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About The Corvallis gazette. (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 9, 1894)
Gazette Supplement. Corvallis, Or., November 9, 1894 conclusion when bribery is proved to have been attempted or committed? These two unfortunate scandals, the results of the sharp practice induced by a very exciting competition between agents (where the "monopoly" , does not seem to have "crushed out the competition,") were the results of palpable tricks set up, one agent upon another; and the Ameri can Bonk Company promptly disavowed any responsibility or connection with them. Among the hundreds of thousands ci annual transactions of this company, these are the only instances ever cited against it, and these are alleged to have taken place within a few months after the organization of the company. And though the campaign of abuse and defa mation has been actively carried on ever since, its authors and promoters have not been ab'e to add to these old and false accusations, grown threadbare with use. After citing the above cases, this "re port" goes on to say: "These are only specific instances; but the history of this company's operations in Mississippi, Mis souri, Ohio, New Jersey, and other states gives us the impression that its methods are corrupt, and leads' this committee to the almost irresistible conclusion that this is a well-defined policy of the com pany itself in the selection of some of its agents and instrumentalities." What does the writer of this villainous attack upon honorable men know of the history of this company in th" states named? Nothing whatever; and he is challenged to produce any proof oj any transaction on our part inconsistent with fair and honorable dealing. ' This defamatory report continues: "It will also appear that its most reckless and successful operations have been con fined to what it probably considers the backwoods states of West Virginia, Mis sissippi, Missouri, California, Washing ton, and Oregon, and that in New Eng land and many other places its success, if any, in monopolizing the school-book business has been short lived." We have not been accustomed to con sider the states named as "backwoods," in invidious comparison with the more thickly settled and richer portions of the country. It is well known that rural and agricultural communities are quite as in telligent, honest, and high minded "in their dealings, and as capable of taking care of themselves and their own inter ests, as are manufacturing and trading communities. The facts are that there have been no new introductions or whole sale changes in books in West Virginia, California, and Oregon since the fortna ation of this company, in which it could have shared. ' The Washington adoption occurred within a month after the com pany had commenced business, so that it had little share in that. In Mississippi and Missouri, under new laws, general changes in books have taken place in which this company has shared, after most active competion with many other publishing houses. As to the "backwoods" charge, it is a fact which can be demonstrated by the account books of the company's sales in New England and the Middle and West ern States the older and more densely populated sections of the country, where public education has longest been estab lished that the text-books of this com pany are relatively much more largely in use in these States than in remote and more sparsely settled regions. :haracter of books published by the american book company. The writer of this "report" has set aimself up as a critic and censor of the character and merit of the school books oublished by the American Book Com pany. He says, while this company has many excellent books, "chiefly confined to the academic and higher grades, it is very weak in the lower grades and in mathematics." He also says "it is cheap er for the American Book Company to print and furnish an inferior book than a good one, and its profit is greater upon the poorer one, although it may sell it at a much less price." He instances Har rington's Speller, and says it is a wretch ed book, made of "cheap paper and pasteboard," which "fairly bristles with mistakes and inaccuracies." That the paper, printing, binding, in traduction, and marketing of a poor book costs less and give a greater profit, al though "it is sold at a much lower price," than a correspondingly manufac tured book of higher intellectual merit, is a statement which is simply idiotic. Anybody who knows anything about the publishing business, or who has any com mca sense, knows that the cost of the printing and binding that is, the me chasicai production is precisely the same whether the book itself be good, bad, or indifferent It is also well known that the cost of copyright is so small a share in the cost of production as practi cally to make little difference; while the expense of attempting to introduce and place a book poor in merit, with a cer tainty that it will not long give satis faction and hold its place, would ten times outweigh the additional cost of copyright Harrington's Speller is an excellent book, prepared by the late very bright and accomplished superintendent of the New Bedford, Massachusetts, schools, and was first published by the Harpers, a house most careful of its reputation, but which thus rndorsed it by its great name. This book is also approved on its merits by leading educators all over the country, and so widely used that its circulation has reached into millions. The relative profit on this book, however, is not larger than the average profit on other school books. If there is one characteristic in the American Book Company's list mote pronounced than another, it is the super ior excellence of its elementary books, prepared ' for common and grammar schools, as all teachers, superintendents and unbiased publishers who know the facts will unanimously testify. If a book is found to be faulty, it is corrected; if it has outlived its purpose and usefulness, it is discontinued. Our uniform and constant instructions to all our agents are to present and urge, in any given section those books of our list which are likely to prove most acceptable and suit able to its school work, without regard to the fact that one book is more or less profitable to us than another. Om agents are not informed as to which books pay copyright and which do not; or of the relative profitableness of different publications. As a sound business policy, our object is to maintain a high reputa tion and secure permanency of sale by supplying books of the highest merit, and of the kinds which will be most satis factory to our patrons. A contrary policy of forcing poor books that are not wanted unon anv state or section is tarn foolish to merit a moment's considera tion. IS THE AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY HOS TILE TO PUBLIC EDUCATION? To the charge in the report "that this monopoly is disastrous to our public school system," and that "the public arc cheated of the right to independent teachers, good schools and good books," we answer that this is a base and mon strous accusation not only against us but against the teachers and school authori ties of the state of Oregon. It savs in effect that your teachers and school superintendents allow themselves to b: hoodwinked and cheated by publishers ofchool books. No statement could be more untrue or unjust to this high- minded and intelligent class of citizens of your state. It is incredible that a man in his senses would thus attempt to traduce and malign any class of his fel low-citizens, much less the supervisors of public education. Refuting this infamous charge, we make this clear assertion, and call upon all intelligent men who know the his tory of the schools of this country to say whether or not it is true. We assert that no body of men have ever done more to stimulate popular education, foster progressive and enlightened meth ods of teaching, arouse educational thought, and generally promote the in tellectual growth of the country, than the men who, as school-book publishers, were tne predecessors of the American Bocik Company; and they have accom plished all these things by constantly producing, from time to time, the best possible school text-books. We further assert that those who compose the pres ent management of the American Book Company are still faithful to these high traditions, and are still doing for the schools of this country, through furnish ing them with good books, all that, ex perience and capital can accomplish. THE AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY IN OREGON. It is charged that this company, and the "combination which has existed for many years," framed your text-fcook laws, and that all your school-books, "except Brooks' Normal Arithmetic and three other very unimportant books," were selected from the American Book Company's list. The simple facts are that there never has been any such " combination for many years," or for any time, as is al leged; and thpt the adoption of books six years ago in Oregon took place two years before the American Book Com pany came into existence, and under open competion between the different entirely independent houses, as every body in Oregon knows who had anything to do with the selection at that time. The sales and profits of the school book business are constantly and very greatly exaggerated by those who are ig norant of them. Instead of the profit on school books being 50,000 a year in Oregon, asclaimed in the "report," thit sum more nearly represents the total amount of annual sales in this state which, in any event, is not more than $40,000, and of course ouly a small por tion of this amount can be reckoned at net profit. The American Book Company has never at any time raised so much as f finger to influence Oregon legislation in its behalf. On the other hand, what dio 1 mmMn rtirallv do for the PCPplt 1 ef Oregon when it became the published of the books which had already been adopted for use in that state? We stat facts known, we believe, to every persor in Oregon, when we say that it used every means in its power to render these books easily obtainable by the peopk and at cheaper rates than ever before. To this end and at great expense it brought its business and capital to your state, and established one of its branch houses in your city of Portland. It has thus cast its lot with you and identified itself with your community. We are our selves, therefore, in a business sense, Oregonians, sharing the fortunes of youi state, and entitled to fair and just treat ment from our fellow-citizens. That we shall receive justice and even generosity at your hands is assured to us by the traditions of the Pacific Coast. AMERICAN BOOK COMANY, By its Officers and Directors, OFFICERS. DAVID B. IVISON, President, ALFRED C. BARNES, Vice-President, HARRY T. AMBROSE, Treasurer, GILMAN H. TUCKER, Secretary. DIRECTORS. Henry H. Vail, Chairman, Wm. H. Appleton, W. W. Appleton, Daniel Appleton, Harry T. Ambrose, Alfred C. Barnes, Chas. J. Barnes, Henry B. Barnes, A. Howard Hinkle, David B. Ivison, Wm. B. Thalheimer, Gilman H. Tucker. Ixoolj anil JjSee What yon can do now in baying A full Line of Fruit Trees FREE OF PESTS, Number 1 in Quality, and at Hard Times Prices at The Tangent Prune Nursery, CONSISTING OY Apple, Pear, Cherry, Prune, Plum. Peaches, Vines, Shrubs, Etc. The Lowest Prices ever known. Remem ber, I will rive the planter the tree auent's- profit. Prices on application. Send me a list of your wants. Correspondence solic ited. Direct to M. L. FORSTER, Tangent, Oregon.. Teachers' Examination. Notice is hereby given that for the pur pose of making an examination of all per sons who may offer themselves as candidates for teaehers of the schools of this county,, the county school superintendent thereof will hold a public examination at the county court house, CorvaUis, Oregon,, beginning at 1 o'clock, Wednesday November 14, 1894. Teachers eligible to state certificates. state diplomas, or state life diplomas, must present recommendations and make appli cation at the same time. Applicants not present at the opening, will not be permit ted to take the examination. R. F. Holm, County School Superintendent.
