The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1902-05-23


of the claims of the various publish
ers, and shut out the army of agents,
we might get better books and avoid
many scandal. The very fact that
SO many agents are employed by the
book companies shows conclusively
that they are not depending so much
on the superiority of their books as
on the drawing qualities of their rep
resentatives. We are of course told
that these agents are necessary as it
takes an expert to explain the advan-
tages of the different books offered.
AS matter of fact the members of
the commission are supposed to ex
anime the books and determine for
themselves which one is the best and
not take the word of paid agent.
The lobby business is being greatly
overworked in this state since the
republicans are running it. The
presence of the lobby indicates one of
two things: either the members are
considered purchaseable or ignorant.
Commenting on the work of the
commission, the Topeka State Jour
nal, an independent republican daily,
says:
'There is big roar going up to-
day about the old Appleton readers
which were adopted by the state text
book commission for use in the Kan
sas schools. AS stated in the State
Journal yesterday, they are so old
and out of date that according to the
biography of Tennyson in the Fifth
reader, Tennyson is still alive. This
is only one of many inaccuracies in
the books. The copyright has ex-
pired on them and any one, it is
claimed, is at liberty to print them,
and the publishers have to pay no
roy yalties. Those who are in position
to know say that they have been dis
carded in every state in the union.
Educators and teachers who know the
value of modern books as compared
| with ancient ones are indignant over
| the action of the text book commits
sion.
"Stories Of Doodle are coming out
today. One is that a member of the
commission was notified that 5000
would be left on his porch. The wife
| of the member of the commission, so
the rumor goes, related the story to a
friend in Topeka, and that friend
could not keep it. Another rumor is
that a guest in one of the Topeka
hotels day or two ago picked up an
envelope from in front of the door of
a member of the commission, and th at
the envelope was found to contain six
$500 bills. No one who has heard
this rumor seems to have heard any
names in connection with it.
"Major Clancy, the head of the
American Book Compauy's lobby.
stated in his speech before the Satur-
day Night Club that his company had
not sent its best books to Kansas be-
cause the price was not satisfactory
He was asked if his company was try
ing to work off lot of second-class
books on Kansas school children, but
he lodged the question"
The Topeka Herald, an administers
tion republican paper, says:
! cit is unfortunate that the compile
ton OF the work of the text book COM
mission should be followed by charges
and counter charges of questionable
practices and bribery on the part of
some of the publishers. But the fact
remains that with or without cause
the air is full. of them. 1t has been
; apparent to every observer that the
large number of attorneys, represen-
tatives and agents of the publishers
who are endeavoring to influence the
selection OF books either directly or
J indirectly were not all necessary to a
legitimate conduct of this contest.
Out of this state of affairs have prob.
ably grown many runors which have
no foundation in fact. But there are
some which should not be ignored
, Despite the universal desire that Kan.
, sas publishers should receive as much
work as possible from this contest,
they retire with practically nothing
If it was urged truthfully that the
, failure of Kansas publishers to re
lceive any contracts was due to the
|, lack OF merit on their books the Her