Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-06-16
city Printing Again.


City Printing Again.
at the meeting Of the City Council on the
evening of May 4th, resolution was passed
authorizing the Committee on Printing to ad-
vertise for proposals for doing the City Print
ing and Advertising In accordance with this
resolution, the Committee advertised in one of
the city papers for such proposals. The PLAIN
Dealer, Herald, Democrat and Leader put in
their bids. On examination it was decided
that the Democrat gave the lowest bid, and the
Leader the next lowest The PLAIN Dealer was |
the highest and the Herald the next highest
bidder.
Tuesday evening, at the meeting of the Coun-
Gil, Mr.. Ryder called up his resolution offered |
at previous meeting, giving the printing to
the Democrat it being the lowest bidder.
Mr.. Russell offered the following amend
ment
WHEREAS, On examination, it appears that
Fairbanks G. Benedict, Publishers of the Ceve-
land Daily Herald, have offered to do the city
printing upon fair and honorable terms
ResOiOed, That the city printing be awarded
to Fairbanks 81 Benedict upon the same terms
as last year.
Mr.. Thayer moved to amend by striking out
all after the word "ResOlved," !" and substitute
the following;
"That the Committee on Printing be and
they are hereby authorized to enter into a
contract with the National Dem crat for the
official printing for the ensuing year upon the
terms of its bid provided, that in the opinion
of said Committee itcan be made certain that
said printing will be faithfully executed by said
paper and the responsibility OF the parties to
the contract be placed beyond a reasonable
doubt, and that said paper has an average city
circulation"
In offering the above Mr. Thayer desired to
define HE position. He said as he was about
) to cast a vote against members of the Council
with whom he agreed on political sentiments,
he wished TO make an explanation. He fully
subscribed to the doctrine that 'to the victors
belong the spois," and were they in position
to enforce that principle he would be in favor of
carrying it out to the letter When the subject
fprintmg was broughtup the question arose
could they carry out the principle of giving to
political friends the patronage Of the party in
power! Had there been but one Republican paper
n the question mig ht easily have been decided, but
d there were two, each desiring patronage. With
himself there was no choice. He for one had
tn arefore had been willing the resolution to
pass 1t did pass aud proposals were publish
ed True, they dill not say the printing should
be given to the lowest bidder, but it was iu-
tended that the lowest bidder should have the
contract. Had the lowest bid been put in by
any other paper than the Democrat, that paper
would have got it without doubt. The Dem
Oerat had the lowest bid, and the question arose
, could they honoraby refuse to give the contract
no to that paperl For his part he could not dis
.I,,Evv %
s ting to give it 70 them, although differing with
nd the paper in politics and holding the principles
IA 1t advocates in adherence. He felt that only
sc cnly one OF three things would relieve the
Council of responsibility in the matter. Thai
the publishers of the Democrat had not put in
the lowest bd that they were not responsible
and that the paper had not an average city or
cuIation. lie would give his vote in favor o
the Democrat, not because he agreed with its
principles but because the Council had placed
him in position where he must do by the
- Democrat as he wond by Republican paper, ol
by private individual. II his position obliged
him 70 do ia his public capacity what he would
never do in his private capacity, then he wa
nd no longer politician.
Mr. Thayor desired to add to his amendmen
the folIowlng-."And provided the bid Of saic
nal paper is the lowest bid received by said Com
mittee" The Ayes and Nays being called on
il, Mr. Thayers amendment resulted as follows
~ Ayes.-Detmer, Dixon, Hayward, Hickman
IN Lewis. McLane, Rider Thayer, Thompson
niyy Winslow-lO Nays.-Christian Clark, Craw
''S a ford, Hopkinson, Hovey, Marshall, Masters
Of Oviatt, Ransom, Russell, Worswok-ll. Los
n' Mr. Christian moved to insert the names o
fi55 the propTietors Of the Morning Leader as Cit
IN, I'M, printers. The vote resulted as follows =
in Ayes Christian, Clark, Detmer, Dixon, Ride
ma Thompson--6 Nays-Cawford, Hayward
10, i9r Hickman, Hopkinson, Hovey, Lewis, Marsha
IS Masters, McLane, Oyiatt, Ransom, Russell
d Thayer, Winslow, Worswick-l5. Lost
se Motion then was made to adopt Russell
~ amendment in favor OF the Herald, Vote the
l9p99 taken with the following result
Ayes-C Christian, Clark, Crawford, Define
ose Dixon, Hopkinsou Hoyey, Marshal, Master
isssg Oviatt, Ransom, RUSSELL Worswok-l3
.ad Nays-Hayward, Hickman, Lewis, MeLRn
OF OF Rider rhayer, Thompson, Winslow--s. Ca
iap lied.
,he The vote was then taken on the original re
olution with Russel's amendment in favor
and the Herald, and los. as follows
snls Ayes Christian, Clark, Crawford, Hopki
soaSs son, Hoyey Marshal. Masters oviatt Ranso
by Russell, WOrswiclo-ll
Isa;; Nays-Detmer, Dixon, Hayward, Heckms
'ies, Lewis, MeLane, Rider, ThayeF, Thompsc
Winslow-l0.
over Twelve necessary 10 make choice,
eSu eoS. As the matter now stands, there has been
gli election as yet for city printer Tho Council "
untarly invited proposals. and that invitation "
Life accepted in good faith by publishers, who went
come he tronble To prepare bids, little dreaming d
1nsi the council would repudiate their Own propoi
from and endeavor to give the printing to favor
ihia- and chat iavorite the highest bidder With the
Win ception Of one, We regret exceedingly that
WIN publican members should have 50 forgotten the
ban selves to allow party feeling 70 enter into an
Mn binary business transaction ke that Of giving
"a & iha the City Printing TO the lowest bidder, The