The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-01-22
CAPT. HENDRICKS VIEWS.
He Recounts Els Services and Defends His
Company From Attacks.

TO the Editor:
SO much has been written and Fri IL
ed, apparently, at least, by inte este,
persons, that continued silence IS l.os
longer virtue. Some facts may not
be so palatable to the many dis ri r.
ested' correspondents, nevertheless they
are facts.
More than twenty-four yen. $ $50
when | came To North Carolina, school
books We're f:om so per cent to loo pr
cent. higher than now. First ite;tiar;
were Is to 40 cents each. Fifth Read
ers from $l.2, to $1.50 each. My 7 or
osition made to the State Board Wa. 80
retail books III wholesale prices, til, 50
being our mailing prices. When .lcr-
chants paid freights / stated the dis
count would be % per cent. This was
the first time in the history Of scnool
books when wholesale prices bec4,re
retail prices.
Since that time First Readers on the
State list have never sold for moe
than Is cents. To merchants at eleven
and one-quarter 01A), or twenty-fivl
(25) per cent. discount. Holmes Fifth
Reader is sixty 600 cents; to merchats
forty-five (45) cents. The postage cl
Holmes smaller First Reader, is three
CD cents, or twenty COO per cent of the
mailing price. Postage on Holmes lar
ger First Reader is five 60 cents, or
twenty-five (25) per cent. of the mailing
price. 1t is for the State or counties to
say whether or not the people shall be
saved the profits of the merchants. We
sell to all alike where we have con-
tracts, whether State, county or city
All that a publisher can do is to name
his selling price and terms Holmes
smaller First Reader has ninety-fou
(94) lesson pages: Holmes larger Fist
Reader, cloth, has one hundred and
twenty-five ,125) lesson pages Mail
ing price is twenty 600 cents, and to
merchants or others who pay freight
fifteen (15) cents.
When my proposition was published,
the principal book sellers Zone excep-
tom met and denounced me for taking
away their I rofitS. For six of seven
years / had immense untold trouble
and expense to get the books handled
at prices named. Some publishers who
failed to get books on the State list
made dispositions and gave forty (40)
per cent discount from their (then)
high prices. Mr.. Scarborough, then
State superintendent, knows this and
of the trouble his own county of John
ston gave him. At Asheville / had to
arrange with Mr.. Rankin, then a mer-
chant and now a banker, to handle the
books. AT Goldsboro the book seller re-
fused to handle the books and also re-
fused to allow an advertisement in his
paper calling attention to State list
books These are not isolated in
stances. At number of places deposit
tions had to be changed TO carry out the
contract
| repeat that if North Carolina wants
the "dispensaly' plan, that is for some
county official to handle the books with
out compensation. then Holmes small
Ter First Reader (boards) can be sold
to pupils for IL cents, and Holmes lar
ger First Reader (cloth) for Is cents
This is for the State or counties or the
cities to determine for themselves. No
people in the Union buy books cheaper
than do the merchants or book sellers
of North Carolina. We give from our
mailing prices a uniform discount of rs
per cent where we have contracts.
hence the retail prices are left to the
purchasers. We do, however, endeavor
to arrange so that no price shall be
higher than our mailing prices. To
again illustrate: Holmes First Reader
CLOTH is Is cents to purchasers, and
postage 5 cents, making 20 cents by
mail.
Some writer's call book men lobbyists
robbers, etc. Now, I have not been to
the capital during the present session Of
the Legislature. Have not talked with
members anent school book legislation.
Yet, as a citizen of the State, / shall
go when so inclined, for l feel at liberty
to go anywhere Democrats have an
abiding place" and believe l will find |
a welcome.
] am prepared to defend the publish |
ers and BOOKS / represent Persons |
who state | am in any combination must |
discredit General John b. Gordon. |
Those who repeat the statement. aI.G /
that our books are not fully up to date. !,
as well made, cost more than others.
etc, are either wilfully ignorant of the
facts, or make false statements knew
lngly and wllfuily Do you know of any