Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-27
INVESTIGATION IS ORDERED
Van Glider Must Prove His CHARGES Against
Board Of Education Members.
OTHERWISE HE IS BRANDED AS A LIAR
Charges of Corruption Are Taken Up
and Resolutions Relative TO the
Matter Are Introduced and
Adopted.


Member John f. Van Glider must prove
the charges that he made against other
members OF the Board of Education at a re-
cent meeting or be pilloried a slanderer
This Is contemplated BY the unanimous ac-
ton OF the board at the special meeting
which was called last night to consider the
matter. Van Glider stood pat, voted for
the resolution ordering the investigation and
declared that he will submit his charges un-
der oath. The investigation was authorized
practically without debate. and the entire
proceeding occupied less than an hour. Mem
bers OF the board are authority for the state
ment that the inquiry will be thorough and
complete and that the truth or falsty of the
charges will be effectually established.
The resolution Of investigation was pre-
ceded by . communication from George S.
" Meusewood the local agent of the American
Book company, as follows:
OMAHA, Jan lS.-To the Honorable Board
OF Education: Gentlemen notice in the
Omaha papers what represents to be a copy
of a speech made in your meeting on jan
uary 10 by Mr. Van Glider, in which he
makes very serious charges against the
American Book company as well as against
your honorable body | have represented
the American Book company in Omaha ever
since the organization OF that company. IL
the American Book company has committed
bribery. or any other crime in my territory,
1t has been done by me. / am q resident of
years. pay taxes here and am perfectly re-
sponsible for all that | say or do. The
American Book company has been called d
trust and has been otherwise lbeled and
slandered many times. which l have passed
over In silence. knowing that these charges
emanated from its rivals and sure that
they would all be refuted in good time by a
straightforward and honorable course of
business.
Denies Offering n Bribc.
Without repeating the charges made, but
calling your attention to the article referred
to. l wish to say that The American Book
company has never paid nor promised to
pay / cent to influence the vote OF any
school officer in Omaha. The American
Book company has never received from nor
charged to the Omaha School board l cent
for school books more than the lowest prices
at which the same books are sold anywhere
in the world. The charge that the geog-
raphies which the board adopted-natural
geographies-cost the Omaha board 20 cents,
or any other sum. advance over other text
books OF equal quality and value is abso-
lutely false and known to be SO by Mr. Van
Glider. The charge that the American Book
company owns" any school board or su-
perintendent, or that it's books are preferred
cept on their merits and prices. is absolutely
false and the charge Is made by wild
eyed agitator' who does not know what he
Is talking about. The charge that the
American Book company is in any sense q
trust Is absolutely false. The charge was
made by rivals of the American Book COM
pany years ago and the Illinois legislature
made thorough investigation Of this charge
to see whether the American Book company
and Its methods OF doing business came
under the antitrust law and the committee
Of that legislature reported unanimously thai
the American Book company not only is not
trust but that It's existence has caused a
reduction OF prices and better quality Of
books not only by the American Book COM
pany but by most of Its many competitors.
Whether 1t was wise to change Biographies
last year at all is not for me to say. Mr..
Van Glider urged a change of Biographies
for two years and the change defeated
on two or three occasions. but finally he ac-
complished it against the protest Of other
members. l have no access to the records.
but my recollection is that Mr.. Penfol6
voted against the change at every meeting.
including the meeting when the natural
Biographies were adopted but the board de-
Cided to change and was compelled to make
it's choice of the books before it. After q
thorough examination the committee re-
ported in favor of the natural Biographies
and the board adopted the committees re-
port l think by vote OF ten to four. The
trouble with MIR. Van Glider is that he urged
lost. The book adopted is the very latest
and best now published and is as cheap as
any other first-class geography.
/ notice an article In the World Herald OF
today in which Ii Is assumed that great
fraud has been perpetrated upon the people
OF Omaha and that the republican party Is
TO blame for It, This Is all wrong. Politics
should not be brought into this transaction
served more than four years in the army
fighting for good government and am at
much in favor OF good government now as
then. But ! have voted the democratic
ticket for thirty-tive years and II any cor
ruption has been practiced on the part Of the
American Book company with any member
OF the Omaha board / am the one to blame
equally with any republican who has beer
corrupted.
Makes n Proposition.
Now. to cut this matter short. will make
this proposition. l court an investigation
/ deny the charge OF corruption on the par
aud deny that the American Book compan,
is a trust. ! also deny that the Oman.
board Is asked to pay / cent more for oul
books than any other of equal merit. den!
that the Omaha board pays cent more fo
our books than is paid for the same book
anywhere else in the United States | den!
that the American Book company ma.
beaten" the city of Omaha out of l cent
Rosewater as Judge; If he is no
satisfactory to Mr.. Van Glider, take Mr.
Rosewater OF The Bee and Mr.. Hitchcock o
the World Herald and If they are not salts
factory let Mr.. Van Glider select a thrC
man. All | ask is that the man he selects
shall be one whom Mr.. Rosewater and Mr.
Hitchcock will assure me is fair man. |
Mr. Van Glider can prove one OF his charge
! will pay the EXPENSES of the trial.
GEORGE S. WEDGEWOOD.
No action was taken on the communicated
at that time, but Mr.. Burgess was recognized
TO offer the following resolution, which was
adopted:
Whereas. On January L, 1899, at regu
lar meeting of this board, Mr.. Van Glider