The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-28
State Printer Assumes Burden
Text Book Commission.
Makes Trips Without Author
ity and Sends Employees.
HE SEES MACHINERY men
Figures on $4,000 Purchase
He Alone.
Admits He Ignored Other Six
Members.

Without comforting with even one
member of the school text book COM
mission, without securing the APPROX
al or authority of either the commits
sion or the governor, State Printer
W. G. Austin, member of the COM
mission, made a months trip to cali
fornia to Investigate" the publ1ca-
ton of school text books, sent two OF
his foremen to Chicago for a week TO
investigate printing plant facilities
and is on his own motion and by his
own authority Investigating mater
ials and equipment costing $4,000, to
be installed in the new addition to the
state printing plant at Tenth avenue
and Jackson street.
Loaded down with this extra bur-
den and responsibility, Austin has de-
layed for month the calling togeth-
er of the commission to let contracts
for the purchase of primers and texts
to be used in Kansas SchoolroomS
Bids on these texts were submitted
several weeks ago and the books and
manuscripts have been in the hands
of the commission for an even longer
period of time. But it will be two
weeks at least, Austin thinks, before
the commission can be called together
to settle this matter. The meeting
was to have been and ought to have
been called two weeks ago.
While the state printer is delaying
the calling of another meeting OF the
commission and his mind is troubled
and uncertain as to where he stands
in the matter of paying royalties for
texts or making outright purchases,
and while he is equally uncertain as
to whether he favorS the manuscripts
of approved Kansas authors or the
work of eastern writers, Mr.. Austin is
quite certain that he is at liberty to
proceed as he sees fit in securing bids
80 f0r~ t1n
$4,000 worth of new equipment
without consulting any of the other
members of the commission. In fact,
Mr. Austin is today planning to leave
for Chicago and Cincinnati to in
vestigate" more printing plants.
He Doesn't Know.
At the state printing plant today,
Austin said he did not know when a
meeting of the text book commission
would be held.
Some of the members thought
they could be here during the teach
ers' convention" said Austin. But
that is bad time to meet. Maybe
we will meet in about two weeks
Yet the date of meeting is still
uncertain Austin is authorized to
call the meeting. At the offices of
the commission in the state house, it
has been reported on several occa-
sions in the last few weeks that meet
ings were to be held soon. But they
have not been held.
In the meantime purchase of texts
or copyrights for primers to be used
in Kansas schoolrooms is being held
up. This condition of affairs has oc-
casioned gossip and rumorS in the
state house and certain state officials
have admitted that they are not at all
pleased with the manner in which this
important part of the commissions 5
business is being sidetracked, or with
Austin's effort to make the state text
book commission one-man commits
sion.
Recently there has been a rumor
that a clique is being organized
among four members of the commits
sion. which has for it's purpose the
elimination of manuscripts offered by
Kansas authors and work of western
writer's This clique, it has been re-
ported is favoring works offered by
an eastern publishing house.
He Dodges the Question.
That condition has opened up the
controversy over the payment of roy
alties on books used in Kansas scnool
rooms or the purchase outright OF
privileges for this state. On both OF
these issues Austin established himself
as an artful dodger and declared that
he had either not made up his mind
or was not ready to make public
statement as to his stand, although he
has had weeks in which to investigate
the various offerings and to confer with
other members of the commission or
authorities and has had the added
advantage of his trip to California to
Investigate" the state school book
publication work of that state.
do YOU favor buying manuscripts
for a primer or the finished book?" was
asked of Austin.
Not Now. Not Now.
THAT is matter that L don't care
to discuss at this time, but will when
the commission votes" replied the state
printer.
for books on the royalty basis or the
outright purchase of state rights for
the different texts?" was asked.
Again Austin lodged.
"It will all depend" said Austin, as
he slowly deliberated the matter in
his own mind, whether the royalty
or outright purchase plan looks
cheaper. OF course 1 will be for the
plan that is the cheapest and still
gives the best service
"Then will you favor buying the
work of Kansas authors or the work
of nonresident authors 2? asked the
visitor to the state printing plant. -
Again Mr.. Austin deliberated, and
qualified his remarks
Carries Burden of 100000.
sIt isn't a question of whether we
buy the work of Kansas people or
someone else, it's the interests of 300,-
600 school children who are to. use
the books replied Austin.
But hasn't at least three of the
manuscripts of Kansas authors been
reported as high class by experts ap-
pointed to investigate the matter?' ~
II don't know of any people being
appointed to investigate the matter at
ILL.," was the reply.
Continued on Page A.