The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-09-16
SCHOOL
BOOK LAW
A Monument Commemorative OF
Democratic Wisdom and Fea'ty
to the BestInterests OF the
People Of Indiana

Nancy to tn. Laboring Men of 'ndi-
ana In the Cost of school Books
For Their Children
II is a well known fact that prior TO
1850. the state OF Indiana was IN the
grasp of a schoolbook trust which was
a. devoid of conscience as a hungry
wolf operating in the midst OF a lock OF
sheep. In writing OF this aggregation
of Unsuitable men, who for years had
mercilessly robbed the people OF lndi-
ana. il is designed to briefly point out
70 what extent these robbcries were per-
petrated upon
working Men
seeking to edu cate their children IN the
common schools Of the state. and which,,
without let or hinderance, had gone ON
Cor years. This schcolbook trust. hav-
ing ample means at its com mand, was
able to debauch not only a portion OF
tho nress. but a large per cent OF the
school officials Of the state, IN bring
;-n,oactive operation whenever demand
cd. a thoroughly equipped army OF
borchmen TO do its bidding and aid II
in perpetrating its piracies.
A. This supreme Juncture II
p.mocrmtic Legislature
-osolvaa n nut an end 10 this school
.ooL snoliation and lift the intolerabl'
burden from parents who had been com
nelled TO purchase its books ana ther'
i not in the legislative history OF TN
s,.ta n law more III consonance Wit
! ;nstice and righteousness than that Ell
a acted by the Democratic Legislature Q
1850. which emancipated the peopl
{ from the domination of the schoolbool
s ,rrst And here it Is worth while Z
: say that the
z. Republican Party,
:. as 4, the case Of the Australian ballo
= law and the revenue law, o a pos
ton I'm favor of the schoolbook trus'
9 and in flagrant opposition to the wellai
Is If he people of the state. But as I'M
n mated. the purpose is to show to wh'
or av,ant the workingmen Of Indiana al
9 interested in the financial prooiel
y which the Democratic law of Is
e solved for the state.
n, rnro,,,pent Of schooichiidren.
- OFFICIALLY stated, the lumber of schoc
=. enrolled in Indiana FOR Il
wear 1888. G year preceding the enac
mon, ~ the antischoolbook trust LAY
d, men. !
nj was 5i4,i63-
4 set of schoolbooks as supplied
~ the trust cost 50. 40, hence it appea
=, tha, 20 supply each of the schoolgirl
' ron in the s-ate for the year 1888 WI
W a set az books would require the sum
!, 1885. 952. 20.
= II is stated by officials connected wi
- ~ state DEPARTMENT Of education. I'll
a set of schoolbooks on an average.
10 be renewed every four years, and
suminr that on an average children 9
~, in school IL years. the cost Of renewi
- schoolbooks under the rule Of the tru
,lv would be sil,5O7, $500.
: II ia fair 20 assume that one-half
the schoolchildren enrolled in the ST
i,s in 1883 t257 1911 Were the children
- citizens, laborers, mechanics and m
working on farms, who were requil
TO pay in 1883. under trust rule, 80
for every set Of books purchased
their children-amounting TO S2,4l
I in 976. 10.
Under the operation of the Der
- cratic schoolbook law passed in Il
the cost of schoolbooks was redu
80 one-half. or 80 per cent. This resul
i ~ in a saving to the parents OF the schc
/, % children OF the state, as stated, S2,4
\ g16. 10 in the purchase OF schoolboc
And If, "a is assumed. one-half.
,.a the children enrolled in the conn
IN schools Of the state in 1888 were
y 70 children Of parents who work for a
pay ing, the saving to them amounted
itry 81, pos. vSS.O
and And here. again, assuming that
the ing the school & OF these childI
,o,s. these sets OF books have 20 be rene'
- every four years. the saving 70 WI
-, ~ ikers would amount 10 the sun
'he al. H2g.D Gi. lb during the IL years.
UNI Jncer circumstances. as pointed
sues and considering the immense benz
IS ~ accruipc tn orr fellow citizens wi
hich incomes are derived from their Ia
and the Drnccfatic party has q right. pr
Gated upon IT'S fealty 10 the interest
49, labor. to exner' ;ht' wnrlngmen
not overlook its laDVrs ia their behal