The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-23
BOOK COMP ANY
IN FULL CONTROL
Shown by House Committee to
Be State Sales Agent for
All Publishers.
DOES NOT FIX PRICES
Whole Question as to Ownership
Presented-Cal!ed Bcnevo-
lent Monopoly.

That the Virginia Book Company
exercises benevolent monopoly III
the sale of school books III this State
was the substance OF testimony pre-
sen,ed yesterday be fore a special com
mittcc OF three appointed by the
Speaker of the House of Delegates TO
h1uire INTO Tho activities OF this or
gnniTaiion Business Manager Hugh
Stockdell, OF the book concern, stated
frankly that the company was in en-
tire contfol OF the textbooks situation
as far as distribution 10 the retail
dealer was concerned, tout maintained
that the arrangement was a vast inn
provement over the days OF free COM
petition, and resulted III both q saving
to the dealer and better service to
the buyer.
The House committee was asked to
establish: Whether the Virginia Book
Company is trust; who are the stock
holders ana officers: the amount OF
stock and in what proportion the
stock Is owned; what contracts exist
between the school book publishing
e-e'npanies and the Virginia Book Com
pany; what contracts are required TO
he executed between the Virginia Book
Company and the local dealers, and
whether the existence aud activity of
the company is consistent with school
public policy.
Is the Company Trust:
Or. S. T. "a. Kent OF Halifax. pre-
sided over the meeting, and Attorney
W. =. W!lleroy conducted the exami-
nation. II was determined upon mo-
ton, 10 follow the court procedure
In eAamininE witnesses. excluding from
the committee room all persons CON
uccted with the book company while
one OF their number was being ex-
amined, Manager Stockdeu. OF the
Virginia Book Company. was the first
10 give his testimony.
rs the Virginia Book Company q
trust was Mr. W1l!ercy's FIRST eues-
'ior after the prcl:,ninur!cs establish
ing the Witness connection with tile
company were disposed OF.
You Will have TO define trust be-
ierc ! can answer that question" said
.ha witness.
The word trust al used in the in
ttrGetiens 70 the committee. thought
Air Willeroy, wss equivalent to mo-
lopoly.
Ism, i fac; tina, you control
tita contracts with all OF the publish
ors issuing the BOOKS named by th,.
si4ie BosEd OF Education, and tha,
1hes2 firms VIII not sell schoo! books
- others Khan Your COMPANY, except
TO- cash, ana al tbs regular retail
Essc@
Controls sale.
Y ;t-:ak tina; any deelc; applying
u ths publishers for school books
USED in Virginia would DC referred &c
Us admitted Mr.. Stockdell. we have
assumed the contracts oetwcen The
state Soar OF Educa zion and the pub
lisavrs, together WIKI the RESPONSE
hil:ty o: distribution. 1, wouid he
impossible FOR ~ 70 operate at all;
va could form no estimates OF the
number OF t--,oks necessary nor could
r@e maintain our liberal return pr.vi-
lcgsS j: We were rot lief. sole dis.
;rlbrio:s n Virginia"
Isn't /: true that you prohibit your
dealers from buying BOOKS on The out
side? You compel them 70 buy all
Eheis school books from YOU, don,
you?' questioned Mr. Wllle-oy
YES; We have to 30 that. as / said
Before, 10 DC cure that the unsola
books We accept are those of our own
consignment, ard not some ones else.
Besides, none OF tbs publishers would
sell % dealers for Virginia consump-