The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-11-17
BOOK COMPANY'S OFFER
WHAT IT WILL DO FOR PROPOSED
CONTRACT.
Details of Matter Contained in Letter
From A. F. Gunn-Mr. Atkinson Said
to Favor the Scheme.

The proposal of the American Book
| Company for a new five years contract
with the department of education has
interested everybody in town in the
past day or two.
The proposal of Mr. Gum, represent
ting the American Book Company, is
contained i'm the following letter to the
commissioners of education dated No
vember Is, 1900
Ladies and gentlemen-Whereas the
contract now existing between the Ter
ritory Of Hawaii and the American
Book Company will expire on the 14th
day of February next, and whereas the
territory now has large stock of books
on hand, amounting to about $4,000, and
it has been stated that your honorable
board is lesrou Of disposng nf the
handling of said books, and place sam ,
in the hands of the Dealers now, there
fore, we propose as follows:
We will take from the territory all Of
| the stock of books now on hand, allow
! ing you cost prices for same, and we
will create a depository in the city of
Honolulu that will carry a complete
stock of the books which may be re-
CURED for use in the public schools of
the territory.
We further agree to supply said books
from our publications, and have them
sold to the school districts, or pupils, or
other purchasers of the territory as
they are now supplied by your honor
able board.
We also agreed that the prices shall
be maintained and shall never exceed
that of contract rates. That your hon
Orable board will have the privilege, at
any time. to select any books from our
catalogue that they may wish to have
used in the public schools of the terri
tory. We will also agree to give you
/ III y.1,rw
a special supplement for the territory,
/ the same to be complied and written
| by some party or parties in the terri
| tory who may be hereafter agreed up
on, and We to pay the expense of haV-
| ing said work done. Provided, how
ever:
That we shall enter into a new con-
tract with your honorable board for
| five 90 years or more as you may de-
signate. Some of the books that you
now have in use may be desirable to
continue in use in the public schools.
l would suggest, however, that it might
be well to dsplace others with some
of our more recent and modern publ
cations. The children in the public
schools of Hawaii, at the present time
and for the past five years, have been
purchasin~ their books at the prices
that the same books are supplied to the
| public school children in New York,
| Boston, Washington, Baltimore, Phila-
| delphia, Chicago, San Francisco and all
other parts of the United States. We
| agree that in case any reduction in
| list prices should be made at any time
| that the Territory of Hawaii shall have
the full benefit of the same.
AS you are aware, we publish very
extensive list of school and college text
books; our list being in the neighbour
hood of 1900 titles, including every class
of books than can be desired for use in
| any or all grades of schools. Should
, you, however, require at any time any
books for use in high or normal schools
not published by us, we will supply the
same at cost price.
Most respectfully submitted,
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY.
BY A. F. QUINN,
Attorney in Fact.
MY reason for desiring to make this
contract" said Mr. Atkinson yesterday,
sis first to get rid of the book business
in the board of education, which no
other board engages in, and, second,
| to have books sold at list prices to the
pupils in the Hawaiian schools. BY
no other means than a contract can
this be reached. To give up the book
business and have no authority over
the sales would leave the community
in a position to be charged higher
prices than are now paid. 1t is the
duty of the superintendent of schools
and the commissioners of education to
! protect the public to the utmost.