The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-11-05
IN DEFENSE Of
THE UNIFORM
/, TEXT BOOKLAW
]. n. REESE REPLIES TO SERIES
OF ARTICLES FROM PEN OF r.
J. APPEEYARD, AND IN DOING
so SETS FORTH THE ADVAN-
TAGE OF STATE UNIFORMITY.
BY ]. Il. Reese.


Tallahassee, Fla, Nov. 4.-When-
ever a law through its enact
ment and operation attacks "a special
interest, 1t may be set down as rea-
Sonably certain that the opposition
will be as active after the passage OF
the law as it was before, if not more
so, and that this antagonism will con-
tinue until the law itself has become
established and safely lodged in the
approval of the people.
In a series of % articles, signed by
T. ]. Appleyard, state printer, an at
tempt is made to dfscredit the uni
formity text book law, passed by the
last Legislature. The writer of these
articles fathered by T. J. Appleyard,
state printer, makes the assertion that
the people of Florida have been sold a
gold brick in the passage of the law.
and he then attempts by unfair and
inaccurate comparisons to sustain that
assertion.
The test of experience has proved
that the people may be trusted do
the right thing, If they are not misled
as to what the right thing is. When
the question of state uniformity Of
text books was first aggitated, there
were comparatively few who compre-
hended- and appreciated the advantages
that would follow the Inauguration of
the system. There was ample evil
-NO0nce TO sustain Cne COnNICClOn THAT
Florida was being victimized in prices
on school books and cheated in quality.
Each county acted Independently,
making its own contract for ooks.
There was no uniformity in the courses
of study, higher prices were paid than
obtained in other states, and a practi-
cal monopoly of the school book bust
ness existed. A recital of the condi-
lions in each county would be interest
hut al hn If
is quite enough to say that the Ameri-
can Book Company held a major por-
ton Of the business under county
adoption. In one county, where fifty
books were on the list of adoptions,
forty-seven of the number were pub
lished by the American Book Com
pany.
Measure Well Considered.
The advocates of uniformity were
met with active opposition. This OPP
position did not manifest itself as pro-
ceeding from the publishers who had
enjoyed such a fat and satisfactory
business under the county adoption
plan. It came through the agency of
school officials and others. 1t is not
profitable and may not be entirely
Just to impute improper motives to
all who opposed state adoption. There
were and are many capable teachers
and superintendents of school who do
mot think the county adoption plan
can be improved upon. 1t is right to
grant freedom of opinion to all, al
though it is difficulty the while to
understand how any educator can
doubt the benefits of state adoption in
view of the certain and indubitable
facts that are easily demonstrable In
favor Of state adoption. The efforts
made in the Appleyard articles to IN
sinuate that the uniformity law was
Al, eli tIIr iC H.
fly disproved in the simple fact that
the bill passed the senate by vote
of II to 5 and the house by 81 to 5.
There was no measure more thorough
~ considered. There was no narrow
margin of votes upon the passage OF
the measure in either branch. The
members were convinced of the righte-
BUSINESS of the measure and it may be
assumed that they represented the en-
heightened sentiment of their const1t-
uents when they voted for it. In the
total membership of 102 members,
there were only ten votes recorded
against it.
The Hit Dog YeIps.
The recent attack upon the uniform
itv law give no cause for surprise,
either from the standpoint of purpose
or method of assault. If the pub
fishers, whose monopoly has been
ieopardized, whose special interest has
been endangered by the passage OF
The uniformity law, can succeed In
. making the law obnoxious to the peo-
: pie there will be reason for them to
hope for the amendment or repeal OF
the statute. If this were brought about,
1t would be immeaSurably more of a
victory than it would have been to
Nefeat the measure in the first place.
Other states have the same contest
in regard to school books that has
been going on in Florida, and If this
state can be held up as an example
of a state that tried uniformity and
returned to the old system, it would
not only have its effect on the action
Of other states, but will make the
passage of another uniform text book
law next to impossible in Florida.
To create confusion in the minds of
the people, to engender misunder-
standing and ultimately to beget dis
satisfaction with the law is the evil
dent purpose of the Appleyard ar
ticles. The degree of success along
these lines, which has followed the
publication of the articles gives suf-
ficient cause for the friends of uni
formity to pose themselves upon the
law, its objects and the results IF it's
operation so that the hydra head of
ever it appears with the club of truth.
1t is foreign to the purpose of this
article to punish anyone, and it is
needless. Because the law has been
misconstrued and because the COM
missions acting under the law have
been misrepresented, it is only right
that q true statement of the situation
covering the method Of work as di-
rected by the law, the object sought