Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1903-01-29
Governor Dockery on
Free Text-Boohs


the General Assembly Tuesday morn
ing, declared his position regarding
free textbooks
The House Committee on Constitu-
tional Amendments took the side OF
Representative Atkinson, who intro
duced duplicate Of the resolution Of
tered by Rubey in the Senate. and de-
cided to report the resolution favor
ably.
This resolution provides that a tax
of z mills ON the dollar be imposed for
free textbooks, and is the direct OF
poslte of the localoption law proposed
by Governor Dockery.
The Governors message is as fol-
lows:
To the SENATE ana House Of Representa-
The cost of textbooks for the children
OF our public schools. during the last six
years, amounted to nearly Ss,OOo,OOO or an
for each pupil enrolled.
The present system by which text
books have been furnished under contract
has been maintained during the last
twelve years Its purpose ia TO secure
books
ABOUT One-half OF the states OF the
Union have adopted the State uniform
ity'' system, thus enabling the schools to
be better graded and articulated and the
people to secure fairly reasonable rates
In the purchase of school materials. The
DOCKS now IN use in the public schools of
missouri were contracted under a law app
proved March 81. 1897 authorizing their
adoption for five years, and unfit other
wise provided by law In the absence of
additional legisla ton no other text-bo
can be legally sold to the children or used
I'm the public schools.
1t appears from the able rc~ort OF SUI
perintendent Darlington that the books
selected by the commission in 1897 have
In the main been satisfactory, but II is
thought that the list should now be re-
vised. There have been difficulties in some
parts of the State in securing books
when needed. and 1t is thought that ac-
ton should be taken looking TO, a petiuc-
ton OF the present prices
LEGISLATION.
Obviously. 1t is the duty Of the General
Assembly to enact such legislation az will
secure the very best school books, at the
lowest prices, to be furnished to the
schools without delay and unnecessary
annoyance to the patrons.
In my opinion, the contemplated revi-
sion of textbooks and attendant reduce
ton of prices should be committed an
der wise and eXacting safeguards, to a
commission, clothed with full authority
to deal with this whole question with
splendid educational system. Missouri's
public schools are not eNcelled by those
OF any other State OF this Republic, and
our children are entitled to the very best
textbooks, at the lowest possible cost
Great care should be taken in the Ieeis-
lation enacted to accomplish these desired
results. There should be no element OF
chance. The enaetments on this dlres-
ton should clearly be In the interest of
our people, whose aim has ever been to
AFFORD the youth OF this State only that
winch Is best In educational advantages
and facilities.
In submitting this recommendation for
a Textbook Commission, shall not pre-
sent further argument. inasmuch as this
important question has been so fully and
so impartially discussed in the annual re-
port of the State Superintendent Of
Schools.
WITHOUT COST.
In this connection I desire to advert
briefly to the suggestion that books
should be furnished to the children of
the State without cost.
Properly speaking, there can be no such
thing as free textbooks Some one
must print them, and some one must pay
for them.
Until very recently no other plan was
proposed than that the parents should
purchase the books. 1t is now proposed
by some people that this duty shall de-
Volve upon the State. After the proposed
system is fully installed, at a cost ex-
ceeding one million of dollars it will re-
quire from $4,000 to 100000 annually to
maintain them.
Massachusetts was the first state TO
provide for district ownership" of text
books for the free use OF school children.
This new departure was made In 1884.
Under this system the books are paid for
by taxing the people of the district Mas
sachusetta, New York, Pennsylvania Ne
braska and six other States require every
district to purchase and own textbooks.
Many other States have what is known as
local option ownership" leaving IL to
each county. township or district, as the
case may be, to determine whether Il
will tax itself for this purpose
II is proposed that Missouri shall sup
ply school books, free of charge, to all
the children the purchase to be made by
the State out OF the State revenue fund
This proposition is impracticable under
our present Constitution, which now linn
It's the levy for State revenue purposes
to 10 cents on the 500 valuation, third
OF which is returned to the people to
maintain the schools.
REVENUE.
It is estimated that the receipts into
the State revenue fund will not exceed
$5,500OO0 during present biennial period
Every dollar OF this income will be abb
solutely required to meet existing de-
mands upon our State revenue fund 1t
Is not wise to enfeeble and enerVate our
eleemosYnary, educational and penal in
stltution5 by diverting any part of this
income to new objects requiring large ap-
preparations, II matters not how worthy
they may be.
/ desire to emphasize the Treasury sit
uation by reiterating the statement that
the estimated income OF s5500,000 for the
biennial period upon which we are en-
tering Is scarcely Sufficient 10 meet ex-
isting liabilities and properly equip and
maintain the institutions Missouri has cl-
ready authorized.
The State should not dissipate Its re-
sources and imperil the growth and efti-
cheney OF its institutions by entering upon
new fields OF endeayor, requiring extern
sive appropriations, unless at the same
time the necessary revenue is provided 70
meet the new liabilities, Concentration
OF effort and intelligent care and over
| sight OF existing institutions are prefer
able TO the dissipation OF orr income.
am a jealous friend OF the public
school system, but nothing can Justify ths
| State In failing TO provide ample and In
creasing facilities for the care OK the In
sane, the feeble-minded, the deaf the
blind ard other unfortunate CLAUSES Of
our people.
In View. therefore. Of the constitutional
Limitation upon the taxing power, I rec
ommend the submission OF constitu-
| tionai amendment authorizing counties
4 II a Al. 49, 49,