The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-07-20

practical economy practical by thit
textbook commission in not hiring any
more clerks than they needed or keep
ing them any longer than they had
work for them to do, would drive hal
the politicians in Oregon out Of buSi-
ness. 1t lie doubtful II the people them
selves would stand it TO have public
business conducted in that way
Certainly those wouldn't whose only
interest in public official is not in hi
principles so much as in his pull.
IL is comical and yet nauseating tC
read OF one Professor Frank Rigler
who by some mysterious process, is kept
at the head OF the Portland city schools
coming out in laudatory endorsement oi
the' recent textbook adoption in thii
state which he had nothing whatever "a
do with, thank fortune. He had the
cheek 10 have lot Of people pushing
him for place on the textbook COM
mission, and the state was full Of
material 10 have proven his utter unfit
ness for disinterested work II be had
got on there. The Governor wisely con.
cluded not to have his valuable service,
and II the fallen angel, after he was
kicked out of the society Of the celestial
host, had turned around and endorsed
their action in sending him TO the
bottomless pit, he would not have APP
peared more robustly ridiculous than
this latest wriggle OF Rigler. The whole
textbook adoption is a slap square
in the face OF all the Wrigglers like
Rgler, who for twenty years used their
public positions 10 act as book agents
for a private corporation TO detriment
OF the schools and at the expense Of the
taxpayer. These gentlemen, II snch
performances on the part Of educational
officials permits the use il that word In
connection with them, cannot Wriggle
off the pinhook by psrfunotory
endorsement Of what ii took the decent
people Of all parties in this state three
years 10 bring about in spite OF the
united opposition Of these politician
educators like the now wriggling Rigler.
The plain truth is this textbook reform
that has now extracted an eleventh
hour endorsement from Rigler had HE
utmost contempt aud solid opposition
for the last three years. He fought
the DAILY bin when il was being drafted
by the joint legislative committee. He
exercised such a terrorism in behalf OF
the great American textbook trust
which he represented that teachers un-
der him were afraid to come before the
committee and give any suggestions. He
tried TO engineer resolutions through
the State Teachers Association con-
demning the reform, The last effort Of
the prolonged wiggle was last winter At
the meeting Of tho department OF state
superintendenee, whatever kind OF an
animal that may be, when an effort was
made TO change Gov, Geer's determine.
tion 10 name business mems commits.
sion, and Rigler was sat upon. II is
said that Rigler Was putting in his time
at salem during the sessions Of the
Textbook Commission. and as he never
said a word in favor OF the reform
you can bet your last cent he Was not
here in the interest Of his health. There
rs no danger Of his resigning or leaving
the state, but whole lot Of people
wouldn't shed any tears over whole
lot Of the bOOk-sgent school teachers
emigrating and leaving vacancies that
might be flled with some others who