The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-26

ditions that the hand of time has left ur
to this good hour.
The fellow feeling, therefore, between
this fossilized relic of the carpet-bag
regime and trust which is perhaps
about the nearest existing approach to
what may be called successor to this
regime. is perfectly natural, hence it is
not surprising that a few salt tears
should be dropped over a prospect which,
to Mr.. Stoddard. must be like severing
the very last link that binds him to the
dear dead past of carpet bagism.
But Mr.. Stoddard raised the very point
the States has been looking to be
brought forward for some time, knowing
as well as it does. the methods and
arguments of the Book Trust and other
trusts as we'll, This is the question of
what a change of books would cost to
the people of the State, the patrons of
the public schools. While the trust was
insidicusly forcing it's textbooks on the
list. and where it could not directly get
them on the regular list, placing them on
the optional list and then working upon
the local authorities to make its books
on the optional" list the ones to be
used in the schools, it did not bring for
ward the question of the cost it would
entail upon the people. Its solicitude
70. the dear people only broke out into
active eruption when it saw the prospects
of change from its books to those print
ed by other firms.
But this is neither here nor there. The
fight is being made for a continuation of
the Trust domination on the grounds that
to break away from such domination
would entail needless expense to the
State. If the charge were true it could
still be justified on the theory that it
were better for people to control their
own affairs even though it should cost
something to do it than to surrender this
power to another because it is cheaper.
But the States most emphatieally denies
the charge that the changes needed in
the school book system of this State will
be more expensive to the people. Such
a charge has been trumpet up by the
trust in order to scare the people into
advocacy Of their case and it is false
from beginning to end. For years the
Book Trust has been charging the people
of this State tn most exorbitant prices
for inferior books and the fight now being
made is for cheaper books and better
books and this fight is going to be won,
in spite of the Book Trust and all the
recruits it may be able to win from car
pet-bag administrations or from more
reputable sources. Besides, it is not
necessary that any change that may be
effected should cost the patrons of the
public schools a cent. Provision can easily
be made for such changes to become eff
fective in each case where the class goes
out of the textbook it is studying, and
takes up the succeeding book. When
the next book is bought, it will be the
one adopted by the board, and this book
being both cheaper and better, it can be
seen that money will be saved to the
patron rather than lost by the change.
Mr.. Stoddards grievous complaint and
outrage" is therefore as empty of fact
or substance as a last years birds nest;
and his resurrection from the tomb to
fly to the defense Of the Book Trust is
as ineffective as it is absurd But the
Book Trust is to be congratulated upon
the eternal fitness of things" represent
ed by its latest recruit.