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.