The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-23

plant was for campaign purposes.
When the public recalls the fact that
for four years before my name was
mentioned as a candidate 1 was waging
fearless war against this evil, Mr..
Pinet will not in so far as he repre-
sents the profession, have placed it in
very favorable light in regard to truth
and veracity.
The book trust has a clause in it's
contract agreeing to give the district
the benefit of any reduction in prices.
This forces it to universal reduction
il it meets our price with it's best books.
The most careful research by the very
best authority reveals the fact that the
prices we are now paying are highly
liberal, but through just such truckers
as Mr.. Pinet other states are hoodooed
into paying double our prices, hence we
are forced to choose one of three things
double our price, use inferior books or
publish our own books. The last plan
Is the sane thing to do and will in the
very near future be followed in spite
of all the peanuts that grow and
flourish along the banks of the Neosho.
When our law limiting price went
into effect the writer was present at a
meeting OF the board of directors of
the school book trust and heard their
K anSaS representative plead with them
to give the state good books, arguing
that they could do so at these prices and
still make money. The secretary of the
trust replied, I'VE know we can but If
We ever let the people find it out we
Will nave To meet THESE prices every
where" 1t was decided at this meet
ing to battle the state by controlling the
appointment OF the text book commits
sion and force the adoption of inferior
books and the plan has been executed
largely through the influence of school
uperintendentS like Mr.. Pinet Wise
indeed was Governor Stubbs when he
ignored the entire lot of them. It is
lamentable in the extreme that this is
true for it would seem well for the state
to have the benefit of their daily use of
the books, but experience of Is years
with a majority of them on the board
proves that they have been weighed in
the balance and found wanting. The
book trust rigidly follows the practice
of boosting into higher positions school
Superintendents Subservient to its in
terests and mercilessly pursues into
outer darkness all who dare protest
against its plunder of the people-even
children. To such an extent has this !
plan been followed, that in the front of
educational work are to be found only |
two kinds of leaders-those who cow
ardly keep still no matter how great the |
outrage and another that becomes |
party to the plunder.
The state is now using books so full |
of errors that children of 10 years easily
discover the mistakes and school men
in high rank, with the hope of future |
reward, declare the books standard" |
none better" IAN ideal lot" There are |
school men in Kansas who for years
have drawn a fine salary from the state |
and while SO doing have prepared man |
uscripts for the book trust to publish |
and who now boldly tell the state it |
would be impossible for it to get good
material for publication. Would they |
have us believe that the work they did
for this outlaw trust was of a poor |
quality or that they would refuse to aid
the state in it's struggle in demanding |
a f1rst-class article at first-claSs price !
which it offers? Yes, Governor StubbS /
is exactly right on this appointing ques-
tion. but of course the bill before the
legislature providing for state publica- |
tion in case we were not offered the |
very best books made, should have be-
come a law.
MRS. ELLA S. BURTON.