Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1857-04-16
Cincinnati Rats Annoying the Printers

The Commissioners Of Warren County. on the
25th uIt. awarded the contract for printing the
assessor, and other county blanks to a firm in
Cincinnati, whose name sounds about IS follows:
More Wildcats, Keys d Co. They agreed
TO print ell the blanks Of the county for twenty
FIVE cents quire and furnish paper!-a price
which every printer knows, will scarcely quite
cost, but, whila agreeing to do the printing for
nothing they had the cunning to make up, en-
the stationery-the contract for which they also
obtained-vhat they lost on the blanks. They
charge from fifty 10 seventy FIVE cents ream
more for cap letter, legal aud otker paper. then
Messn. Nixon & Goodman, Wholesale Paper
Dealers of Cincinnati, agreed to furnish the same
quality and description Of psper for. So these
gentlemen, are guilty, at one and the same time
Of rafting and e1tortion. We suppose they have
been playing otfthe same game on the COM
missioners and printers Of other counties, provided
the former, as in Warren, mistook their duty IN
advertising for printing st all, and, especially,
in inviting competition from large capitalists
against home labor. Ir our opinion, their &C
ton in regard to the county printing, was not
warranted BY the law, and the whole contract in.
stead ola saving, will be a loss to the county
We are very sure, the Legislature never inten
ded to rob country printers 10 this way to accom-
modste rat monopolists in the cities.
We copy the above from the Lebanon Star
1t is too hard for country printers and editors to be
put under the pressure Of such rule as the one
which has been adopted by the officials ofWar-
ren county. Ih our judgement this wholeSys.
TEN Of advertising for bid to do county printing
is wrong and particularly IS it when ]; operates
in the depression Of the country printer, and adds
to the prosperity Of others who do not live in the
same county, but who are willing to ent under
fair rates. Why should printing be put out to
the lowest bidder at all? Why should it be far
med out and hawked around, any more than any
kind of business? There are well Known and es-
tablisbei rates for printing, and every State
which has printing to do ought to lie ready and
willing to pay those rates. They need not 10
afraid that the country editor aud printer will get
over rich by the jobs for where is there an editor
or a printer in Ohio, outside Of one or two cfths
big cities, who has amassed even a competence by
bis profession?
What would be said il the people were 10 ad.
vertise for County commissioners or members of
the Legislature, at the lowest cash rates? We
have no doubt that there could be found in every
county in the State. hosts of men who would be
willing to serve as Commissioners, members of
Congress, Senators, Representatives. Auditor,
Governors, Treasures Jud .es, down to Constables
at rates much less than these established BY law.
Why not apply the rule to Doctors Lawyers, and
Minister'S and advertise for the cheapest? as is the
case whenevera little printing is to be done,
This system is all wrong and it has done much
: to belittle and debase the Press In every elec-
ton the editor is expected to labor day and night.
to elect his patty candidates, who when elected,
S enjoy fixed salaries, and honorable positiobs-
Why should not some of the profits, at least, 60
to the printer? Why take from him the printing
in his own county where be lives, and where he
paws bis taxes and give it to Others living in other
parts Of the State, who do not contribute dime
TO the taxation and the material prosperity Of the
! country?
Our theory is, that fair rates should be given
for prutng-not the lowest, for the lowest is hard
" ever fair-and when Democratic officers are in
power, let them give the printing which they must
have done, to their friends, and when the Republic
cars are in power give the same to their friends
and get rid of this mean, misery, grinding syst m
Of advertising for printing contracts which, in
nine cases out of ten depryes honest labor Of its
legitimate reward. and which, in every instance,
operates hard upon the county elitor and pria'
, ter
If there is such law as the one spoken Of by
the Star, it should be repealed, and the country
editors have it in their power to make the change.
If in no other way. let them resolve to support no
candidate for the Legislature of either party, who
. is not in favor of paying printers fair days Wa
ges for fair days work, and they would soon
get rid ofthese nercenary nraxms which grind aud
oppress them.