e
Suat«.
publlabtd Mood«;« and Thundxy • by
ADVERTISING AND JOB WORK.
TIMES PRINTING COMPANY.
Advertisements will be Inserted in T imes
at the following rates
Ten tin««, one insertion................................... J! so
“
each subsequent Inseitlon....... ..
i 0
»» Legal advertisements inserted reasonably.
A fair reduction from the above rates made
to yearly and time advertisers.
CRAM. NICKELL. M amaosm .
TIMESPRINTINC HOUSE.
Corner Third and C Streets.
THE TIMES JOB OFFICE
acaacMimoB sat »:
is more complete by far than any other office
n 8outh< rn Oregon, and compares lavorauly
with any in the State. Job Printing cf every
imaginable deecriptiondone at San Francisco
rates, and tn a prompt and first-class and sat.
l«ract.it v manner
One year.................................................«2 M)
Bix usonthe................
1 Ml
Tbre- months........... ...........
W >
mt ns« paid for within * year............. 3 St’
VOL. XXIV.
---- ----------------------
'
---'
OFFICIAL DIRECTORT.
UB1TIUA STATM.
President, Gtover Cleveland; ricc-presldeal,
Adlsl Mereneon: secretary of state. Walter y.
Ureeliani; Btereiary of treasury, John G. Car
lisle, seer, ¡ary of Interior, Kobe Btnlth, secre
tary of war, Dau’l b. Lamont; secretary of
nary, Hilary A. SeriH-rt; secretary or agricul
ture, J rtterllns Morton; postmaater-senem.,
Walter 8. Bissell, attorney-scneral, B. Olney
STATE OP OHEUON.
U.B. senators. J. H. Mitchell, J. N. Dolph;
si.utfreweinen. B. Heinuuu, W. K. Kills; sov-
ernor.B. Pennoyer. secretary of Mate, Georice
W. McBride; state ticaaurer. Pull. Metacnan;
state printer,F. C. Boker;Hupt. public lost ruc
tion, K. II. McElroy; supreme Judaea, H. B.
Beau, chief Justice. F. 8. Moire, C. B. Wolver
ton; railroad commissioners, I. A. Macruiu.
J. B. Kddy. H
B. Compsoa; clerk ul com
mission. Lydell Baker.
0. B. LAMP OrnCBB.
Koaeburg-ttece.ver, K. 8. Sheridan, reg
ister, H. M. Vcatch.
Lakeview -Receiver, V. L. Snelling, regis
ter. W. A. Wilshire.
riwrr juuiciau nurraicr.
Comprising Jackson, Joaepiilne, Laae and
Klamath couutiea; circuit Judges, M. K. Hau
ns, W.c. Hale: district attorney. H. L. Henson;
member board of equalisation, A. C. Auldon.
jAcaaoa coubtt .
Senator. H. H. Holt, representatives, J. A.
Jeffrey, H. M. Nealoti, Geo. W. Dunn; county
Judge. J. K. Nell; cc.umissiuners, B. Furry,
W. li. Bradshaw;clerk, N. A. Jacobs; sheriff,
B. Pslterson; recorder. Grant Rawlings; treas
urer, D. Linn; aas vsor, J. L. Wooldridge;
sehool superintendent, Gua. Newbury; sur
veyor, K. W Kennedy; oorouer.D. M Brower;
stock Inspector Jiu. Helms.
JOSEPHIIk OOUMTT.
Joint senator, W.B. Vanderburg; represen
tative R. G. 8mlth; bounty Judge, J. M. Chhea;
commlsaiouers, J. K. rteyferlh, T. F. Croxton;
clerk. C. K. Hariuon: sheriff, Jiw G HIati;
treasurer. A. Bartlett; assessor. C. M Bl ilea;
school superintendent.Alice Carson;aurveyor.
B. 1». McCulloch; coroner, W. F. Kremer.
KLAMATM COUIITY.
Joint senator, C. A. Olga well of Lake; repre
sentative, V. Coon of latke; county Judge, C. 8.
Moore, tominlMioners, Jas. T. Henley, John
Wells; clerk. A. L. Leavitt; sheriff. A. A.
F'li h; treasurer, Alex. Mr.rlir.; assessor.A. T.
Wilson; school superintendent, Lucy Gordon;
surveyor, A. Caatel; coroner, it. G. Galbreath.
LA KB C'OHBTV.
Joint senator, 0. A. Cogawellof Lake; repre
sentative. V. Conn ot Lake; county Judge, K.
M. Bratluln: comtiilaaloners, J. Mclllieny.
A. V. Laue;clerk, W. A. Maasinglll, sheriff, F.
P. Lane; treasurer, J. 8. Field; assessor, V. E.
Harris; school superintended!, J. J. Monroe;
surveyor. C. K. Moore; ooroller J. W.
Howard.
rows or JACKSOMVILLB.
Trustees. J. Nunan, president, G. M. Love,
T. Cameron, J. F White, K. Kubll: recorder.
Bliss J. Duy; treasurer, Jas. Cronemiller; street
eomuiiHilouer. Wui. Heely; marshal.C. Purcell.
The trustees of Jacksonville bold their reg
ular sesaions on drat Tuesday In each mouth.
MKrrittu or collars
The supremo oodrt of Oregon meets al
Salem, regular terms commencing on the Ural
Mondays In March and October; also at Pen
dleton, commencing on IIret Mouday In May.
The circuit court for the first Judicial district
alts In Jackson county on iirst Mondays in
April, September and December. In Klamath
county on second Monday In June and drat
Monday In November. u> Lake county on the
third Monday in May and the second Monday
In IJctober. ill Josephine county on the first
Mondays In March and August.
For Jackson county the county,probate ano
commlaaloier«' courts meet every month,
ooiuiuuocing with thetlrsr Mouday, For Jose
phine county,tue hrst Mguduy In January,
Apt II, July and September. For Lake county,
ever, alternate mouth, commencing the drat
Monday In January. For Klamath county,the
drat WoUnewlay In March, June, September
and November
JACKSONVILLE, OREGON, THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 1, 1894.
J.:-: NUNAN,
General Dealer in
----------------------------------------- R
♦ >-------------------------------------- —
OUR FALL STOCK IS NOW OPEN.
Wo
Offer
me
Buyer»
Exceptionally
PRICES THE VERY LOWEST, - sb
Men’s Suits, complete, from $5.00 to $20.00.
---------------------------------------------------
Cash, or Goods paid for all kinds of Farm Produce.
Soliciting your patronage and guaranteeing satisfaction, I am
Respectfully,
J. NUNAN, Jacksonville.
X
“ Be thou as chaste as ice and as pure as
snow thou shall not escape calumny."
ANSWER OF THE
AMERICAN BOOK CO.
BEST EQUIPPED JOB OFFICE
In Xo»itliorn Oregon
A.n<l Doe« The
Finest Work at City Prices ! !
QFC j VL. il . ANO SEE’i:
”Everybody Wagon” No. 47
With Half Sprinsro, one Seat, Cashion and Shafts.
PROFESSIONAL CARDS.
WM. M. COLVIC,
ATrsOHNKY AND
AT LAW.
COUNSELOR
P. P. PRIM 4L BON,
ATTUKNKVS AND COUNSKLOttS AT LAW,
Oregon,
W ill prwetlcv In all Mirti» of the Mate. Office
in itic Court House, stxioud door un I be rivbt
of «*iit rane %
4. R. NEIL,
AT LAW.
» Or.
>111 practice »a ill court* of the State. Office
!n thcCoMrl House. I mn I (tout un left ul en
trance.
Lionel K. Webster.
Austin 8. Hammond.
WEBSTER J l HAMMOND.
a FTURN E YS-AT- LA W.
Kedlord.
....
Greffim.
E. KIRCHCESSNER, M. D„
PHYSICIAN
AND
8UKGKON.
Medford, Oregon.
i'thee al r<v>ldetice, south east Corner <■ and
till Slreela.
Q. F. DEMOREST
RESIDENT
dentist .
Bedford, Oregsa.
DR. CEO. O'*. DE BAR.
PHYSICIAN AN D 8U HG EUN,
JarkauuvHle, Oregon.
l>Mc«' and residence on California Street,
l.’aila attended promptly day or ulght
DR. J. B. WAIT,
PHYSICIAN
AND
SURGEON.
Redford, Oregon.
once on Mam street, in Childers' Building.
Calla promptly attended to day or night.
DR. E. P- CEART
PHYSICIAN
AND SURGEON.
Redford, Oregon.
Oltce In Opera House. Residence oppo
site Presbyterian church.
DR. E. 6. PICKEL
physician and surgeon .
Medford. Oregon.
Calle promptly Attended to day or n g lit.
Office on 7th street.
DRS. ODCERS A HALL,
DENTISTS.
Medford, Oregon-
Have permanently located In Medford fo>
the practice ot dentistry. From a continued
practice oi ever fourteen years we are pn-
pared to guarantee entire satisfaction.
Office over Stover's drug-store.
DR. W. S. JONES,
PHYSICIAN
AND
A STATEMENT OF FACTS BY THE
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
TO THE PEOPLE OF
OREGON.
A public attack upon thejmethods, mo
tives, and business interestsvof the Amer-
can Book Company, by a. small sub
committee of the “Committee of One
Hundred,” of Portland, Oregon, has re
cently been published iu the “Oregon
ian,” a newspaper of that city.
The “report” embodying this attack is
made up of a mass of misinformation,
unsupported charges, baseless rumors,
and unjustifiable suspicions.
Upon this ex pand sl’owjjpg, with no
solid basis of fac^jit P^sMi'atever,
upon mere assertionF'Ea, .Iffl^iions,
our character and our iusViess are as
sailed. Under sueb atvutnstances it is
but just to ourselves, and to our many
friends and patrons in Oregon and on
the Pacific Coast, to make a full and ex
plicit answer to these slanderous mis
representations.
US.
Will practice In all eourta of the alate,
limée In the Court Houae.
AND COUNHKLOH
TO ITS DEFAMERS.
THE SUB-COMMITTEE’S CHARGES AGAINST
Jurlu»Millt, Gregna.
riTUHNKY
'Values,
Grood
8 U R G|E O N.
JfsMTard, Orsgsa.
OSes la Hamlin's Block, up-stairs.
The box Is ittmly taken off and the gear lengthened out for the use of carpenters an<t
magona Thia wagon haa a amooth finisti, is painbid bright ani attract I vu, and ia atning unit
durable. Fi r Bpeeiul prices write
THB WINONK WHGON CO.,
MtBu&ctOMraof the CelobraUd KusLtuid Wainm, 1010 W. 6thSt., Winona, Minn.
1. That our corporation was fraudu
lently and deceitfully organized.
2. That we caustitute a trust and a
monopoly.
3. That this alleged trust and mo
nopoly had existed, as such a “combina
tion,” for many years before the incor
poration of our company.
4. That we have been guilty of brib
ery, and that we systematically pursue
our business through a policy of bribery
aud*corruption.
5^-That our elementary publications
are .without merit
6. That we palm off inferior books on
what 'the self-constituted censor#, style
“backwoods states.”
7. That our profits in Oregon are
{30,000 a year.
8. That the effect of tZiis alleged mo
nopoly is “disastrous to the public
school system,” and thereby “the public
are cheated of the right to independent
teachers, good schools, and good books.”
I Having in mind the full force of our
words, we most seriously and emphati
cally declare that each and every one of
the above charges is absolutely false, and
that they are unsupported by any proof
or evidence whatever; and we hereby in
vite un examination of them in detail.»
the amount of capital named. But for
what reason was this state chosen »nH
cuts stuaii amount ot capital made use ot,
and what were the subsequent steps of its
corporate development?
New Jersey was chosen because its
laws are more favorable to manufactur
ing interests like ours than the laws of
some other states, and because several of
our large stockholders, who became di
rectors, reside there. As is required and
customary, “a principal place of busi
ness” was designated in that state. The
New Jersey laws, however, are so strict
that they require the money which rep
resents stock issued to be all actually paid
in; or, when the money is not so paid iu,
that actual property at a cash valuation
shall be purchased as the basis for stock
issued. In this latter case the stock
certificates issued for property must
bear stamped on their face, "Issued for
property purchased.” It was therefore
on simple grounds of convenience and
economy that a company was at first
formed with this small capital, with a
view of afterwards purchasing the re
quired properties and issuing property
stock therefor, accord ihg to the statute
law of that state. To have done other
wise would have necessitated the lock'ng
up, on the first incorporation of the com
pany, of a very large sum of money in
cash, to lie idle until ready to be turned
over for the several publishing plants
acquired, a very clumsy and expensive
proceeding which no sensible man would
advise.
Within four months after the original
incorporation all the subsequent steps of
purchasing property and increasing the
capital of the company to five million
dollars, the actual cost of its publishing
plants, were taken and every one ol
these steps was official and public, and
made matter of record both at the capi
tol of the state in Trenton, and at Jersey
City, in Hudson County, the coporateseal
of the company. Thus,if the whole record
were quoted and published, instead of
being garbled for purposes of deceiving,
by publishing only the preliminary step of
incorporation, we should be truthfully
and fairly represented. As to the amount
of our capital and the size and import
ance of our business we have nothing tc
conceal; indeed, we regard the great ag
gregate of our sales, spread over the
whole coun’ry, as the measure of confi
dence of the school public in our com
panv, and as an unimpeachable indorse
ment of the superior merit of our publi
cations.
In order to make this statement com
plete and clear, it should be said that
the purchase of all school-book properties
made by this company, from whatevei
source was upon a uniform basis of cash
valuation, and according to the estab
lished rules of valuing publishing rights,
plates and plants. The price paid foi
the Harper school-book interests was nc
exception to this rule. No bonus or extra
inducement of any kind was offered 01
given to anybodyv "much less was there
any undue influence or duress exercised,
forming anv alleged “dark chapter,” as
basely insinuated in this so-called “re
port.”
A PUBLISHING COMPANY.
The statement in the “ report” that
“this combination had practically been
iu existence for over ten years prior to its
TACOMA, WASHINGTON.
(
legal incorporation” is wholly false.
1884.
Eleventh Year.
1894.
There had been no community of inter
ests, no consolidation of business
A Boarding School for Oirls.
nothing interfering with the entire inde
with Superior Advantages.
pendence of each firm, nothing that had
the slightest effect upon prices of school
T his Iiamunoi J
MORAL
f DiriLOPBiry
Givis C ariful > INTELLECTUAL J
of th
books, nothing that influenced or inter
Ammow to th ) PHYSICAL ( S tudoti .
fered with their publication and regular
sale in any particular. There had been a
ZSzszcellen-t Tesicliers,
“Publishers’ Association,” which at
tempted to restrain the evils and extrav
ZBesLVLtifxxl S-a.zroxxn-d.ixxg'S-
agances of agency work for the introduc
SEND FOR CATALOGUE AND PRICES,
tion of school books, but nothing that
Address,
attempted any restriction of the regulai
MRS. SARAH K. WHITE. Princlpsb
business as between publishers, or as be
tween the several publishers and the pub
lic. The traffic was absolutely open and
free, and it has never been otherwise.
Nearly every reputable publishing house
in the country was represented in this
THESE CHARGES WHOLLY LIBELOUS.
Publishers’ Association or co-operated
Although advised by eminent counsel with it directly or indirectly.
'that the charges made against our com
Why was the American Book Company
pany are clearly libelous, and would formed? The answer is the simplest thing
First-class Business ant’ Normal School
form the basis of successful suits, both in the world—for economy and efficiency
for both Sexes.
criminal and civil, if they were made in conducting the school-book business.
Eor I’artienlars and Speeiitiens c»f against us as individuals, we shall not It was thought that the combined skill
hide behind our corporate organization of the most experienced and sagacious
Penmanship, address
or wait for the customary slow motion of
publishers, the combined judgment of
the courts. We do not shrink from the
the most accomplished editors, and ju
broader trial of this issue by that public
dicious use of large capital in Stimula
before whom we have been accused, as
ting the best authorship, would bring
we have complete confidence in its sense
the greatest measure of success; that the
of fairness and justice, and therefore
bringing together of these forces would
make this public answer.
tend to utilize the highest educational
THE SOURCE OF THESE SLANDEROUS RE- thought and crystallize it into the best
| “CUPIDENE*'
PORTS.
text-books. Besides all this, there -.vere
_________ _ _ .. __________
lion of » fai'JOMP F rench physician,^vill quickly cure yoc of all ner
There is but one reasonable explanation the very obvious economies in consolida-
vous or di.si-a.Heji of the gencruuve orKuuu, much ju * Ofc-Manhood
Insonu ia. I,.*i.i.3iu ide Buck,Seminal E.ni»r<.iu<,
iJebility*
as to the source of these attacks. They i ting the agency operations for placing
Pimples, L’ntimess to Marry. Kxliautung Drains, Varicocele and
Const illation. It atopn all loRses by day or niRhL Prevents quirk-
emanate from some competitor in busi 1 the books, and the merchandizing opera
__
ti< ss of disrhatpe, which if not checked leads U» Spcnnatorrhcea and
ness who has the skill to make use of tions of distributing them to consumers.
WaEFORr Bun AE-rrn all the borro-sof Tmpoiency. <FPIJ»»:NF < ieau^jiitb jUver, U jg
ANDMriE.» kidneys and the urinary orpanft of all impurities.
venal or gullible persons ;o publish and All these economies enable the Company
CVPIDEXi: fitrr’ig hens and restores small weak organs.
Th.» r.-aaon «»jfTerrrM are rot cn.-ed hv iNK tors is bruise nl.iety per rent are tnaibled with
circulate his own attacks aud calumnies to furnish the best possible text-books at
ProRsiMtitla. < ri»I I)EN E i8 thv only known remedy to cure without an operation, "ibuo i. «clmoni-
ala. A written gnu ran too give u and mnnev retnrned if six boxes does not eUeci a permanent curt
for him, expecting in this way to build the lowest possible prices. »Tbe Amer:
|l.OTabox.rix for I'koo, by mail. Bend for fuek circular and testimonials.
▲ddret* 1> A VoL. M LulClM £ CO., I’. O. Box 307«, Sun Francisco, Cai. JV jt .Stxle fiy
himself up by defaming the character of can Book Company, by at once increas
his competitors. These reports, which ing its discount and inaugurating meth
are copied as news by the various country ods for regulating the retail prices of
journals, illustrate the fine art of procur middlemen, greatly cheapened the cost
ing free advertising.
of school books to the people; and by
establishing its own depots in different
A “HIDDEN MONOPOLY.”
It is charged that the American Book sections of the country, enabled the pub
Company was incorporated in New lic everywhere to readily obtain its pub
Jersey, with a capital of (5,000, and that lications at the reduced prices.
The Annie Wright Seminary. ■
M. E. RIGBY, Principal, Medford, Oregon.
MANHOOD RESTORED
Sold at City Drug Store, Jacksonville.
"under this modest organization was hid
den one of the greatest monopolies ever
known in this country.” It is true ths*,
the American Book Company was legally
incorporated January 9, 1890, and with
essentials, namery.
Power to control production, and
Power to establish arbitrary prices for
all such production.
Without these elements there can be
no monopoly, coercion, or oppression.
In the publication and sale of school
books the exercise of neither of these
powers is possible. Authors, and would-
be authors, are as numberless as "the
sands of the sea,” and capital ami presses
are everywhere available to*print a
book. There are at the present tim*
in the United States, according to the
official trade organ, The Publishers'
Weekly, more than a hundred corpora
tions, firms, and houses issuing school
publications, and there are nearly teu
thousand different volumes in current
publication. It is a matter of notoriety,
among all teachers and school officers,
that competition between different houses
publishing school text-books has nevei
been more active than since the forma
tion of the American Book Company, 01
than exists at the present moment. Com
petition is even strong enough to stimu
late the wildest and basest slanders
against a large and successful house like
the American Book Company, wherevei
and whenever an important adoption is
being considered, as is at present the
case in the state of Oregon; with the
evident purpose of shifting the issue
from the merits of the books to a discus
sion of personalities.
Stimulated by the charges of such ever
present and sometimes virulent competi
tion, there were brought about two legis
lative inquiries as to the status of the
American Book Company, respectively iu
the states of Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In these investigations and bearings the
testimony of everybody was publicly in
vited—publishers, booksellers, educators,
politicians, and public cranks. Each ol
the two reports, to their respective legis
latures, resulting from these investiga
tions, completely exonerated the Ameri
can Book Company from being, in a»y
sense or form, a trust or monopoly, a»
had been falsely alleged. At the Harris
burg hearing, all the leading publishers
of New York, Philadelphia, and othei
cities were present, and, testifying undet
oath, each one declared that be knew oi
no case where any competitor had been
“crushed out” or oppressed by this com
pany. And we hereby offer this dial
lenge to any respectable school-book
publisher in this whole country today to
come forward and declare under oatb
that he has suffered any oppression in
kis business from the American Book
Company, or that it is within his experi
ence or personal knowledge that this
company has ever, at any time, at
tempted in the least degree “to crush
competing houses and destroy all legiti
mate competition,” as charged in this
“report.”
WHAT OF THE POLICY OF BRIBERY AMD
CORRUPTION?
In this report the old stories are re
hearsed that the agents of this company,
in one instance in the state of Washing
ton and in another in the state of West
Virginia, attempted bribery. Where is
the proof that these agents attempted it
in either case? Observe, it is tut charged
flat bribery was committed, but "at-
t:nipted.” The Washington case, after
¿ ragging along in the courts for some
t me, with three of the acccused agents
and detectives in their Jurisdiction and
under bail, was decided in favor of the
agents. It was then appealed to a higher
court, sent back for re-trial, and finally
dismissed for lack of evidence 10 main-
tiin it. This “report’’ also states that in
tie West Virginia case the agent “was
publicly reprimanded and compelled to
take back his money.” Is this the usual
conclusion when bribery is proved to
4 ave 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-
ci.n Book Company promptly disavowed
any responsibility or connection with
them. Among the hundreds of thousands
of annual transactions of this company,
tlese are the only instances ever cited
against it, and these are alleged to have
U.ken 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
teen able 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 oompany in the
states named? Nothing whatever; and
he is challenged to produce any proof of
any transaction on our part inconsistent
with fair and honorable dealing.
This defamatory report continues: “It
will also appear that its most reckless
aud successful operations have been con
HAS A TRUST BEEN CREATED AND A fined to what it probably considers the
MONOPOLY ESTABLISHED?
backwoods states of West Virginia, Mis
A trust or monopoly, as defined by all sissippi, Missouri, California, Washing
authorities and by the Urited States and ton, and Oregon, and that in New Eng
State statue laws, must possess these two 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, aud 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 Virgiuia,
California, and Oregon since the forma-
ation of this company, in which it could
have shared. The Washington adoption
occurred within a mouth 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.
CHARACTER
OF
BOOKS
PUBLISHED BY
THIS AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY.
The writer of this “report” has set
himself up as a critic and censor of the
character and merit of the school books
published 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 furaish an inferior book than a
good one, and its profit is greater ujxm
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
tr ¡stakes and inaccuracies.”
That the paper, printing, binding, in
troduction, and marketing of a poor book
costs less and give a greater profit, al
though “It is sold a’ 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
mon sense, knows that the cost of the
printing and binding—that is, the me
chanical 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 ol
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 indorsed 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 more
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 whifh are
likely to prove most acceptable aud suit
able to its school work, without regard
to the fact that one book is more or less
profi’f.ble to us than another. Our
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 upon any state or section is too
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 are
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 says in
effect that your teachers and school
(Concluded on Fourth Page.)
1
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