Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-05-27

candidates Is TO be made he seeks tC
teny connection with such company:
whereas for myself there has been.
5otS tiie5 aud BOw. open aud 0GcOn-
cealed discOnnectiOn.
Without tedium 90 this point
may simply add that il my vote in
Ss4 gsTe reason for suspicion or
wicked connection with a syndicate
this was open TO inspection and
criticism at the moment Of my nomi-
nation; or at least when Mr.. Acker.
man teacame my opponent. That
he has waited until this late hour to
accuse me Of syndicate" vote In-
dicates that this was reserved in the
hope 10 parry with it the blows de-
livered against his o sn record, which
his numerous denials DOW indicate
is the weak point Of his candidacy.
,. Fl asserts also that his vote was
given in the interest Of economy;
leaving aside the question whether a
public officer in pOssessiUr OF particu.
lar facts is Justified 10 leaving tc petit.
tiUn such a duty as selection Of text
books and only repeating the shrewd
suspicion ia circulation at the time
that the petitions came from A. B. &.
head quarters; l need only cite a
paragraph from the editorial column
Of the OregoDIan Of December 9, 1894,
which should be good evidence here
that no such economy" was required.
1t says "there is 90 advantage in
taking all, or nearly all SCHOOL text
bnOksl from one house; indeed rather
the reverse 1t would be posi-
tive advantage to divide the selec-
tiUO among as many publishing
houses as possible = This is the
way hUnest aud intelligent school Of
ncers will vote " Persons interes-
ted ia the retention Uf books now on
the list seek TO convey the impression
that any change will be costly TO the
state or people This is not the
case . Provision is made in all
the lists for exchange. 1t will cost
practically no more to, get good new
book than to keep an old poor one."
To sum up the position of Mr.. Ack-
erman: He admits my contention q
that Oregon is at disadvantage in re-
gard TO cost Of text books in compari-
son with other states;he admits that in
1894 he voted the American Book Co.
ticket; he declares that the vote Of
neither him nor myself has any bear
ing as TO cost OF books-neither of US
having permission to vote upon price
lists obtained by the board of educa-
tion from publishers; he gives no
pledge, even now that he will use his
power to obtain better prices; he
makes no pledge against the present
contract, the mltigationof which he ad
duces to palliate his vote implies first
the existence OF a "syndicaCe" proof OF
whose existence he makes no attempt
to show; and second, that the vote for
the books Of publishers against whom
no dishonorable accusations have
been brought is on par with voting
for those Of monopoly whose agents
had but lately been whipped in public
by committee of citizens and by the
public press; and lastly, he brings as
an excuse his Difference to the wishes
Of supposed school officers for an
economy which the best authorities
were declaring was not an economy
but was rather in the interest of
this same publicly scourged book
company.
After all, the charge against my
vote is puerile. IL as Mr.. Ackerman
says there were but two tickets; and
If, as was SO generally asserted and
believed at the time that the ticket
Of the American book company was
for an undeserylng and insolent mon
oDOly, my vote could have no greater
Significance than as protest against
that monopoly, and as an effort,
though vain one, to break its
power. For this will be credited by
the thinking people OF the state.
have made no analysis of my oppo-
nent's statistics as yet to know
whether his conclusion OF % cents
against me is correct; but deem it
ruled out at all events by his own tes-
timony. gladly recognize the spirit
in which this has been discussed by
Mr.. Ackerman and against him per-
sonallY would not be understood
as bringing any derogatory charge.
But l recognize him as a representa-
tive of the most dangerous influences
now present ia our educational affairs.
Leaving now for the time this dis
cussion, gratefully precipltated by |
Prof. Ackerman, let me direct atten-
tion TO the Oregonian itself.
1t has now entered upon this dis.
;ussion edit0rially. 1t thereby as
'umes the responsibility of placing
before the people 10 true aud proper
,ionate shape all the facts bearing
lpon the case. If as umpire, or as
udge, IL declares that either one OF
he disputants has stated the case
or II it shows its preference
% either, 1t thereby assumes the re
OF giving TO the voters
III the information required for an
intelligent and conscientious decision
Il the polls. IL cannot now eyade
uch responsibility, and is under
he seYerest censure OF public oDinion