The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-11

list IN the first place. these gentlemen
are IN favor 81 an open list under ideal
conditions and en- the next place. with
sl due respect TO these gentlemen. they
cannot deal intclugcnuy with this Ques-
ton at Ions range ana without under
standing the conditions which they were
called upon TO discuss"
Mr.. Bowles states. and the attorney
approves the statement. that the adop-
tion Of tho multiple list in 1904 saved the
State OF Virginia $500. OOo. What is your
view Of the correctness or this state
ment2'
Whatever &c might have cost the peo-
pie OF virginia TO have gone 20 a single
list at once I'm 1904 81 cost them just as
much TO 20 to the present multiple list.
Now TO bark back FOR moment to what
IL did actually cost under the multiple
list plan. il cost $4,000 the first year.
and IL is costing at tho very minimum
$1,000 year since that time. There
would. therefore. have been a saving 20
the people OF Virginia from 1901 10 1905
under the single list not less than $780,
COO net.
1.-The members Of tho board who made
tho adoption Of 1904 claim that they had
the advantage OF the widest competition
as 10 prices2
The statement made and reiterated
before your committee last month. that
there was the widest field for competi-
ton between the book publishers; that
there was complete competition or I'm
fact. that there was any competition
whatever in prices between the publish
ers. IS correct. and II the committee
is not satisfied that my statement is
true. and II the eminent gentlemen who
composed the state Board in 1894 are
unwilling 10 accept my statement 1 sug-
D.
tlemen ask the publishers"
Not Correct Parallel.
"A parallel was drawn by one Of the
members Of the board between the right
or a professor Of n college to select his
books and the public school teachers 20
select theirs. DO YOU think this Is a
correct parallel
I do not think 90. Indeed, I can see
10 parallel"
AR Egglestou was asked II he had
any object lesson since ne had been
superintendent OF the advantage OK the
single over the multiple list
He said he had. and cited cases where
the State Board had recently given OK
elusive adoption on two books on Morals
and Manners" and in one case there
was Z saving OF IS per cent and IN the
other Of 80 per cent.
Have you ever heard any book pub
books cheaper under the single than un-
der the multiple list@'' he was asked
Yes was the reply. and witness read
a strong letter from u. @. Heath & Co.
along this line.
Here the witness read the resolutions
adopted by the county board Of Prince
Edward. memoriaiizing the state board
10 adopt the single list and when ne had
concluded. he said with emphasis: "I
never received the slightest ackrowied
ment Of the letter enclosing these reso-
lutiOns and 7 understand similar reso-
lutions from CulPepar met the same
fate"
This was the opening gun FOR the
single list in Virginia. NJ. Eggleston
was then county superintendent, and the
public VIII recall the resolutions. as they
were printed in fun at the time.
All Satisfied.
Mr.. Egeleston said he had correspond
ed with tho authorities in an the States
" here tho single list prevailed. and had
heard from AN save one. All those re-
PLYING had expressed their entire salts
faction with the system.
I'm combating the argument made by
10y. Kent that the books under the single
list were inferior in mechanical makeup
20 those furnished under the multiple list.
be declared that tho contention was alb
soiutely without foundation in fact.
"If they are Inferior" he declared. cit
is not the fault OF the principle, but OF
the administration.
1T is purely q matter 90 contract and
depends entirely upon the quality pf
books contracted for by the board
81 believe Dr. Kent said while he lived
in Tennessee. under the single list, the
books I'm use We're Of such an inferior
quality that he would not permit his chill
dren TO use them. AS a matter OF fact,
Or Kent left the State of Tennessee
some Years before tile single list was
adopted"
Dwelling upon this alleged difference i'm
the quality OF books under the two sys-
TENS. the Superintendent brought i'm a
great stack OF books. and, taking two
.'NIaury's elementary Biographies one
North Carolina edition and one Virginia
edition they were closely examined by
the committee. The members could dis
cover no particle OF difference. The Nir-
rinia edition under the multiple list sells
for fftv cents. and the North Carolina
edition. under the single list. for forty
cents 81 want to say another thing
about these books" he went on
Under the multiple list the children
are liable TO overcharge 10y IL local
dealers. for there is no price stamped
upon the back. You will see that these
words are stamped upon the back of the
North Carolina book
d" Contract price. 40 cents. exchange
price. 20 cents. The price fixed hereOn
IS fixed by state contract, and any de-
Walton therefrom shall be reported 20
your county superintendent Of public
instruction or the state superintendent at
Raleigh "
Mr. Eggleston submitted q large num-
Der Of other books TO the committee for
comparison. and the results were found
20 be along the same lines both as to
the similarity Of quality and tho wide
difference in prices. Mr.. Egeleston was
back OF a Virginia book. lie said hc
thought II was brown"