The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-10-06
THE cALIFoRNiAsTATE SCHOOL
BOOK SYSTEM.
Its Eaeniss ana Its Defenders.

California state sch0ol-book system 4
form an interesting bit Of local history,
which at this time is of more than
passing interest TO the people Of the
State.
The present State school-boOk sys-
tenn was established by legislative act !
in 1885, and was called into being as a
protest of the people against the extor-
lions OF the private school-book pub
fishing houses Of the country, under
which parents Of children had suffered
for a long series OF years, and under
the manipulations OF which combina-
tions Of publishers the local school
boards were, in very many instances,
either corrupted or cajoled into still
further increasing the profits Of the
publishers by frequent and unnecessary
changes in the books used in the
schools and in the courses of study pre-
scribed. Il goes without saying that
the proposition to place in the hands of
the State the publication of her own
school books met with the most deter
mined opposition Of the private monop-
oily, and after the State system was
established this opposition became so
vehement that the people deemed it
necessary to place q provision in the
constitution protecting it from direct
destruction at the hands of any I'M
friendly legislative enactment that
might be attempted against it.
Ever since that time the efforts Of
the combined publishers have been
united in an endeavor to discredit the
books published by the State, and to
destroy. as far as possible, the States
ability to furnish them to the people
at cost that would continue them in
popular favor. The aggregate wealth
of the American school-book trust
amounts to millions OF dollars, and
when such an aggregation of wealth
undertakes to accomplish an object it
can call to its aid, by mere attraction,
as it were, some OF the most infiuen-
tial agencies.
Thus, at every session of the Legisla-
ture, from the adoption of the consti-
tutional amendment above alluded ia
until that of 1897, the corridors of the
State Capitol have been crowded with
the agents and attorneys of the trust,
whose endeavors have chiefly beer
directed toward the abolition and de-
struction OF the State Printing Office
the object being to deprive the State
OF the ability to publish the books al
a cost to the people that would justify
continuance OF the system. For i
can be easily seen that the cost OF pub
fishing the books must be much greater
when the entire expense OF power
maintenance, administration, insur
ance, etc., is borne by the school-bool
fund, than when such general expense
are divided between that fund and tn
fund usually provided for general Stat
) printing. These efforts OF the trus
were entirely abortive until the legis
lative session of 1897, when the Cover
nor did, with one stroke OF his pen
, that which he book trust had for year
failed to accomplish--he vetoed tn
appropriation, thereby causing sus
pension OF all State printing, thu
, throwing the entire expense OF publics
tion, maintenance, power, ADMINISTERS
tion, insurance, etc, upon the schoo
book revolving fund.
u The books of the California Stat
: series will compare more than favol
u ably with any similar books publishe
in the United States. Important RI
visions and new compilations hay
S been made, and although this branc
r of the work has not always been Ell
II trusted to friendly hands, still, in spi
Ie of the fact that the development
l. the series has been beset by enemi,
IS on almost every hand, the texts Of Il
books are now much better than tho
% of any other series which have unde
" gone repeated revisions.
10 The firm stand taken by A. j. job
70 ston, Superintendent of State Printin
"a in behalf of the State books, and Il
"a determination he displayed in mai
:. tanning them in popular favor, in
far, at least, as his department cou
do so, has called down upon him q
vi thC private
:. trust, and it is now their desire
III prevent his reelection as Superinten
y ent of State Printing if possible, for
,e every stage OF the contest between t
VI trust and the State books he has m
~ and baffled the attemps OF the form
to uproot and supplant the State s!
n sem.
ne The present stage of the contest
a most interesting, and one in which I
lei people are much concerned; for, il I
". influences friendly to the trust can
il the printing department of this st
ey wart defender OF the State school boo
their fight for their destruction is
We but won. That the stake is wol
contending for is shown by the sta
tn ment founded upon official statisti
H. that during the incumbency OF A.
e" Johnston as Superintendent OF st
,at Printing alone, there have been prin
n and sold by the State nearly 2,0C
A 900 school books, and at prices REL
Ish senting a saving to parents OF alb
IA $500, 900, or saving per capita
-as something like $3.50 for every cl
on. attending the public schools of c
fornia; and that, too, within a pei
= of less than seven yearsl
ne The danger that threatens the ,
10. existence OF this institution OF the /
Ir pie had become so manifest TIL
nt number of the friends Of the s
all school book system formed an asso
her ton, some months ago, called
,ha California State School : I
tho League, for the purpose of presen
On. an organized resistance to the eff
, Is OF the school-book monopoly aga
the life of the State system. That
ISOLATION or league now has very !
membership. is non. partisan in cha