Uniform Text Book Law

At tbe ast session of the legislatura tbere was passed au act knowu as tbe "Uniform Text Book Law." All school distriots whioh come nnder this law wil! be obligad to accept for nse in their respective schools a series of books selected by a state commission. This oommission bas the authority nnder the law to oontract with publishing hoases for a series of books, or it may publisb a series of books itself. No one knows, therefore, what the aniform series of books will be - wbether they will be good, bad or indifferent. Any district, however, whicb permits itself to come ander tbe law will be obliged to take these books, no matter what their merit or lack of merit may be, or wbether they are adapted to the local district needs or not. Bat tbe law oontains provisiona whereby any district may escape cuming ander it. By voting not to come nnder the law or by voting to furnieh text books free the people of any district may avoid coming ander tbe provisionsof said act. This vote may be taken any time between the present and the flrst of Jannary, 1898. By voting not to come ander the law, the people will keep the oontrol of text books for the looal sohool in their own hands where it properly belongs. Whereas if they oome nnder the law, they snrrender this right, aüd that too, without knowing anything as to the qnality of the books they are going to have. By voting not to oome nnder the law, the people will oontrol as uow, and later, if tbe series of books adopted by the commission pruves to be first class, any district can adopt them throngh its local board and get tbem at the same pricea as those districts which snrrender the right to control their text books, and if they are not first class it is not oecessary to take them. Thns no jnmp in the dark need be taken. Sorae of the advantages of the other alternativo, free text books, are set forth in the editorial columns of this issae. The board of education in accordancfi witb tbe provisions of law bas called au election on these qaestious for next Taesday, June 14. These matters shonld rñceive the attentinn of every citizen.