The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-14
COST OF SCHOOL BOOKS
Mrs. Burton Gives Out statement
Showing Expense of Publication.


Mrs. Ella G. Burton has given out an
other lengthy state ment attacking the
state text book commission. The party
organs in printing the statement ex-
plunged all references to Governor
Hoch's connection with the affair. This
is what Mrs. Burton said which was not
printed:
THE need of the removal of corrupt-
ing influences over the educationa1 sys-
tenn is clearly set forth in the appoint
ment of a. man on the text book COM
mission by Governor Hoch, after he had
read the statement CT the American
School Book company, saying they had
always found him friendly to their iu-
terests, and he had boasted that he could
handle certain men. Shifting from corr
rupting influences over governors to
practices of the trust as 1t relates to ed
ucators facts couldsIbsf presented that
would aStOnisf the most interruptions
CRATER. Two methods are followed and
the following quotations from letters
from among many others on file illus
trates the tactics employed and argues
for state publication which would re-
move this eorruptings qower. M
Quotations from letter Of a prominent
educator.)
" On my return I found your letter
with S41.50 enclosed for which accept
hanks. You can ship the calf Ca regis
tered Jersey heifer) any time after the
1llSLs OIL ESplEHfDEE.Aa l. VIII De at 4lO4nG
any time after that.fs T. haven't heard
anything from the university out west,
except that things are considerably
mixed.
Quotation from a letter of a noted
boodler OF the book trust)
" The American Book company viii
lose ali at Oklahoma City urless we
make a fight that lieks John McLain FOR
superintendent. I can NOT do that unless
I am allowed the necessary ammuni-
ton
Mr. McLain is one of a class Of noble
men ard women who remain true to the
people at the risk of persecution from
this villainous foe of the public schools.
Is it not the duty Of the state to protect
them?"
Mrs. Burton takes up at length the
question Of the expense Of having text
books printed by the state. She presents
some interesting tables to show that the
state could save large sums of money by
printing it's own books. She says:
With a state printing plant equipped
as that of Kansas school books can be
made at home and save to the state five
hundred thousand dollars ($500, 000) an
nually that now goes to employ eastern
labor and machinery and profit to the
school book trust.
The table of prices of material and
labor following shows the cost of max
inc. the Crane readers, compiled by Kan
AN--ANNeA~
printer. under copyright of 1902:
First reader-Quantity. 100 M; pages
1872; paper. $2.576; press work, $S13-35;
folding, s148 50. gathering, collating
sewing, 1881. As; cases, labor, 1904; ma
terial, s1,s75; binding, S1,705; cost per
book, S0.08S4.
second Reader-ouantity. 80 NJ; pages
176; paper. s3,157; press work, s61S-75i
folding, $685.: gathering, collating
sewing, $3.50; cases, labor, $651.20, ma
terial, 81 500; binding. s1,364; cost pei
book, $0.0S90.
Third Reader-Quantity IS NJ; pages
2z4; paper, So, 1888; press work, $704; fold
ing, s20710; gathering. collating. sew
ing, S730.S0: cases. labor, $610.50, mater
ial, 81, $50; binding, IS, 1892 cost per book
$0.1s9o
Fourth Reader-Quantity, 50 N pages
1856; paper, 81, s51; press work. $742. fold
ing, 1921; gathering, conating, sewing
| 1854. 40: cases, labor. S4o7, material, $1,100