FoiUaul Library
Ji" wi n t i MJfH i n mi i i fri 1 11 1 1 m 1 1 i t n M ia-i
5 :
i The persistent wooing lover I
i Is the one who wis the maid : i
OFFICIAL
PAPER
IH M BUM". MM 1 1 1 1 1 M I M Ml I M.I 1 1 Ml II 1 1 Mil 1 1 IIH
I The man who tries to adverlisc
I With printer's ink consistent,
I One woid mast learn nor from it lorn, 5
I And that one word's persistent.
: I
mM I M 11 1 M I M4 M M Mlli.t.l HtMHHUI II M I tl.l.tlS
i And the contant advertiser
- a- j
Gets the cream of all the trade.
iinBi
9
'WtllMiiliiMIMl'iMliHHi.lliilliK WM'Mi
TWELFTH YEAR
HEPPNER. MORROW COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1894.
WEEKLY siO. 611.1
BEMI-WEEKLY NO. 2SC.1
Ifllllllf
SEMI .VEEKLY GAZETTE.
FUBLI8HKD
Tuesdays and Fridays
BY
W PATTERSON PUBLISHING COMPANY
A per year, $1.25 for biz month, 7!. cte.
.'or three mourns.
Advertising Rates Made Known on
Application.
The "EAaLE," of Long Creek, Grant
County, Oregon, In published by the same com
DiLtiv every Frirtav morninir. Subscription
price, 2per year. ForadvertlFi.njE rates, address
Ji. fA.i"i'JiswjN , editor ann
Manager, Ixmg Creek, Oregon, or "Gazette,1
Heppner, Oregon.
THIB PAPKK is kept on tile at E. C. Dake's
Advertising A nanny, fi and 85 Merchants
Kxohangs, Han tranoittoo, California, where oou-
racts lor advertising oan oe maue ror it.
Union Pacfic Railway-Local card.
No, 10, ml i M leaves Heppner 9:45 p. m. daily
exoept Sunday
' 10, ar. at Willows Jo. p.m.
9, " leaves ' a. m.
M 9, ' ar. at Heppner 5:00 a. u. dail
-txoept Monday.
Kast. bound, main line ar, at Arlington 1:3(1 . m
West " ' "leaves 1:2. a. ra
West honid lo al f rih loaVs Arlington 8 -85
a. m.. arrives ut The Dilltw 1:15 o. m. Local
passenger leave- TU Dalle at '4:00 p. in. arriv s
at roruaua at :uu p. m-
. official xhkectortt.
United titutex OHkiaU.
President Grover Cleveland
Vifm-l'resident Ad ai 8ievnoti
8ay-eary of Htate Waiter Q Greahnm
Secretary of Treasury John G. t'Hrlisl.
Secretary of Interior.. HWe Simrtt
booretary of War Daniel 8. f .union (
Secretary of Navy Hilary A. Hwiieri
PosLmaBter-General WiIhou 8. Biawell
Attorney-Gene nil Kioharri H. Olney
Secretary of Agriculture J. Sterling Mortoi
State of Oregon.
Governor. 8. Pennoyar
oeoreiury oi outie u. n. .uudhiih
Treasurer Phil. Motsnhan
Bupt. Public Instruction K. B. McKlroy
Heuton jj.N.Dolph
n J Blngor Hermann
Congressmen j w K KIli8
Printer..... Frank C. Baki
I F. A. Moore
iprAine Judges W. P. ijord
ti. S. Bean
Seventh Judicial District.
Oironit Judge . W. L. Bradhaw
I'roseouting Attorney A. A. Jaynt
Morrow County Ufileiala.
loint Benator . W. Gowan
Representative. J 8. B'thhj
uiity Judge Julius Keith ly
' Commlssionerfl J, K. Howard
J. M. Baker.
" Clerk J. W. Morrow
" Sheriff .....G. W. H trnutrtoi,
" Treasurer Fran Gilliam
' AsHesaor J. . WilM-
purveyor Go. Lord
School Hup't Anna J3alaier
Coroner T. W. Ayer. Jr
HEPPNEB TOWN OFFI0EU8.
Mayoi P. (). Bonr
Douneilmeu O. E. Farns worth, Mi
Liohtentlial, Otis Patterson, Julius Keithly,
W. A. Johnston, J. L, Yeager.
Recorder.... F. J. Hallonk
Treasurer A. M. Uunu
Marshal
Precinct Offlwrp.
Jastimof the Peace E. L. Freeland
Constable..., N. 8. WheUtuue
United StAten Und Officers.
THE DALLES, OR.
J. F. Moore Mr-gisr
A. 8. Biggs Iteueiv r
LA OBAHDE, OB.
8.F, Wilson Kegiter
J. H. Kobbins Receiver
SECRET SOCIETIES.
Doric Lodge No, 20 K, of P. meets ev
ery Tnesday evening at 7.80 o'clock in
their Castle Hall, National Hank build
inx. Sojourning brothers cordial I v in
vited to attend. A. W. Pai trrhon, C. C.
W. V. Cbawfouo, K. of R. A 8. tf
KAWUN8 POST, NO. 8L
G. A. R.
Meet at Lexington, Or., the last Saturday of
iach month. AJ1 veterans are invited to join.
C" C. Boon, Geo. W. Hmjth.
Adjutant, tf Commander.
LUMBER!
WE HAVE FOR BA1JE ALL KINDS OF DN
dressed Lumber, 16 miles of Heppner, &r
what Is known m the
8COTT BAWMIIjIj.
FEB 1,000 FEET. KOUMH,
CLEAR.
10 00
17 60
rF DELIVERED IN HEPPNER, WILL ADD
I IS.00 per 1,000 feet, additional.
L HAMILTON, Prop.
D. A.. HamUtoniMAn'Kt1
01
r.
WH. PENLAND, ED. R BISHOP.
Prealdent. Cash if r.
TRANSACTS A GENERAL BANKING BUSINESS
COLLECTIONS
Made on Favorable Terms.
EXCHANGE BOUGHT 8c SOLD
HEPPNER. tf OREGON
WIDOWS,
DlDtUT'!.
CHILDREN
lsf -r ! "-" '
Aviy ?n fi" rffirnla
Miir r N-'-' niLec'i-- war.
titi -ttsr,-!rei-t
if yo'j tun immmi ei"JT
0. R.&N.C0.
E. McNEILL, Receiver.
TO THB
3 J S T
atVES THE CHOICE
Of Two Transcontinental
GREAT UNION
VimHEKX Ry- PACIFIC RY.
VIA
Spokane Denver
MINNEAPOLIS OMAHA
AND AND
St. Paul Kansas City
LO W RATES TO ALL
EASTERN CITIES.
Ocean Steamers leave Portlana
tvery 5 Days For
SAN FRANCISCO
For full Hi'tnil Ortll nn O. B. &
Vg ut at Heppuer, i r Hiliirpss
W. H. BUBLBURT,
Gen. Phhr. Agt.
Portland, Oregon
The comparative value of these twocarda
le known to most persona.
They illustrate that greater quantity (a
Not always most to be desired.
These cards express the beneficial qual
ity of
R!pansTabules
As compared with any previously knows
DYSPEPSIA CURB
Rlpana Tabules : Price. 50 cents a box,
Of druggists, or by mall.
RIPANS CHEMICAL CO., 10 Spruce St., N.Y.
THB
WISCONSIN CENTRAL LINK
Run Two Fast Trains Daily
Between St. Paul. Minneapolis, and Chlom
Milwaukee and ail points In Wisconsin makln
connection in Chicago with all lines runnin
East and Sonth.
Tickets sold and baggage checked through ti
all points in the United States and Canadibi
Provinces.
For full information apply to your nearer :
tieket agent or JA8. C. POND.
(inn. Paw. amlTkt. Agt.. Milwaukee, Wis.
Sah.it.
Simplest,
Strongest,
Solid
Lightest,
Easiest
Working,
Most
Accurate,
Compact,
Top
Receiver.
Most Modern and progressive
For catalogue or Information writ, to
THE MARL1N FIRE ARMS CO.,
New Haven, Conn.
fc: ff in 00 worth of lovely Musk for Forty 9
I U . Cents, consisting of 100 pagrs
,W W full slz Sheet Tlluslc of i;h--v
latest, hrtcrhlttcl liwAlla.. i . ,
iUiUiUiiUUiiUUiUiUiUJiiK
QaiOK TXIV1 B t
TO
San Francisco
And all point, lo California, via toe Ut. 8hawi
route of the
Southern Pacific Co
rh r"it hiirhwiiy rhrooirh Rhfi.rnia t
point KRt nr S-Tjlh. 'rmnti Hon,c
of thf Puritr Tosnr. pnllman Hntfei
HlnLni Hn.iiftvitHM riWper
AttaphvMl to exprntm trains, slt'trflins: nptr
BocriminodAtims for sncond-rlaas pasMntrer,
For utes, tickets, sleeping car rtwerratio
etc. cull npon or vltirw
K KMEHLEK. Mumtrer. E. P ROGERd, Ajp
Geo. P. P. Aft., PortUnd, Orepcra.
4
selections, both vocal and Instrumental,
gotten up In the most elegant manner. In
eluding four Urge size Portraits. m
T MHMenciU. Vie Spana Oojiier,
PADeHEWSfl, tilt flraat PlanltL -S
T" ADiUN PATTI and 3
MINMie StUBUAN CUTTINB. r3
act. Lt ...a., t. m
t THENEWYORKMUSICALECHOCO.S
g Broadway Theatre Bldg.. New York City. 32
" Be thou as chaste as ice and it pure as
snow thou shall not escape calumny."
ANSWER OF THE
AMERICAN BOOK CO.
TO ITS DEFAMERS.
A STATEMENT OF FACTS BY THE
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
TO THE PEOPLE OF
OREGON.
A public attack upon the method!, mo
tives, and business interests of the Amer
can Book Company, by a small sub
committee of the "Committee of One
Hundred," of Portland, Oregon, has re
cently been published in 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-parle showing, with no
solid basis of fact or proof whatever,
upon mere assertions and insinuations,
our character and our business are as
sailed. Under such circumstances it is
)ut just to ourselves, and to our many
friends and patrons in Oregon and on
Jie Pacific Coast, to make a full and ex
plicit answer to these slanderous tnis
epresentations. I HK SUB-COMMITTEE'S CHARGES AGAINST
US.
1. That our corporation was fraudul
ently and deceitfully organized.
2. That we constitute a trust and a
nonopoly.
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 censors style
"backwoods states."
7. That our profits in Oregon are
30,ooo a year.
8. That the effect of this 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."
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 an examination of them in detail.
THESE CHARGES WHOLLY LIBELOUS.
Although advised by eminent counsel
that the charges made against our com
pany are clearly libelous, and would
form the basis of successful suits, both
criminal and civil, if they were made
against us as individuals, we shall not
hide behind our corporate organization
or wait for the customary slow motion of
the courts. We do not shrink from the
broader trial of this issue by that public
before whom we have been accused, as
we have complete confidence in its sense
of fairness and justice, and therefore
make this public answer.
THE SOURCE OP THESE SLANDEROUS RE
PORTS. There is hut one reasonable explanation
as to the source of these attacks. They
emanate from some competitor in busi
ness who has the skill to make use of
venal or gullible persons to publish and
circulate bis own attacks and calumnies
for him, expecting in this way to build
himself up by defaming the character of
his competitors. These reports, which
are copied as news by the various country
journals, illustrate the fine art of procur
ing free advertising.
A "HIDDEN MONOPOLY."
If is charged that the American Book
Company was incorporated in New
Jersey, with a capital of $5,000, and that
"under this modest organization was hid
den one of the greatest monopolies ever
known in this country." It is true that
the American Book Company was legally
incorporated January 9, 1890, and with
the amount of capital named. But foi
what reason was this state chosen anc
this small amount of capital made use of,
and what were the subsequent steps of ill
corporate development?
New Jersey was chosen because it
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 in,
that actual property at a cash valuation
shall be purchased as the basis for stock
iasued. Ia this latter cue the stock
eertifieatas !stud for propertv mar
J.0J1
CURESA
PAINS of
MAN &
BEAST
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, according to the statute
law of that state. To have done other
wise would have necessitated the locking
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 coporate seat
of the company. Thus, if the whole record
were quoted and published, instead ol
being garbled for purposes of deceiving,
by publishing only the preliminary stepo'
incorporation, we should be truthfulh
and fairly represented. As to the amoun'
of our capital and the size and import
ance of our business we have nothing t(.
conceal; indeed, we regard the great ag
gregate of our sales, spread over tin
whole country, as the measure of coufi
dence of the school public in our com
pany, and as an unimpeachable indorse
nient of the superior merit of our pulili
cations.
In order to make this statement com
plete and clear, it should be said tha
the purchase of all school-book properties
made by this company, from whatevei
source was upon a uniform basis of casl.
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 no
exception to this rule. No bonus or extra
inducement of any kind was ottered or
given to anybody, much less was there
any undue influence or duress exercised,
forming anv alleged "dark chapter," at
basely insinuated in this so-called "re
port." A PUBLISHING COMPANY.
The statement in the "report" that
"this combination had practically been
in existence for over ten years prior to its
legal incorporation" is wholly false
There had been no community of inter
csts, no consolidation of business
nothing interfering with the entire inde
pendence of each firm, nothing that had
the slightest effect upon prices of school
books, nothing that influenced or inter
fered with their publication and regulai
sale in any particular. There had been a
"Publishers' Association," which at
tempted to restrain the evils and extrav
agances of agency work for the introduc
tion of school books, but nothing thai
attempted any restriction of the regulai
business as between publishers, or as b
tween the several publishers and the pub
lie. The traffic was absolutely open am
free, and it has never been otherwise
Nearly every reputable publishing hous
in the, country was represented in this
Publishers' Association or co-operatei
with it directly or indirectly.
Why was the American Book Company
formed? The answer is the simplest thin;
in the world for economy and efficient"
in conducting the school-book businev
It was thought that the combined skil
of the most experienced and sagaciou
publishers, the combined judgment o
the most accomplished editors, and ju
dicious use of large capital in stiinul -ting
the best authorship, would brin
the greatest measure of success; that thi
bringing together of these forces woub
tend to utilize the highest educationa
thought and crystallize it into the bes
text-books. Besides all this, there wen
the very obvious economies in consolida
ting the agency operations for placing
the books, and the merchandizing opera
tions of distributing them to consumers
All these economies enable the Company
to furnish the best possible text-books al
the lowest possible prices. The Ameri
can Ilook Company, by at once increas
ing its discount and inaugurating meth
ods for regulating the retail prices of
middlemen, greatly cheapened the cost
of school hooks to the people; and by
establishing its own depots in different
sections of the country, enabled the pub
lic everywhere to readi'y obtain its pub
lications at the reduced prices.
MAS A TRUST BHP.N CkP.ATHD AND t
MONOPOLY iUTAHl.ISIIKD?
A trust or monopoly, as defined by all
authorities and by the United States and
State atatue laws, must possess these two
essentials, namely:
Power to control production, and
Power to establish arbitrary prices for
all such production.
Without these element-) there can be
no monopoly, coercion, or oppression
In the pulili-: jtion and sale of school
book the exercinc of neither of thes
powers i possible. Authors, mid would
be authors, are as numberless as "the
shwIs of the sa," and capital and presses
are ererywhere arilMe to print 1
book. There are at the present time
in the Uuited 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 ten
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 nevel
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 slander
against a large and successful house like
the American Book Company, wherever
and whenever an important adoption if
being considered, as is at present tht
case in the state of Oregon; with tht
evident purpose of shifting the issut
from the merits of the books to a discus
sion of personalities.
Stimulated by the charges of such ever
present aud sometimes virulent competi
tion, there were brought about two legis
lative inquiries as to the status of the
American Book Company, respectively ii
the states of Pennsylvania and Illinois
In these investigations and hearings tlu
testimony of everybody was publicly in
vited publishers, booksellers, educators
politicians, and public cranks. Each 01
the two reports, to their respective legis
latures, resulting from these investiga
tions, completely exonerated the Ameri
can Book Company from being, in atn
sense or form, a trust or monopoly, a:
had been falsely alleged. At the Harris
burg hearing, all the leading publisher!
of New York, Philadelphia, and othei
cities were present, and, testifying undei
oath, each one declared that be knew 0
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 oath
that he has suffered any oppression in
his 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
computing houses and destroy all legiti
mate competition," as charged in this
"report"
WHAT OF THE POLICY OP BRIBERY AND
CORRUPTION?
In thia 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 il
in either cast? Observe, it is nut charged
(hat bribery was committed, but "at
tempted." The Washington case, after
dragging along in the courts for some
time, with three of the acceused 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 to main
tain it. This "report" also states that in
the 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
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 Book Company promptly disavowed
any responsibility or connection with
them. Among the hundreds of thousands
of 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 aitei
the organization of the company. And
though the campaign of abuse and defa
mation has been actively carried on evci
since, its authors and promoters have not
been 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 statei
gives us the impression that its method)
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 ol
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
be is challenged to produce any proof of
any transaction on our part inconsistent
with fair aud honorable dealing.
This defamatory report continues: "It
will also appear that its most reckless
and successful operations have been con
lined to what it probably considers the
backwoods states of West Virginia, Mis
sissippi, Missouri, California, Washing
ton, aud Oregou, aud that in New Eng
land and many other places its success,
if any, in monopolizing the school-hook
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 poruou. of the
country. It is well kndvtn that rural and
nricultural communities arc- quite as in
telligent, honest, and hih minded in
their dealings, and as capable of taking
care of themselves and their own inter
ests, as are manufacturing and trading
errmmonittee. Tha farts are that there
Highest of all in Leavening Power. Latest U. S. Gov't Report
11
Absolutely pure
have been no new introductions or whole
sale changes in books in West Virginia,
California, and Oregon since the forma
ation of this company, in which it could
have shared. The Washington adoption
jeeurred within a mouth after the com
pany had commenced business, so that it
uad 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 aud 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
THB AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY.
The writer of this "report" has set
himself up as a ciitic 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 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
troduction, 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
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 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 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 nol
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 looks,
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 nrt
likely to prove most acceptable anil suit
able to its school work, without regard
to the fact that one book is more or lesf
profitable to us than another. . On
agents are not informed as to which book'
pay copyright and which do not; or ol
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 b
supplying hooka of the highest merit
and of the kinds which will be most satis
factory to out patron9. A contrary
policy of forcing poor books that are not
wanted upon any state or section is toe
foolish to merit a moment's considcra
tion.
ISTHX. AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY IIOS
TILE TO PUBLIC EDUCATION?
To the charge in the report "that thie
monopoly is disastrous to our public
school system," and that "the public are
cheated of the right to independent
teachers, good schools aud gaud books,"
we aniiwer that this is a baje and mon
strous accusation not only agaiuit ua but
against the teachers and school authori
lies of the state of Oregon. It says in
effect that your teachers and school
superintendents allow themselves to be
hoodwinked aud cheated by publishers
of school books. No statement could lie
more untrue or unjust to this high-
Baking
Foivder
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 fellow-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 proinvte the in
tellectual growth of the country, than
the men who, as school-book publishers,
were the predecessors of the American
Book Company; and they have accom
plished all these things by constantly
producing, from time lo 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 aud 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-book
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 that 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 profits
on school books being f o,coo a year iu
Oregon, as claimed in the "report," this
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 only a small por
tion of this amount can be reck wed as
net profit.
The American Book Company has
never at any time raised so much as a
finger to influence Oregon legislation in
its behalf. On the other hand, what did
this company actually do for the people
of Oregon when it became the publishei
of the books which had already been
adopted for use in that state? We state
facts known, we believe, to every person
in Oregou, when we say that it used
every means iu its power to render these
books easily obtainable by the peoph
and at cheaper rates than ever before.
To this end and at great expense if
brought its business and capital to your
state, and established one of its branch
houses in your city of Portland. It hat
thus cast its lot with you and identified
itself with your community. We are our
selves, therefore, in a business sense,
Oregoniaus, sharing the fortunes of youi
state, and entitled lo fair and just treat
ment from our fellow-citizens. That" wc
shall receive justice and even generosit)
at your hands is assured to us by the
traditions of the Pacific Coast
AMERICAN IIOOIC COMANY,
Jly its Officers and Directors.
OFI1CKRS.
DAVID 1. IVISON, President,
ALFRED C. BARNES, Vice-President,
HARRY T. AMBROSE, Treasurer,
OILMAN' II. TUCKER, Secretary.
DIRECTORS.
Hi-.nkv li. Vail, Chairman,
WM. II. Al'I'UiTON,
W. W. Al'l'I.l'.ToN,
Danihl Appleton,
Harry T. Ambrose,
Alprko C. Barnes,
Ciias. J. Barnes
Henry B. Barnes.
A. Howard Hinki.r,
David B. Ivison,
Wm. B. Thai.meim' k,
Oilman If. Tucker.
PH EVEEEF.EEN TREE !
WITHOUT COST.
WE will send you by -maV uovt-paid one imati
evergrven treo ndsptoa to your climate-,
a 1th Instruction)! for planting end curing for It,
ogi'ther with our complet list of Nursery
'took. If you will cutout this sdvertlsenutnC.
mark on It the nsiueof this paper, and tell ho
iiaiiv Bud 9 ht-t Jed d of trem and vlsnfi you
onld like to purchase, and wne you wish to
iHiit iiiwri
We w )!i quote you lower i rfces on the sttwk
u unlit than liuve ever been ('iff red ou.
rite ai unc-e.
EVKIEC1KKFN Nrn.SEKlEH,
OlvnoT V. ErerKreen, Doer Co., Wis.