following very dis
tinct provisions are in danger or being
overlooked or deliberately violated:
1.-The text books adopted by the school
text book commission must be used at
ter Sept. 1, 1897, in every public school
OF the state of Kansas, except where
contracts have been entered into in
writing under the provisions Of the coun-
ty uniformity law. Such contract, to be
valid, must have been made by legally
elected county text book board a. reg
ular meeting called for that purpose, and
holds only for the remainder Of the five
years for which the contract was made
The proposition for county uniformity
must have been voted upon and carried
in a majority Of the districts Of a county
before a text book board can be legally
elected"
ANY school book company, person or
firm, who shall contract to furnish the
public schools of the state of Kansas
with school books under the provisions
OF THIS ACT, SHAH, upcu dPpi4Octioh u
any school district within one year after
the acceptance OF the bid, take UP the
books now in use. and they shall ex-
change the new books at not more than
fifty per cent Of the maximum prices fix
ed by the provisions of this act"
Finally, you assure us that the people
OF Kansas are now free in the matter
of school books, whatever may be the
fate of the "effete east" etc. We'll, il
il be freedom for a sovereign state TO
wear about its neck the iron collar Of
a monopoly of "cheap" books. instead Of
permitting each community to choose
and contract for herself as heretofore.
why then the definition Of the word
would better be changed in the diction-
airy.
Mr.. Stryker, does 1t not occur to you
that as Ajax defying the lightning, or
as a modern Cicero denouncing an i'm
aginary Catiline, you are not success?
Your premises are mythical. your logic
feeble, your rhetoric hysterical. and your
conclusions monstrous. All Of which
tends to exhibit a distinguished official
Of the state Of Kansas in a somewhat
ridiculous light. Respectfully,
CHARLES ]. BARNES,
Manager in Chicago for the American
Book company.