Oklahoma State Labor News (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 17, Ed. 1 Friday, August 24, 1906 Page: 1 of 4
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Oklahoma *State Labor NeWs
VOL. 1
OKLAHOMA CITY. OKLA.. AUGUST 24. 1906
No. 17
Endorsed by the Central Trades and Labor Assembly of Oklahoma City and Vicinity, April 20,
| Webb's Natatorium $
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Si Cor. Chickasaw and Western Ave. &
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All Union men and families cordially invited.
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C D M M U NI CAT IO N
Editor of Labor News:
In the people's forum in the Okluho-
man of recent date appears a remark-
able letter from Mr. Ed. S. Vaught, ex-
Superintendent of Schools of Oklahoma
City, in reference to the proposed
sweeping changes in text books. These
proposed changes include all of the
leaders for all grades, all of the arith-
metics for all grades, all of the
geographies for all grades, all of the
grammars for all grades, and the phy-
siology for the advanced grades. This
action was brought about through Mr.
Vaught's personal influence, backed by
the agents of Ginn A: Company and
Maynard Merrill & Company. The
changes were ordered made by the
school board just before his retirement
as superintendent of schools. Mr.
Vaught justifies his action in the mat-
ter by saying that it was his duty '<>
recommend either a change of books
or a continuation of the books in use,
since the contract tor the latter was
about to expire. There was no need
of his doing either, because the books
in use would be continued to be sup-
plied as they had been in the past,
whether the contract had expired or
not. The dealers, as well as the
families, are still supplied with these
books and it seems very singular that
on the eve of statehood Mr. Vaught
should advocate a complete change.
The time for ordering this to change
is certainly inopportune; and if the
b mrd will stop long enough to consider
properly the whole proposition in all
of its bearings, they will see that tlnMr
action was very unwise and ill-timed,
and that it should be rescinded with-
out further delay.
The only reason which Mr. Vaught
seems able to give for the change is
his desire to give patronage to certain
publishing houses. This seems borne
out by the fact that the books which he
desires to have thrown out were very
cordially indorsed by him as most ad-
mirably suited to the needs of the
schools, after their use had .been fully
tested in the classes. Therefore his
statement of the reason for advocating
the change is a most singular one to
come from a professional educator;
for he thus frankly proclaims himself
as representing the interests of a com-
bination of publishers as against a
single house which stands aloof from
all combinations. It is clearly the im-
print of the publishers on the books
that has controlled Mr. Vaught, rather
than the books themselves, and the
authors by whom they were written.
In speaking of the single house,
meaning the American Book company,
as a trust, he is simply trying to
cover up the real trust, as represented j
in the combination of houses whose
interests lie is so zealously trying to
promote a,t the expense of the patrons
of the schools of Oklahoma City. This
will be obvious to anyone who knows
anything about these respective com-
panies.
The charge that the American Book
company is a trust has been made by
competitors. Their object has been to
prejudice the school authorities, so
that the considerations which are <>f
greatest interest to the children—merit
I and price—will be lost sight of by the
authorities in making 'heir selections
of the books to be used in the schools.
The legislative committee of the
state of Illinois, after a full investi-
gatlon. declared that the Ameriean
Book company is in no sense a trust.
The director of the United States
census denied over his own signature
that any volume or bulletin of the
census dealing with the subject of in-
dustrial combinations included the
American Book company among the
trusts. The American Book company
itself filed its affidavit as required by
the anti-trust laws of Oklahoma, just
as Maynard, Merrill & Company, Ginn
& Company, and ot'.ier houses now
operating in Oklahoma have done. In
this affidavit the American Book com-
pany declared that it was not "a party
to, or in any way or form or manner,
nature, or character, in any pool, cor-
poration. trust agreement, confedera-
tion, combination or understanding,
permanent or temporary, directly or
indirectly, with an> other individual,
firm, partnership, corporation, or asso-
ciation of persons wnatever."
All this being true, and being known
to the advisors of Mr. Vaught, the
paid agents of the companies whose
lM>oks be is seeding to force into the
school of Oklahoma City, at an enor-
mous expense to the people, this whole
proceeding is nothing more nor less
than a scheme to "bunko" the poor
people out of a large sum of money in
the interests oV a combination of east-
ern publishing houses.
Mr. Vaught seeks to show that the
change of boo'.ks does not involve any
extra cost to the taxpayer. His reason
'is so superficial that it ought not to
deceive anybody. Any bookseller who
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NEW STATE
Shirt and Overall Mfg. Co.
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has handled books for any length of
time knows that as school children pro-
gress from grade to grade where the
text books are not changed, only about
20 per cent of the books in use in the
schools are purchased In the one year.
What then of the HO per cent? It is
true that an exchange price is offered,
but this represents at least 50 per cent
of the retail price. Thus, if a child
has a book which he could use the com-
ing year if no change in authorishlp
was made, and the lx>ok cost him $1.
he would have to give it up for one
no better and pay n difference of 50
cents. For instance, a child who used
Milne's Elements of Arithmetic in the
| fourth grade last year would use the
same book in the fifth grade this year
according to the course of study out-
lined by Superintendent Vaught him-
self. lint if the change is made, he
will have to give up this book and pay
it least 50 per cent of the price of
the new one as a bonus. Again, a
child who used Milne's Standard Arith-
metic in the sixth grade last year
would use the same book this year in
I he seventh grade, but if the change
is made to another author as con-
templated he would have to give up
this book and pay a large difference
for the new book. The same is true of
the geographies, grammars, and the
other books, while the future prices of
these books as compared with the
prices of the books In use are In each
c-ise much higher, with the possible
exception of the physiologies. There-
fore. children who have no old books
Ki exchange will have to pay more for
the "anti-trust" (if you please) books
than they would pay for the present
series if continued. These statements
■ can be verified by anyone who will
take the time to investigate the mat-
ter, using as a blsis of bis invest ign-
itions Superintendent Vaught's own
course of study in which is shown the
various grades where these books
which it is proposed to displace with
others are used.
If Mr. Vaught had based his action
upon any objection he might have to
the present books on the score of
merit, it would be easy to show that
these books were found most highly
satisfactory after a thorough test, and
that no one could have been more en-
thusiastic than Mr. Vaught himself in
their praise.
Less than three years ago, Mr.
Vaught wrote of the Headers as fol-
| lows:
Baldwin's Readers are satisfactory.
| They repudiate the idea that real lit-
erature cannot be taught in the schools,
j The advanced Headers especially con
| tain the cream of the literature of our
language, and awaken a taste for more
general reading and a broader study of
i the same.
At the same time he wrote of the
Arithmetics as follows:
We find Milne's Arithmetic just the
hook for boys and girls who expect to
have experience in the business world,
the fulness of its problems, the prac-
tical nature of the work, the complete
ness of its presentation of denominate
numbers, etc., render the training
which this book affords especially de-
sirable for the boy or girl of today.
At another time he wrote the fol-
lowing general statement:
With a very few exceptions the books
now used in the Oklahoma City high
S( hool are published by the American
Book company. Their books are giv-
ing perfect satisfaction and are up to
j date in every respect.
These statements are quoted ver-
batum from letters over Mr. Vaught's
| signature.
As for Mr. I. M. Holcomb. who was
superintendent of the schools (when
Mr Vaught was principal of the high
| school) he made the following state-
ment: ,
We found after due comparison that
the American Book company's new
hooks were more suited to modern
teaching than any we could find else
where We are using the Baldwin's
Series of Headers, the Milne Arith-
metics. with Baird's for primary, Max
well's Grammars and Overton's Phy
; siologies. The series of Geographies-
the Natural—are undoubtedly the best
published. " „
1 The Natural Geographies are really
'natural, as their name indicates. The
child starts out from the school nouse
door and makes imaginary journeys
to the sea. The older pupil observes
the graphic comparisons of the pro-
ducts of our country with those of the-
rest of the world. The indicating of
the cable and ocean routes, and the
up to date information given concern-
ing the various countries impart to
this study almost the charm of travel.
Baldwin's Readers are admirable as
'! a basis for graduation. Each one fills
an exact place in the course of eight
' years below the high school. The mat-
H ter moreover, is most happily selected.
} and from It t.he pupil acquires real and
valuable culture
Equally strong indorsements of these
j same books came from our neighboring
city on the north where they are now
!in u8e- , .u
5 I wish to say that we adopted tin
^ following books last July, and they
* have been in use in our schools dur-
\ ' ing the past three months. They have
^.iven entire satisfaction, both to pupils
' and teachers:
^ Milne's Mathematical series,
k Maxwell's Gram, and Lang. Lessons.
Natural System of Geographies.
) Baldwin's Series of Readers.
i American Word Book.
9 McMaster's U. S. History
? The above, together with writing,
drawing, etc.. are the books used in our
j grades and I would not know what to
i name that would give better, or even
fe as good satisfaction. They are very
f strongly bound, an excellent feature in
F a school book.
(Signed,) J. R. CAMPBELL.
Ex-Supt. of Schools of Guthrie.
This certifies that the following
named publications of text books are
in use in the Guthrie public schools
and are giving excellent satisfaction
Milne's Arithmetics.
Natural Geographies.
Overton's Physiologies.
Maxwell's Grammars.
Balwin's Readers.
McMaster's Histories.
Natural Music Readers.
Barnes' Copy Books.
(Signed,) F. B. BUCK.
Supt. of Schools of Guthrie.
And these are the identical books
which Mr. Vaught and the board pur-
poses to throw out of our schools.
It was doubtless a matter of prudence
for Mr. Vaught to say nothing of the
merits of the books, but to rest Ills
case wholly on his anxiety to serve the
two eastern publishing houses named.
Mr Vaught has not helped his case
at all by his contribution to the "peo-
ple's forum." He has simply stood
forth as the representative of a com-
bination of publishers, with a cautious
but gauzy statement intended to con-
vey the idea that the patrons of the
schools will not lose money by the
change. The heavy and unnecessary
expense to patrons, the confusion
which will result in the changes in
class work and In methods employed,
the probability that when statehood Is
fully established another change will
be ordered by the legislature, coupled
with the clear admission that the
move is made simply with a view to
favoring certain publishers, stamps the
action of the board as wholly unjus
tlflable from any view point.
Can anyone blaine the taxpayers for
complaining of the board's action?
The protest which has gone out from
5.not) citizens should be heeded, since
they must pay the bills. The book
companies whether It be the so-called
Independent concerns or the American
Book company, which Mr. Vaught calls
the "trust" will not pay them, neither
will Mr. Vaught.
The most extraordinary part of it all
Is that there is no motive for the
change other than the one so frankly
avowed—a disposition to "whack" the
American Book company and give the
business to Ginn & Company and May-
nard. Merrill & Company. This excuse
Is so lame that it looks like a mere
subterfuge. It looks as if Mr. Vaught's
"good friend" Mr. Durland was jus-
tified In saying there is "certainly
.something rotten in Denmark, and it
' Is beginning to create quite a furor"
j In his ward
! As these wholesale changes will
i bring thousands of dollars Into the
coffers of Ginn & Company and May-
nard. Merrill & Company they could
j probably afford to pay a large attor-
! ney's fee if they can compel the people
to make the change. Can you bust one
trust with another trust?
E. J. GIDDINGS.
Oklahoma City. 0. T.. Aug. 22, 1900
potous farmers.
There Is an under current in the
Farmers' Union that Indicates a ten-
dency upon the part of some to get
away from the original plans or paths
of the Union; to overstep the limits
originally leflncd by the first organ!
.ai.on. The result of this i should
1 e done) is liable to do harm and re-
rlct the progress of the Union work.
Some of our and restrict the progress
Some of our purest and ablest or-
ganizes and first lecturer} are often
writing as trough th*y were quietly
watching the development of the
inn s.
ANNUAL ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT
S. O. DAWS.
Delivered at the Convention at Shaw
nee, Okla.. at the Second Annual
Session, August 21. 1906, Farmers'
Educational Co-Operative Union of
America.
I am happy to meet and greet you
In our second annual meeting and to
give ;* it accounting of my stewardship
during the eventful year since we last
met.
With an anxious heart and solicit-
ous mind 1 have longed for the time
when I could confront you In this beau-
tiful city, where citizens have been
so liberal with their means and good
wishes in making our state headquar-
ters pleasant and serviceable. -
This has been a year of unceasing
toll with Union workers. We have
met with many difficulties and prob-
lems affecting the vital Interest of the
Farmers' Union. Many of them which
we have failed to solve, will be present
ed to you in this convention to act
upon, for the good of the organization.
We have met here as brethren to act
for the best good of the agricultuial
interests of the new state of Oklahoma.
Let us be sober-minded, and act the
part of cool thinking conservative
men. Let no one feel himself bound
to any particular line of action, until
he is assured that he has had all the
matter and the facts fully before blm
in regard to all questions of interest
Let us not treat the opportunities,
privileges and subject matter of this
convention lightly, but think and rea-
son together calmly and consider well
the ways and means of harmonizing,
unifving and developing every interest
of the working farmers within the
jurisdiction of this State Union. Turn
ing neither to the right nor the left,
let us go straight forward in our
work, intelligently deliberating upon
all questions that come before the
convention, until we clearly understand
the conditions as they exist: restrict-
ing ourselves to those questions which
affect the agricultural interests, de-
liberating upon them free from any
partisan spirit, never suffering our-
selves to pass any resolution or com-
mit any act that shall cause us to be
lined up with any political party.
In our deliberations let us be fair
and honest with each other, and while
we debate earnestly each question, let
our deportment and words be of such
a nature, one towards the other, as
will if possible produce better and
stronger fraternal feeling
As Union people we should keen
straight ahead, holMng to th- firsl
principles unon which the organiz:-.
very best efforts in bringing about a
tion was found *d. putting forth oar
better unders'andlne among ourselves
of these, which are justice, and equitv
th;.t cum be measured by the Golden
Rule, lowing tnat the cultivation of
these principles wil make us beteer
citizens and happier and more pros-
i would emphasize strongly the fact
.hat If the organization ever accom-
plishes its purposes or achieves in any
degree the success that those working
farmers who first organized It. aimed
for the Union to accomplish, the Union
declaration of purposes and quallflca-
must stick to Its chart, the original
Ion for membership.
The Union must be officered and con-
rolled In every department by real
farmers. Experience and observation
within all fhrmers' organisations In
the past have surely developed to the
mind of all that fact that the real
farmer has never been a disturber of
the peace or connected with any graft
in any form whatever. Troubles have
invariably come from the ex-profes-
sionals who get In and manipulate the
government and control farmers' or-
ganizations.
Sentlmentallsm which has been so
lavlBhly exploited, cannot be a good
thing for the Farmers' Union. If It Is
a good thing, as some claim, the door
of the Union then should be opened
wide and everybody that Is friendly to
the farmer be admitted to the Union.
My honest opinion expressed to you In
this convention Is that this sentlmen-
tallsm In the admission of members
Into the order has been too vigorously
practiced and cultivated In admitting
men Into the Union, to the detriment
of the organization.
Under the Inspiration of this senti-
ment, you will soon get the exploiters
from other professions who will take
advantage of the organization and the
confidence of Its membership, present-
ing all kinds of schemes for explolta-
galn.
If we have not misapprehended the
objects of the organization of the
Farmers' Union, it is to foster and
further enterprises along so as to
benefit every member of the Union in
a way that each can be equally Inter-
ested; extending equal benefits and
privileges to all members. Before we
begin the deliberations of this con-
vention. allow me to recount the work
In a general way of the president's
office.
At the organization o ft.be Indiahoma
State Union in March, 1905, I entered
upon the duties of State President,
with a membership estimated at from
twenty to thirty thousand; with a
large unoccupied territory yet to be
organized, and practically no plans of
co-operation and no means of educa-
tion but the hard worked and poor
paid lecturers and organizers.
The organization of the Indiahoma
State Union gave a great Impulse all
over the country and hundreds of loy-
al men responded everywhere and were
commissioned as organizers, and the
first six months witnessed a growth In
numerical strength unparalleled In the
history of all efforts, until over thir-
teen hundred local unions had raised
the banner of justice to the farmer
at the time of our last annual meet-
ing. Since* that date the number has
been practically doubled, the actual
number the 10th of this month being
2,420.
When almost what appeared to be
the zenith of our glory and splendid
development, there appeared a little
cloud on the horizon of the Union
world. I will not attempt to go
through al the history of this trouble,
as It would burden this convention
and do no possible good. Suffice It to
say, however, that the trouble first
began over a memorial sent out from
the 21st district at Ardmore by the
and mailed out by Stute headquarters.
The 21st District brethren claimed that
It was purposly mutilated and changed
by the>se having the memorial In
charge, and causing those brethren
who issued the memorial to Indict a
protest which was sent to headquar-
ters and and also published to the
world, causing no little confusion and
friction, the facts of which are now
known to all.
j it Is not my purpose to censure any-
one or utter anv words of reflection
Ithat would further Inflame the situ
atlon, but I would say and do any-
thing within my power to palliate,
harmonize, unify and if possible re-
store general peace and harmony.
At the beginning of the year 1900
I felt that the glory of our achieve-
ments In organization must be repaid
through some specific and well d*'vis
ed plan of co-operation that, could be
universally applied. There were splen
did efforts of co-operation by the pro-
gressive Union men of Western Okla-
homa and benefits secured to the co-
operators. but I felt the need of a
more uniform plan which could be ap
| 1111«,j all over the coutnrv, and w i
out. Injury to any one of the e*stab-
IIshed plans already In operation.
Therefore on the 30th day of Janu-
ary. 1906, I Issued a general proclama-
tion for all the Ixical Unions to assem-
ble on the 22d day of February (the
birthday of our Illustrious Washing-
ton) and by resolutions or procedure
declare declare our freedom and Inde-
pendence of crop gamblers, rings and
boards of trade, urging the necessity
of farmers seizing the markets In or-
der to control the pricing of their own
crops and suggesting the clearing
1 houses association as the most availa-
ble means to accomplish this most de-
sirable object. Later on 1 followed up
with a clearing house manifesto to all
the District and County Unions, call-
ing upon them to proceed at once to
the establishment of said clearing
houses.
As a result of the proclamation.
Union activity was generated all over
the country and thousands of mem-
bers were added to the locals and hun-
dreds of laical Unions were organized
as If by magic. County and District
Unions were hurriedly formed every-
where and clearing houses have been
rapidly erected In almost every county
and district. The farmers are learn-
ing to do business for themselves, and
I trust ultimately they will seize all
the markets for their produce, and the
gamblers, bulls and bears will be put
ont of business forever.
The clearing houses are primary be-
ginnings of co-operation by farmers,
land while tfiey are crude and yet un-
developed. I look forward to the time
when the farmer will be enthroned In
his rightful power and will own and
control both ends of his business—the
! producing end and distributing end of
of his profession.
All plans of co-operation require
unity and we must not neglect to edu-
cate the members to concert In action.
Some obstacles have been met In the
clearing house proposition. For In-
stance the speculator does not wish to
give tip bis opportunity to rob. so
they engage In competition with your
cl a ring houses In the market, and even
pay In some Instances, more than the
market price in order to break down
your business and place you back un-
der th" old vicious system of selling
on uncertainties.
No one will deny that the clearing
houses have been the means of push-
ing up produce prices, and It only re-
mains for the farmers all over the
country to uniformly market through
their own clearing houses, and profita-
ble prices will be maintained every day
In the year. The Union membership
Is numerous and strong enough now to
knock out the market gamblers. Loy-
alty Is what Is needed. So long as
members of the Union will patronize
the speculators on the streets and beiy-
cott their own business, we cannot
hope to attain success.
"Unity, Justice and loyalty" should
District Union, which was printed
(Continued on Page Four.)
JUST ARRIVED
A full line of Union Made Samples for
Labor Day, of pants, overalls and shirts
We can supply any Labor Organization
with uniforms if order is placed AT ONCE
Labor Day Committee Take Notice
m
\
U9 CffANO A\JE
CLOTHING —SHOES-FUPNIShINCS •
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Krogh, Nora I. Oklahoma State Labor News (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 17, Ed. 1 Friday, August 24, 1906, newspaper, August 24, 1906; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc154731/m1/1/: accessed April 23, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.