The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-19
The "Big Book Agent as Seen
by a Reporter.
Says Million Dollar Estimats Is
Too High.
TALKS OF CHARGES
Says That His Books Are offered
on Merits.
Defends the So Called Out of
Date Appleton Readers.

Major A. W. Clancy, of the American
Book company, the hero of many
bloody text book contract fights, and
for q years a field general on the fir
ing line of education. is in Topeka.
Mrs. G. G. Burton says Major Clancy
Won his title While serving as "major
of the pocketbook'' for the book
trust" but then Mrs. Burton doesn't
like Major Clancy. At any rate, he
wears an empty sleeve pinned to the
front of his long Prince Albert coat
and he had the keen, deep-set eye and
thin lfpline of fighter.
1t is supposed that Major Clancy
could tell some mighty interesting
stories about the fights he has fought
and won for the adoption of the school
books printed by his house. But he
isn't the kind of a man to unload his
personal adventures on the waiting
ear OF the newspaper reporters. How
ever, when he was cornered this morn
ing he didn't dodge or run away. He
was genial, and interesting, and
Dragged about his books, very much
like any other book agent brags.
Major Clancy says that the estimate
OF $1OOO,OOO as the value of the Kan
sas text book contracts is too high.
1T is the estimate of our company"
said Major Clancy this morning. that
the average aggregate value of these
contracts to the book companies is 40
cents for each pupil in the schools per
year. The enrolment in Kansas is
290. 900, and this would mean about
$4,000 Il year. Allowing for increase
during the five years, figure that the
contracts are worth about $4,000 to
100000 for the five years.
1T must be taken into consideration
in estimating the value of these book
contracts that many of the books in
use are hand me DOWNS Many of the
pupils do not buy books. They pick up
second hand ones at half price. That
is one of the arguments against chang
ing any of the books now in use. 1
estimate that there are $500, 900 worth of
second hand text books in the hands of
Kansas public school pupils right now.
Is it good thing for the state to lose
the value of those books by changing
to some other kind?"+
'Tt seems to be the general impress
sion," was suggested, that the Alneri
can Book company is willing to resort
to almost any measures to land these
contracts
1.-The American Book company" re=
piled Major Clancy, pacing back and
forth in front of the State Journal re-
porter, and shaking his bushy gray
locks, lis tired of hearing such rumors.
They come only from the newspapers,
through such people as Mrs. Burton.
Nobody but Mrs. Burton is making
charges of that kind. tell these people
that I don't care to come here and rake
up all these matters that we have
thrashed over in the past We believe
we have the right to offer our books to
this commission on their merits, and
that it what we propose to do. They
say the American Book company is a
trust. The newspapers like to call us
trust. The fact is that we are no more
a trust than any other book concern
which has expanded, bought up more
books, more manuscripts, and absorbed
more concerns than its competitors. We
want our books considered on their
merits, and we propose to submit books
in competition for all the contracts to
be let.''
There have been rumors of a slate
having been made, in which the Amer
lean Book company and others nave
agreed to divide uD the contracts on
some mutually agreeable basis. What
about that?"
"I have not heard anything about
any slate which includes the American
Book company, and l think would
have heard if there had been anything
of the sort. OF course it is the natural
thing for these smaller concerns to
com bine against US.
what do you think will be the at
titude of d. o. McCray in this fight? ?"
IF anybody knows what D. 0. Nc
Cray will do. he knows more than
do said Major Clancy. Mr.. Nc
Cray has never given me the slightest
indication of what his attitude will be.
''What do you think of Mrs. Bur-
toms attack upon you
Mrs Burton is a woman. and it is
difficult to defend ones self from the
attacks of a woman. If it was a man
If would be different. Who is it that
is putting Mrs. Burton UP to this fight?
1 have heard that some other book
concern was doing it. L don't know
which one"
s'It is charged that the American
Book company has supplied the state
of Kansas with readers which ares out
of date and unsuitable for use in mod
ern public schools. What nave you 10
say as to that?'
Here is one of the books which it is
charged is out of date" said Major
Clancy picking up an Appleton's reader.
I'VE propose to submit that book again.
with illustrations re-engraved. We will
also submit the Crane reader. The COM
mission can take it's choice. 1 am pre-
nared to defend the Appleton reader
against all attacks. 1t is in use in many
places besides Kansas. and it is the
product of years of study and expert
ment hold that nothing should be
Included in a reader until it has been
shown to stand the test of time The
contents of Appleton's readers have
been tested and found not wanting"
Major Clancy has reputation as sort
of a "rlysterious stranger in the school
text book business. He does not ap-
pear much in the actual conflict, but
directs the work from behind the
brea astworks. In the present fight, how
ever Major Clancy seems to be taking
a more personal part. No secret is
made of his presence in Topeka, and he
didn't struggle or scream when he fell
into the hands of the reporter.