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Show IW, ' Tho Sohool-Boolc Quoatlon. It is pleasing to bo able to record in thoso days, whon tho prices of nlmost ovory commodity In dnlly uso aro advancing, ad-vancing, cither on account of high tariff tar-iff protection, or from somo othoy sympathetic sym-pathetic causes, that thoro Is ono sta-plo sta-plo which has undorgono, nnd la still undergoing a reduction in price. Wo rofer to school books. Thoro Is por-haps por-haps no nrticlo which has boon tho subject of so much discussion throughout through-out tho farming communities ns that of t tho scboolbook. Thoro lias boon j much complaint about high prices, and ' thoso prices havo generally boon charged to tho publishers, but not . rightfully, for invcsttgatlon proves that the publisher's prlrcs aro reasonable reason-able Tho troublo is traconblo to those retailors who chargo outrageous prlcos to mako largo profits, and to tho poo-plo poo-plo who do not avail themselves of tho chonpest market. Tho contract system lnnuguratcd by tho American Hook Company, of Cht- v cago, tho largest slnglo book publlsh- 1 Ing concern In tho country, nnd whoso books aro used throughout tho length , nnd breadth of tho land, has resulted , t In wide nwtike school district boards I nnd closo buyers of books purchasing m direct from tho company at contract X prlcos. These contract prices aro I twenty per cent lower than tho formor , wholosulo prices. ,m Tho question has often been asked. jL, ' "Who aro somo of tho school-book . K publishers, outsldo of the American W Book Company?" Thoro nro to-day ovor fifty roputublo school-book pub- B Ushers competing for tho business of A L" tho country. We namo a fow: Cow- perthwalto & Co., Philadelphia; Ginn & M Co., lloston; 1). C. Honth & Co., Uos- ton; Honry Holt & Co., Now York; ' Leach, Showoll & Sanborn, Boston; J. 11. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia; j Kfflnghnm, Mnynnrd & Co., Now York; j Charles Scrlbnor's Sons, Now York; Porter &Contos, Philadelphia; Sheldon & Co., Now York; Gcorgo Shorwood & Co., Chicago; Talntor Brou. & Co., I New York. Many others might bo j added to this list. Tho American Book Gompnny hns , lod oft in cutting tho prices of school I books wbero cbntracts nro mode with school boards. Wo find upon referring to tholr prlco list that thoy also offr to send tholr books to any man, woman or ch'lld In tho United States, postage or express prepaid upon receipt of tho I list price, thus placing in tho bands of I tho consumer, oven In tho remotest I and smallest village In tho country, an I offcctlvo safe-guard against extrava- I gant charges. We bollovo that print- I ers' Ink Is too plenty, and good authors . I nro over too ready to work, to allow a V-i monopoly lu the ncbool-book trade ' Ab school boards havo tho power on- . s tlrely in their own hands, thoro Is no doubt thoy can sccuro books ut greatly reduced prices by contracting direct with publishers for a term of years. Let school ofllcors tako ndvantngo of tho now contract plan and put tho bost books in tho hands of tho consumers at tho lowest prlco possible Gazette- |