The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-30
A Question for Mr.. Vance.

general or TINS siate, ~, as every ouT
knows. the real head OF the office. and
morally responsible for its conduct
The attorney general himself Is and
has been during the greater part Of HIS
term incapacltated for performing pub
iIc duty OF any kind. He Is not to be
held 10 any responsibility for the con-
duct Of his Office. all Of the official
duties OF which are performed by Mr..
Vance, and by him alone. Therefore
II is 20 Mr.. Vance, the acting attorney
general OF the state and Democratic
candidate for attorney general, that
the state must look to protect its IN
teres,s In the courts. and there is no
way in which he can evade that re-
sponsibilIty.
There Is duty which rests upon Mr..
Vance. in connection with the school
text book matter. II appears from evil
dence now before the public. which evil
dence ~ available for use in the courts,
that considerably prior TO the time
when It became the duty OF the state
| board OF education TO examine into the
merits Of the various text books and
10 select therefrom those best suited
20 the requirements Of the public
schools OF this state, Mr.. Browne, chair
man Of the board which was to sit in
this auasi-judiciai capacity. interested
| himself strongly 70 procure the crea-
ton OF corporation In this state.
| which would undertake the publication
| of these text books; that he induced
several persons to take upon themselves
the work of preparing text books
TO be published by this company: that
the company was organized, and in adj
vance Of the meeting OF the board.
/ printed a number OF the text books.
| the manuscript OF which was furnish
| ed by persons who had been solicited
| by Browne to perform the work; that
other text books were prepared at his
solicitatIon. but printed outside OF the
state. also before the letting Of con-
trncis by the state school board.
II Is also a matter OF record that
when the state board met. through the
Browne. a majority of the members Of
the board voted TO accept. In every in
stance save one. the text books which
had been prepared at Brownies In
stance. and published at Brownies In
stance. by a corporation created with
Brownies cooperation for the purpose
school book contracts. II also appears
that the value Of the contracts thus
awarded by Brewne ana his associates
Is hundreds on thousands OF dollars.
u il also shown that the books sub
mit,ed by the corporation IN which
Browne had interested himself, were
far inferior to other books submitted
az the same time. were prepared in the
most siovenly and slip-shod manner,
and were fun Of the most egrsgious
hlunders, due In part 20 earelcssness
and Ia part 20 absolute Ignorance on
the part Of the eompllars, That not
withstanding these facts, the actual
cost OF these books. counting exchanges
values Ia. viii BE- considerably mor'
20 the people ~ the state than would
have been the case II other and bet
ter text books. not published by thls
corporation. had been chosen,
u ls Submitted 70 Alr Vance sbR'
these facts shaw that Browne had en-
tered into a conspiracy with the peo-
pie Who made this corporation. and ths
persons who compiled these text books
whereby Browne had agreed, Ions tg
advance u the letting 81 iAe contract,
Tor school books, and ocfare the bo- BE-
Published by this CorpcF&tian had eyet
bsoa written. that he. Rgowps. wouls
procure the letting Of the contract fot
school books 90 thls local cororntlDa
That being the case. the whole pro
ceeainx Whereby the hoard o; edaca
lion pretended u examine and pas
upon the merits OF ne different book
vas a fraud and r-etonse- The con
tract which Il Is pretended was enter
/ "a into az that time was fraudulent
both Ia law ana lr morals
Therefore. Il Mr. Vance desires q
pose as an honest man. as n faithful
guardian OF the public Interests. an,
as lawyer who WIN do his duty u
his client. without fesr or without per
nltting his private interests 20 affec
| his aeUeus, his only course Is TO com