Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-06-07
FL. IS FOR
CHEAPER TEXTS
State Could Save People
Money by Printing the
School Books.
Book Trust MonopolizeS
Supply at High Cost
to Schools.
BY HENRY G. TEIGAN

BY HENRY G. TEIGAN
Much of the ballyhoo of old party
candidates and of Republican news
papers centerS about the plank in the
Farmer-Labor Platform that declares
for state printing of the textbooks in
the public schools. The contention OF
these re-actionary politicians and
newspapers is that FarmerLaborites
desire to propaganda the students
and pupils of the public schools in
support of the FL. cause.
This scurrilouS propaganda carried
on by enemy newspapers and pollt1-
clans is. of course, entirely false.
What the Farmer-Labor convention
declared for was that textbooks be
printed by the state" with the view
of saving our people hundreds of thou
sand of dollars annually in money
now being paid to the Book Trust.
Printed Textbooks 1S77-1S92.
In this connection it is interesting
to know what the history of this kind
of legislation has been in Minnesota
in years gone by.
In 1874, a resolution was passed by
the legislature which declared that
the schoolbook ring had a monopoly
and was selling books at sixty per
cent above cost
Ignatius Donnelly, then a state SEN
ator, proposed that the state hire
scholars to write textbooks, print
them at the Red Wing Reform School,
and distribute them to the schools
free. Nothing came of this, however.
Dispatch Supported Bill.
In 1877 ST. Paul bookseller whose
name was Daniel ID. Merrill offered
to sign a contract to furnish text
books to the common schools for fif-
teen years for one-half the prevailing
price. The legislature accepted this
proposal and Governor Pillsbury
signed the bill. Under the provision
of this bill, no common nor independ-
ent school district could receive its
share of the general school fund until
it used the state books. A revolving
fund of $4,000 was set up to carry
out the bill. News of its passing and
being signed is found in the Mime
apolis Tribune of February Z, 1877
An editorial in the Tribune of Feb
ruary Is, 1877 gave five objections tC
the bill. The St. Paul Daily Dispatch
and Pioneer Press supported the bill
Opponents Used Bribery.
In 1873 an effort was made tC
weaken the law by providing that the
H. no on
tional with the district. On February
16, 1873, Representative Brandt OF
Brown county, rose in the House and
displayed to the members $50 bill
which he stated had been paid him
to secure his vote on this amendment
An investigation committee was ap
pointed to look mo the matter. Tt
this committee Mr.. Liberty Hall o.
Glencoe, swore that when Brandt as
sured him he would vote for the
amendment, he had given him money
Hall was not arrested nor was Brand
thanked The amendment failed, how
ever.
Pillsbury Approved Measure.
In 1873 one-third of the common
and Independent school districts ha'
put the state books into use, AM
though a referendum was submitted
as to continuance of the arrangement
the system continued. In his meSSag
to the legislature in 1881, Governo
Pillsbury said the system had game
ground, that 731,747 books had bee
supplied at cost of $173,951 instea
of the S414,757 which would have bee
paid on the open market, and in tn
Governors words, the books wer
equal if not superior to any elias
of school books" then in use.
The law survived a second refer
endum and remained operative unit
August 25, 1892, when the contrac
expired. Books to be published wer
selected by commission of tire
members.
In 1898 John Lind was elected gov
ernor. In his message to the leg1s
lature in 1899 he recommended tina
textbooks be printed free by the state
Trusts Methods in 1884.
On May 5, in 1884, a transcript c
closed NRA hearing in April
brought forth testimony that $4,000
had been spent by book manufacturer
on meals for prospective purchaser:
]. ID. Phillips of Houghton Miffli
Company of Boston, was responsible
for the figure. minneapolis Tribun
May 5, 1934.) This was the allow
of