The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-10-31
TWENTY PER CENT INCREASE ON
HISTORY OVER PRICE PAID
UNDER DEMOCRATIC RULE.
CHANGE IN CONTRACTS. WILL
COST PATRONS OF SCHOOLS
ONE MILLION DOLLARS.
PUBLISHERS SAID TosHAvE CON-
TRIBUTED TO REPUBLICAN
CAMPAIGN FUND,

~ oHShCo, pstSSSu q law ana H1puD-
lican Governor approved 1t, placing
an additional tax burden Of about one
million dollars or more on the heads
OF families in West Virginia, for
school books. Nor has there been
any explanation Of why 1t is that the
users Of school boks are required to
pay more for the same books than is
paid In other states; or why they are
required to pay more for the same
books under Republican government
than they did when the Democrats
We're in control of state affairs.
During the years from 1896 to 1901
one Of the school books in use in
West Virginia was Montgomery's
Leading Facts in American History.
This was used under five year con-
tract made in,pursuance of a law
passed by the Democratic legisla-
ture, and the price for the five years
was 65 cents. For fifteen years the
contract price of this book in Indiana
has been S. cents, covering three Diff
ferent contract periods of FIVE years
each.
Under the law of West Virginia,
passed by the Republican Legislature
in 1909, this same book Is required
to be used by the school children OF
this state, and the contract price for
it is 84.6 cents This means that
every West Virginia school child who
studies American history during the
next five years will have to pay 20
cents more for the history than pu-
pills in other states pay to the same
company for the same book, and 20
cents more than his older brother or
sister paid for the same book when
its use was prescribed by the Demo
cratic Legislature.
Prices on Readers Advanced.
Another instance Of the difference
in prices is found in the case of the
readers. The Jones Readers were
adopted for use in West Virginia, the
contract for book number one being
25 cents, while the price in Indiana
for the same book is 10 cents. The
price Of the Second Reader IS 81
cents in West Virginia and Is cents
in Indiana; The Third Reader Al
cents in West Virginia and 25 cents
in Indiana; the Fourth Reader Al
cents sin West Virginia and 80 cents
in Indiana: and the Fifth Reader Al
cents in West Virginia and 40 cents
in Indiana. isstss itles#i
Another feature or the, contract
made by the Republican Legislature
of 1909 affects every pupil in n the
state who desires to exchange old
books and apply them toward the
payment for the new books. First
he is required to pay more nm cash
and to get less credit Tor his old book
than In other states, and, secondly
it is required that books received, dn
exchange shall not be torn, but must
be in condition almost equal ito new
Exchange Prices Also Higher.
When an old book is exchanged by
a pupil and a new hook is bought the
book companies make an exchange
price which is fixed in the
contract The exchange price
on the readers required by law
to be used in the schools of West
Virginia, or the price which the pur.
chaser pays for them, in addition to
giving up the old books is as fol.
lows: First, IL cents in West Vir.
ginia and cents in Indiana; second
Is cents in West Virginia and 10
cents in Indiana; third, 20 cents in
West Virginia and Is cents in Indi-
ana; fourth, 20 cents in West Vir.
ginia and rs cents in Indiana.
When the Democratic Legislature Of
1911 took up the school book question il
foundDa law in existence providing
for a contract for school books cover.
ing period of five years from July
/, 1912, and. changing practically all
of the school books in use in the
state. The census of the United
States shows that there are in West
Virginia about two hundred and fifty
thousand families. It, Is estimated by
teachers that the average cost to the
family of providing the new books
under the new contract is about $4
This would mean total cost of one
million dollars for the adoption OF
the new school books instead of the
old.
Democrats Opposed to Law.
The Legislature of 1911, believing
it unnecessary for the people OF
West Virginia to be taxed this addi-
tional million dollars, undertook to
postpone the time when the new law
should take effect, and the Demo
cratic House passed bill postpon-
ing it until July 1, 1914. the time
when the new books should be adopt
ed But the Senate. in which the
Democrats were unable to muster a
majority, defeated the measure and
1SlL Lie law DIS pdSS6u ny Lie hSpuU-
licans in 1909 in effect.
There are some peculiar things in
connection with this school book con-
tract. Not only are the books sold
at higher price in West Virginia
than In other states; not only are
the exchange prices for the new
boks higher in West Virginia than in
other state::s not only were the old
books satisfactory to teachers and
pupils. but 1t appears that agents for
school book companies were placed
upon the commission charged with
the authority to select the books and
make contracts for them.
1t is charged that the agent Of one
company, who is high in political af-
fairs in the Republican party, ex-
planned to the Commission that the
company which he represented was
entitled to have its books selected
for the reason that it had been a
large contributor to the Republican
campaign fund in West Virginia at
different times.
Swelling Campaign Fund.
When the children come home
from the store and tell how much it
will cost. or has cost. to buy the
books which they need for this years
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