Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-08-20
IT IS A "PoP" LAW.
CY LELAND SAYS THE TEXTBOOK LAW
Must be Ignored Because it Was Passed by
A POPUI.IST LEGISLATURES.

Topeka, Aug. IA scheme of great mag
nitude is being put in operation in this state by
the American Book Trust. The purpose of the
scheme is to evade the state textbook law, ant
eventually annul it altogether.
G. G.. Burton, the state representative of the
trust, in persuance to instructions from head
quarters, is travelling about the state stirring uI
dissatisfaction with the new law. In each case
where he is successful in this he makes direct
proposition, it is said, that any town or district
which wishes to disregard the law will be fur
nished with money and legal talent free to fight
the case through the courts.
The trust has employed State Senator John
f. Hessn, of Manhattan, who is being proni-
nently mentioned III connection with the Repub-
lican nomination for governor of Kansas, to
fight the law in every instance where the trusts
proposition is accepted.
Some weeks ago Senator Hessin spent several
days here looking up the various phases of the
law in the state law library, and preparing him
self generally for an attempt to consummate the
legal end of the trusts scheme. He admitted
that he was studying up the textbook law.
Asked the reason for his apparently uncalled-
for work, he evasivey replied: "Oh, just
want to discover the weak points of the law and
post up on the subject generally. 1t might
come handy to me at some future time"
The main idea of the trust, of course, is to
have the obnoxious law declared unconstitution-
al by the supreme court Failing in this, it
wants the law to be seriously crippled that the
trust may still have foothold in Kansas.
In numerous cities and towns the trust has
tracts were hastily and secretly made after the
passage of the law by the legislature and before
it went into effect. These cases, together with
the places at which the trust hopes to influence
the school board to disregard the law, will fur
nisl, endless litigation. This means delay at
least for year or more and legal questions may
be developed which will seriously cripple the
law, if not render it wholly imperative. This,
at least, is the hope of the trust, and is the
cause of its present extensive maneuvers.
Cy Leland is lending aid and comfort to the
trust in its scheme. AS told in the World, Sat-
urday, he has induced the school board of Troy,
his home town, to refuse to obey the textbook
law This will be one of the first legal battles
between the state and the book trust.
During the legislature, Leland stood suspc-
ously close to the members of the book trusts
lobby. Time, it is charged, has not severed
his connection with the trust. He is reported
as having said at Troy recently, in speaking of
the action of that Troy school board, and of
the law generally: cit is Id Pop law, any
how. We ought to knock it out"
Information Of Mr. Burton, the trusts repre-
sentative, having made the proposition above
mentioned, in several instances, has reached
Topeka George Harmon, in his paper, the
Oskaoosa Times, says:
"a trust never gets enough spoils; and the
book trust, commonly known as the American
Book Company, is no exception to the rule,
20. W. Burton, the trusts state representa-
tive, visited our county few days ago and said
that any district or school that wished to disre-
gard the new book law wouldlbe furnished
legal talent free to fight its case in the courts
that all the company wanted was the right to
select their own attorney, Senator John E. Hes
sil, of Manhattan,t conduct the case.-Tope.
ka State Journal.