The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-22
new METHOD Of
BOOK DISTRIBUTION
MEASURE TO ENLARGE POWERS OF
STATE BOARD or EDUCATION
UNDER CONSIDERATION,
KNOCKS OUT BOOK CO.
ALL IN AUTHORITY FEEL 1T NEcrs
SAH1 THAT WHAT is TO BE
DONE SHOULD DE DONE

The Senate Committee on Public
institutions and Education will have
before II this morning a bill prepared
by the State Board Of Education, con-
ferring on 1t what the board con-
stders necessary powers to proven.
further discrimination of publishers
against the State of Virginia in the
matter of prices charged for text
books. The hoard considers this bill
will obvtate any difficulties in the way
Of guaranteeing low prices
The Board Of Education. pending
the investigation OF the Legisiativ,
OF textbooks until its meeting on
February Is, when the result of the
investie alton ~ made known
Before the committee this morning
various members Of the board and
Superintendent r. c. Stearnes will ex-
plain the bill prepared under their d.
rection, which bill IL intended to en-
large the powers OF the beard 20 as to
protect the State from recurrence OF
the present situation.
Nine Arms were named by Attorney
General Pollard yesterday as being
subject to investigation for alleged
discriminatory prices. They are:
Houghton. Mifflin Company OF Bos-
ton.
The Prang Company of New York
RandMcNaily OF New York, Chi
caso and London.
Silver. Burdett & Co. OF Boston.
Snnhorn 4 Co. OF Boston.
CHM 4 Co. of New York.
Allyn & Bacon, OF New York.
American Book Company o; New
York,
Macmillan Company. Of New York
Attorney General At Work.
Ing the cases OF these firms with a
view to prosecuting them on their
bonds II evideH ce 10 adduced SUFFICIENT
to convict them Of discrimination.
Before the Senate committee yester-
day Mr.. Stearnes and other ,members
of the board testified as to the rates
charged Virginia. The members Of
the board who were present were
Messrs. Hart. West and Ford. Dele
gate Julian Quinn. author Of the joint
resolution referred to the committee,
was also present and addressed the,
senator's.
The questions Of several members
OF the committee were directed tow.
ards ascertaininE why It IL necessary
to introduce a new bill In view OF the
fact that powers are already vested
In the board under which they may
award or refuse contracts. To most
inquiries the reply was given that the
bill to be introduced today will meet
all objections and cover the ground
fully.
Mr.. stearnea was OF the opinion that
whatever Investigation IL made should
be made At once. He thought that a
new statute, giving broader powers
to the board, should be passed as an
emergency bill by the present session.
The members OF the board also testi-
ned. Some were OF the opinion that
sufficient powers are given the board
a. 1t stands. but that broader powers
will be desirable. The commute this
morning will conclude the hearing
and Is expected to recommend the
emergency bill Of the board In place
OF the Quinn resolution. Governor
Stuart 10 understood to be favorable
to an investigation Of the question.
Nothing TO Say Now.
Attorney-0eneral Pollard had NOT
completed hts investigation OF TIE
publishing concerns yesterday and
was not In position to State whether
or not the board will be able to bring
suit against the companies. Several
of these have made Answer to the
charges of the board. which took up
the question at it, fall meeting and
decided then that there were some
discrepancies between prices to vir-
ginia and those to other States. Mr..
Stearnes' plan coptemplates 4 new
method OF book distribution, doing
away with the present Virginia Book
Company as q medium OF distribution