The Detroit times., 1911-03-29
MARTINDALE MEN DENY
CITY FREE TEXT BOOKS
,coutinued from page H.

the committees recommendation as
printed in the proceedings OF Jan. IL.
and as reprinted in the evening pa
per on Friday Mr.. Burton moved the
adoption of the committees report.
II was lost on a tie vote as follows:
Yeas-Mumford Burton. Robertson,
Condor, Ellis, and Cary. Nays-Snit-
gen, Hutton, Henderson, Nowc, Hey
and Kuhn.
No money was required for carry
ing out this plan. That was under
stood.
II would seem 10 be very clear from
this vote, and what followed, that
the Martindale men were playing
horse with this matter They voted
for il when the time for execution
was remote. but at this crucial mo-
ment. when il was possible TO put
the plan into execution, they voted
il down. On Feb. 10, after the books
had been bought by pupils at the
| old high prices, and when the next
buying time was more than Six
months away, they again. according
to the evening papers account and
the proceedings OF the board, voted
| for almost the same resolution tnat
they had voted down on Jan. q. Then
before the next buying time, the
| mayors peculiar vetoes came. These
and other things evidently convinced
the reform members that Mr.. Mar
tindale and his supporters, having a
majority on the board, and having
| political pull at their command, could
| carry out their purpose of thwarting
anything in this direction, and hence
! they became discouraged and prac
tically nothing further was done.
The history of the controversy over
| free high school books is somewhat
OF the same character as that just re-
cited; namely, the Martindale mems
attempt to appear friendly TO the
project by voting for IL, but in real
| ity, depending upon one thing or an
other TO block the consummation
However, there was not so much OF
an incentive to head this plan OF for
| IL meant a change of arrangement on
comparatively few books only. as
we have previously pointed out. The
Martindale men apparently are anxi-
Gus to favor the retail dealer as we'll
as the publishers, and as these books
furnished free would cut OFF the re-
tailers' profit on them, they have not
allowed this plan TO actually go into
execution as yet. There was not a
time when IL could not have been
put into execution had they desired
TO do so. The corporation counsels
opinion distinctly states that you
can furnish books as enumerated in
any of your schools. outside OF this
list you cannot go. That school is
or IL not a high school is not con-
trolling factor" That Is, the books
in the enumerated list given above,
may be bought with the regular ap-
propriation for free text books and
NAV be taken to the high school or
any other school No separate appro-
priation for free high school books
| Is necessary Money was available
or could have been transferred as
Mr.. Mumford. chairman Of the finance
committee, recommended. At the be-
ginning OF last year, when the entire
appropriation was available, these
books could have been bought in this
way. Money appropriated for the free
text books enumerated in the list CIV
en- In the law should be purchased be
fore any of Il is expended on supple
mentary books. This was not done.
On the contrary, many supplementary
| books have been bought in large
quantities In the past, and even many
books not included in the list author.
lied by the law, for example, music
books and others.
The conclusion seems to be obvious,
especially after reading over all that
was done in this matter. that the Mar
tindale men (being in the majority
are not only responsible for the fact
that we have neither cheaper books
for the pupils to purchase nor free
high school books as yet. although
: II was pointed out two years ago how
J this could be done, but that they have
: deliberately thwarted the honest Of
! forts OF the minority to bring this
. about.
r. G. OSBORN.
Chairman Educational Committee
: Detroit Municipal League.
A. a. ~