The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-04-18
METHODS OF THE AMERICAN BOOK TRUST.


Gertrude NJ Murdoch, M. A, of Chit
cago tells in the April Wayside Tales of the
operations the American Book Trust To start with the
that for the Chicago Tribune and the
papers Chicago have enjoyed rich graft
education, running high $25OOo0
year papers in with the American Book
Trust in evyng tribute upon the school children OF Chicago
Murdoch explains that the American Book Trust
corporation the capital stock of which is valued
official headquarters of which in
skyscraper Washington New York
American Book Company organized about fifteen
years ago. There of the largest school book
original combination: Nison, Brakeman
Taylor & Co.. Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co.; A. S. Barnes
Co. D. Appleton & Co. Commenting the consolidation
publishing houses the time a
New York newspaper remarked The combination
is sufficiently strong to strange all competitions henceforh
the school system the country will
After waging long and bitter by the employ
ment of devices quite original in warfare the book
swallowed following large publish
ing houses Harper Bros; Copperhwaite Co; Wer
School Book Co.; Butler Sheldon Co.; many
smaller houses:
1t was prepared to withstand all opposition and
competition and the leading cities country were
within the of the gigantic octopus. 1t
trust great deal of An agent the remarked
recently:
1T cost to get inside Chicago than
In all the other cities put together but, believe
more firmly intrenched there almost any
city. We are no cheap skates in Chicago; know
price and insist upon it."
Miss Murdoch relates she was given an insight
into the methods of the American Company few
while assistant principal known
private school in New American Book Company
was DESTROYS of securing the substitution
of theirs for book of German fairy published by
another house. which had been in some time. A
genial and prosperous individual called
noon, bringing with him dozen copies of the
handsomest books for supplementary reading
his house He left the books behind
Next morning edition of Websters In
ternational dictionary complete set of
English classics with revolving bookcase their
pearance The trust could afford gifts in order to
strange competitor. In tnat school today every book
used from the kindergarten college preparatory
the trust is at so much pains in the of private
school, what must be the efforts put
tire public school system?
The people of the Washington have good rea-
to know what the Book Trust is and what
its methods. The first education that
met at Olympia to adopt of textbooks years
was disgraced by the attempt altogether
unsuccessful, to bride its with $4,000
checks Edwards, the notorious agent the American
Book Company VINO manipulating the deal was after
wards indicted, but allowed escape through teen
nicaly for fear that he would tell all that knew.
There is to doubt the still
ready to public to secure the
adoption Of its books, but are not so crude
those followed by Edwards. Gunderson Jaw giving
every county and incorporated the right
adopt its own books is rich thing
rector and many teacher throughout the
revolving bookcase wits classics and per-
maps Websters unabridged thrown in within the
lew weeks-"without money and without price"