The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-05-03

House Committees on Education was
held in the Hall Of the House Of Repre-
sentatiyes on Tuesday evening, April
3Oth. at s o'clock, to hear arguments
on the several bills before the Legisia-
ture on the subject Of school books
A large audience heard the discussion,
there being present many members of
the Legislature and not few ladies.
The committee gave the two sides
State uniformity of school books advo-
Gates and those opposed to the measure
one hour each in which to make their
arguments. Subsequently the time
was extended to one hour and half
each, and it was midnight before the
discussion ended.
Those who spoke in favor Of State
uniformity were Editor Claude L 'Engle,
Prof. w. N. Sheats and Mr.. A. J.
Gray, of the B. F. Johnson Publishing
Co.
DR.. A. /. Branham, Of the American
Book Co., spoke against State uniform
ity, and in favor of county uniformity,
the plan now in use in Florida.
The discussion was snappy and deeply
interesting. Three real sensations
were developed. The first one was the
statement of Editor L Engle that agents
Of CHM & Co. and of D. G. Heath &
Co., both school book publishers that
are very actively, though heretofore
secretly, engaged in aiding the State
uniformity advocates, had paid the ex-
penses of the agents he had sent over
the State seeking information relative
to the school book question, and whose
reports he read to the committees.
This important piece of information
greatly as tonished the committees and
the audi ence generally, because it was
previously known to only a few
that l.. B. Robson and M. c. Miller,
of CHM & Co., and F. o. Spain, of D.
c. Heath & Co., were spending money
in Florida to work up sentiment in ia
vOr of State uniformity of school books.
The second sensation came out when
DR.. Branham read from Prof. Sheats'
report of 1902, when the latter was
State Superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton, remarkably vigorous protest
against State uniformity of school
books in any form. The reading Vf
this protest followed the speech Prof.
lbaatg y,ula - fo,tov 90 Ctota 80;
Pormity
The committees and audience saw the
point, and there were abundant evil
1ences of their amusement over Prof.
5heats predicament, Prof Sheats
made no reply. The third sensation
was the result Of two questions Prof
5heats asked DR.. Branham. These
we're practically one in substance, and
to this "Will the American
Book Company sell to Florida. people
lnder the present county uniformity law
he che APP special state uniformity books
old in Georgia and elsewhere at the
.ame cheap prices that prevail in Geor-
ria and elsewhere?" DR. Branham an
wered emphatically and without equivo-
alton that the American Book Company
would do so; would sell in Florida to
anybody and everybody the same cheap
books sold in Georgia and elsewhere at
he same cheap prices, and would do so
Under the present county uniformity
'lan; would do so under binding con-
racts with county Boards for any rea-
enable term of years; and he further
.ecla red that the American Book Com
ANY was ready to make a valid bond
n the sum of So, 900 that it would do 80
Inder present conditions, whether or
lot the HUMPHREYS Watts on bill became
law. DR.. Branham also said that
hese cheap state nuniformity editions
we're sold in many places that had no
tate uniformity laws, and instanced
linn & Co. s selling a cheap special
dition of Jones' Readers in Chicago;
many book concerns selling their cheap
looks to independent school systems in
Georgia; many publishers selling their
heap books in st. Louis, IN 1ndianapo-
is, insevery county in Missouri FOR the
'ast two years without any sort Of
chool book law, and ::he said he knew
to be fact that if the sHumphres-
UaNgnF, hill Iaa.... a lao, ,,.oaA -