The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-01-27
SUMTER S. O. WEDNESDAY. JANUARY e. 1904
SENSATION over BOOK MATTER.
Atlanta Journal Has information
That Political Row is Brewing
In Georgia as Result of School Book
Adoption.

In Georgia as Result of School Book
Adoption.
The Atlanta Journal of Sunday
points out that there is much doing in
regard to the book commission awards.
That journal prints in full the Josiah
Carter chronicles Atlanta CORES
pondent) article, and, in addition,
prints the following very sensational
article:
A sensation is brewing in State pol
itics by reason of discoveries made by
book men in the: records Of the book
commission, which recently adopted
the books for State schools for the next
five years, which discoveries, it is al
legged, show the American Book COM
pany was allowed to make two bids sub
sequent to the time allowed for filing
the bids had expired. So far as the
records go this company was the only
company to make subsequent bids after
the time fixed for all bids to be filed,
and it was the last bid of the company,
which was without date, that secured
the contract for the American Book
company for the third, fourth and fifth
Of Lees readers.
aWhile examining the records of the
commission Saturday well-known
book agent, whose company partici-
pated in the recent bidding, found two
bids of the American Book company
which had come in after November %,
the date set for receiving the bids.
He was greatly surprised at the action
of the commission, it is said, and was
very indignant that his company
should have received such treatment.
When other book representatives heard
the news Of the discovery they too we're
greatly surprised. The maGter has
been largely discussed by those inter-
ested, and Saturday it was the sensa-
tion of the day in the State capitol.
What the effect of the discovery will
be remains to be seen, but that it will
stir things up in political circles seems
a certainty.
'sThe first bids on the readers which
were awarded to the American Book
company were at much higher price
than the bid which secured the con-
tract, and, furthermore, readers OF
both CHM & Co., and Maynard, Mer-
rill & Co., which we're bid in Novem-
ber 25, at lower price than those OF
the American Book company, were
both classed higher by the sub-com-
mission than the American Book COM
pany readers. This is another point
which has caused no end of discussion
and which will perhaps bear explana-
tion.
SOMETHING ABOUT PRICES.
"When the bids of the American
Book company we're submitted on No
vember %, the date determined upon
for the final filing of all bids of the
companies participating in the contest,
they showed the following prices for
the Lee readers, third, fourth and fifth,
which were afterwards adopted by the
commission as the readers for five
years: Thirty-fve cents, 45 cents and
so cents for the third, fourth and
fifth. readers. respectively. The bids
submitted on November 80. Eve days
after the time for fling the bids had
expired. showed the following figures !:
Thirty cents, 40 cents, 45 cents. The
bid Of the same company, which came
| on later without any date, and upon
| which the contract for the readers was
awarded, showed the following prices
for the third, fourth and fifth read
ers: Thirty cents, 35 cents, 35 cents.
"On November 18th the Maynard
| Merrill company, which also submit
ted bids for the readers, and two of
! the readers, the first and second, be-
| ing awarded to that company, put in
| a bid which priced "Graded Litera-
ture'' readers at 70 cents, "a cents, "a
cents. respectively. for the third,
| fourth and fifth readers. And, as
stated, the Graded Literature read
ers were classed as the very highest
class by the sub commission appointed
to examine all books and report upon
them, while the American Book COM
pany readers, at much higher price
at first, and which were afterwards
reduced considerably, and which had
not been ranked very high by the sub
commission, were selected instead. It
is this fact that the politicians and
book men are discussing and are won
| deriug what the result will be.
EOARD MEMBERS WON'T TALK.
Governor Terrell and Secretary of
State Phil Cook, who are members OF
the board which awarded the book
contracts, were seen last night, and
both of them declined to make any
statement about the discovery of the
subsequent contracts. Attorney Gen
eral John G. Hart, who is a member
of the State board also, was out of the
! city, and no response could be had to
| rings at the door bells at the resi-
dences of State School Commissioner