The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-03-12

many states for them. He now spends
a large part OF his time at a promi-
nent hotel in Columbus. Whether he
has a business connection with any
book company or with men who want
manuscript books introduced into the
state is not known. He Is conceded to
be one of the most quiet and effective
workers in the book business. While
he plans. other men do the actual
work, so that it is seldom known just
what he is doing His workers sell
dom mention him, and their connec-
ton with him is little known. The
investigators may seek to learn wheth-
er he has any interest in the bills now
before the Legislature affecting the
schools or whether he is taking sides
with either faction In the investiga-
tiOn.
Since the Rose local option bill
passed, the friends of school book uni.
formity are discouraged. They doubt
whether their bill will be passed by
this legislature. A scheme has been
discovered to hook to the uniformity
bill, as a rider. free school book
amendment. making books free to
pupils in all parts Of Ohio. 1t is a
dangerous rider, for 1t will mean an
immense increase in the tax leVies Of
the various school districts.
Already the Rose bill is bound to
do away with saloons in some coun-
ties and thereby reduce the revenue,
which means that the property-owner
will have to pay higher taxes. Then
If free school books were forced upon
the communities, the tax rate would
have to soar still higher. For that
reason friends of uniformity doubt the
possibility Of passing it.
There are two plans, embodied in
bills before the legislature, that inter
est school book men One is the uni
formity plan and the other the school
book commission plan. Uniformity
means that the same books shall be
used everywhere in Ohio and teachers
shall be punished in court for not
using the books adopted. The book
commission means that board or
commission shall be selected to pick
the books that shall be used every.
where in the state
In Kentucky similar bills were
adopted. Previous TO their passage
the school book business Of the state
had been divided among many pub
fishing firms. The course Of study
being laid ont in any community,
books were selected to fit it.
After the bills had passed, one COM
pany got a monopoly of the entire
school book business, and the profit
that it makes from the deal is enorm-
Gus. Superintendents of schools were
handicapped, for instead OF fitting
the books to the course Of study, they
had to fit the course of study to the
books. This was extremely awkward
for the reason that different communi-
ties require different courses OF study.
Considering the big plum that is
to be nabbed by some book concern
it is little wonder that the agents take
decided interest. In the bill pro-
posed for Ohio it is stipulated that the
state board may choose books still in
manuscript This opens the door for
authors and would-be publishers to
contest for the enormous profits that
will accrue to the successful party
whose books are adopted.
One Of the most dangerous para
graphs ever put into a bill, urged as
beneficial for the people Of Ohio, Is
the "star-chamber session" clause in
the Crawford bill. 1t provides that
no person but members shall attend
the sessions Of the commission, and
the commissioners shall give out no
information OF their transactions. The
meetings must be absolutely secret.
After the session is closed the mem
bers may print in pamphlet form the
proceedings of the session.
The session might last month OF
more. while the members were select
ing books for the entire state. Dur
ing that time the people of the state
and the newspapers which advise the
people when dangerous deals are un-
der way. would have no way Of know
ing what the commission was doing
If there was skulduggery afoot the
people would know nothing of it un-
til the contracts had been signed
sealed and delivered, and at that late
date might not be able to discover
the evidence.
BY the deal made by the commits
sion the people OF the state would be
tied for five years. for books once
adopted are to be kept in use that
long, by the bills provisions.
Star chamber" sessions are back
ward step in this age, when all tn"
tendencies are to give publicity to
public affairs, with the view that citi-
2ens may be advised and that corpora
tions and politicians may not take
advantage Of them
The Shankland bill is more reason
able. 1t will provide against. the too
frequent change of textbooks, but
gives no opportunity for secret deals
with publishers. 1t protects the
parent against excessive expense in
the purchase of textbooks. Boards of
education cannot force parents to buy
at frequent intervals, Board members
who might desire to make freQuer
changes Of books for personal profit
wm'I not be permitted to do so under
the Shankland law
Mansfed's Rebuke.
A group of theatrical men were
tnlkinr in Now York ahnnt the late