The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-28

Failing absolutely to disprove the
charges OF fragrant abuse of the trust
reposed upon him by the people OF the
state OF Washington when they elected
him superintendent Of public instruction.
Mr.. Browne has sought shelter in silence
as 70 the real facts at issue allowing his
friends and the fusion organs TO take up
his case and endeavor to raise a false
issue in the minds of the people.
Being without any tenable ground
whatever. the Seattle Times last evening
sought to show that the figures quoted
by the Post-Inteiligencer from the official
records were In reality showing of
saving In favor OF the list of books adopt
ed by the state board of education. The
table as printed in the Post -Intelligencer
contained the facts. In place of two good
Biographies used in the public schools OF
the state until Superintendent Browne
got ready to organize school book trust
on his own account, and fer the benefit
OF himself and other fusion state ONT
eials. the state board adopted one worth
less book and then claimed to make
saving.
Moreover no reader was adopted as
substitute for the Franklin Fifth reader
used In the seventh and eighth grades.
In place of two works on hygiene, the
state board adopted but one. making an
apparent but at the same time deceptive
showing OF economy. The reason for this
is that the new work cannot be pur-
chased or exchanged for the book In use
during the past I'VE years in the COM
mon schools OF the state. The object in
this adoption was to increase the sales
Of the work on hygiene. which is the
product OF Superintendent Brownies
friend and co-worker in the Westiand
Publishing Company. DIR. Krohne. of Chi
cago.
This disposes OF the claim made by the
Times that the tables printed in the
Post~Intelligcncer are favorable 10 the
preposterous claim OF Superintendent
Browne that the state board OF educa-
tion has saved the people OF Washington
si2o,eo In FIVE years. The facts. as the
Post-Intelligence conclasively showed
last Tuesday morning. are directly the
reverse OF the assertion made by Super
intendent Browne IN Wednesdays Times.
II is estimated by competent school au-
thorties that the state VIII lose $3.50. 900
10 $4,000 during the next five years on
]
In every respect the state board OF ed
ueation taxed the people heavily when
II adopted at the instigation of Super
Intendent Browne and his fellow con-
spirators, the worthless text books OF 1900.
As matter OF fact. the new series OF
hooks. purchased at retail, will cost the
people Of the state al least 81 cents per
set more than the books adopted by the
state board Of education In 1895. More
/ over, the state board hxed the exchange
prices on the now books at a figure higher
In every school year save one. as COM
/ pared with the schedule provided by the
state law.
In addition. tho exchange prices on
/ books adopted by the state board for the
full eight years are in excess of the
! legal requirements laid down by the law
/ of iSs7.
Loss to Parents.
The immediate loss 80 the parents Of
the state whose children have old books
/ Go exchange 0ili he al least ssso During
TIE fuu ave years of this new contract
there will 30 a steady lass due to the
higher exchange prices as compared with
those prescribed by the law and based on
the statutory regulation ~ oue-afth of tho
retail cost 81 the hooks in use IN i%a
superintendent Brawne and his ape,0-
Eisis are absolutely silent reEnr3ing she
/ Post Entoliteencsr' specific charge. that
the state superintendent bad wlifusly ana
unlasfslly eraaive1 az tso Organization
% a puNdsASnk ceacern. Witch was
planned to receive the contracts for the
most proa'Rhle portion 90 the school
books adopted by che oglc'hl body Of