The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-01
FOUR CAR LOADS.
Books For Kansas Schools Are
Arriving.
Will Require 30 Car Loads to
Supply the State.
WATCH NEXT MOVE.
American Book Company May
Go to Federal Court.
Restrain State Officers From
Interfering With Business.

1t is likely something will drop in the
American Book company matter within
a few days. The first consignment of
books for the Kansas trade has been
shipped from the Cincinnati house of
the American Book company to the
Kansas Book company at Topeka The
first shipment consisted of four carloads
of books and there are over thirty car
loads more to follow. The Kansas Book
company of Topeka will be the distrib-
utors for the American Book company
in Kansas.
the Kansas Book company, was seen by
a reporter for the State Journal this
morning.
"Will you make an attempt to distrib-
ute the books of the American Book
company before the question of the
standing of that corporation in the state
is settled?" was asked.
NO" he replied. 1--WE have no in
clination to fly in the face of an injunc-
tion."
Cannot you evade the law by buying
the books of the American Book COM
pany outside the state, and then bring
them here to distributor" was the next
question.
Il believe not" said Mr.. Shirer Eat
least we are not making plans to do SO.
The contracts which the American Book
company has with the state text book
commission would prevent such an ar
must be settled before we send out any
of the books. The books are being ship
ped here and put into storage. We have
orders on our books from all parts OF
the state for the books for the fall
trade. but it now begins to look like it
will be impossible to get the books or
the market before time for the begin
ming of the fall term of school,
/ 1t is supposed in Topeka that Major
A. M. Harvey and Senator Fred Dumont
Smith are in Chicago in conference with
the members of the American Book
company in regard to the future policy
of the company in Kansas and the
course to be pursued.
A reporter for the State Journal call
ed at Major Harvey's Office this morn
ing only to find him absent. Inquiry
failed to elicit a satisfactory answer to
his whereabouts. The reporter was told
that Major Harvey had Instructed thai
should anyone call for him and make
inquiries, he was to be told that he
could not reach Mr.. Harvey today. -
Considerable delay has been occasion.
ed because of the inability of the COM
pany to get before the Kansas state
charter board on account of the absence
from the city of its members. TIVE
| members of the board are now in To
peka. They are State Bank Commis-
sioner Morton Albaugh and State Sec
. retary George Clark. The other mem
ber A. A. GODDARD, attorney general fol
the state is away from the city and i:
not expected to be back until Septem
ber l. Two members of the board have
power to act If the American Bool
company makes application to the
board for the right to transact busines.
| in Kansas. it is said charges will bt
| filed with the board against the bool
| company seeking to prevent the grant
:! ing of the permit. 1t is said the charges
will involve bribery transactions, and il
T! is hoped by the attorneys for Crane &
! Co that the evidence that will be pro
| duced will be ponderous enough to pre-
vent the charter board from granting
| the permit needed by the American
Book company.
| 1t is now rumored that in event thu
American Book company is denied tht
permit from the state charter board tt
/ do business in the state. that it will
| go into the federal courts and ask fol
restraining order to prevent Kansa.
officials from interfering with their bus
| mess until after the litigation is finish
| ed, and the company will then appea
| to the United States, supreme cour
| from the Kansas supreme court. If the
] case is taken to the United States su
preme court it is more than likely tina
| a decision will not be had within thre,
| years. Meanwhile the American Bool
| company will have disposed of tn,
greater per cent, of the books that will
be brought in Kansas during the tern
| of their five year contract.