Weekly Minnesotian and times., 1860-05-26
observation-disclosures.

Under THIS caption many of our State eX
changes are finding considerable fault, and
not without cause, because several of our
County officials have taken their printing to
Chicago, instead of getting it executed at
home, simply because they can save Il few
pennies, which they usually put in their own
pockets, with no saving whatever TO the re-
>pectlvc Counties in which they are located
Such dirty, double-distled neanness de-
serves thorough airing. The JVinona Re
l,ublicam has some sensible remarks Oh the
subject, which we commend to the attention
of those officials" who, after all and in many
cases, fall far below the standard of manhood,
and possess no superlluous amount of either
honesty or honor The Republican, says:
without going outside Of Wnona county,
| might give the names Of several county officials,
who patrOniZe the Chicago hf&ns to the exclusion
of the Minnesota printers aAQbookbinders. Aud
even when these county officials do cOndescend to
have the work performed at hOn:e they manifest
the most contemplate lack of business comfy and
fair dealing, by deirauding the labOrer of Onehalf
his hire under the assumed plea of economy.
There are, to be sure, some noble exceptions to
this rule; but as il fair specimen of the way in
which this thing Is done, We cite the curious to
the working of the late Board of Supervisors for
this County, which always made it point in the
settlement of bills to discriminate in favor of the
Chicago and other rats, as against home claim
ants who were entitled to the performance of the
work, at a fair remuneration. In every communi-
ty there Il few narrow minded individuals to
be t0und-and they sometimes cOntrve to get
into office who, i'll order to save penny, or to
CRAFTY some petty whim confer their patronage
upon distant establishments, to the neg ect of
those at home, whose interest and prosperity, in
business point of view, are identified with their
own.
With regard to printing for the county, we
have come to the determination that shall
| never, hereafter, execute another dollar WORTH
of whatever nature for less than the rates which
we exact from private individuals. If the county,
through its officials, is so dasartly mean to at
tempt sponge its printing out of those who have
labored long and ardenty for its best interests,
the rats either ut Chicago elsewhere, may
have the 'patronage'-we do not crave it."
We can tell of trick worth two of that,
which is in progress right here in Ramsey
County. First, we refer the reader to an ad-
vcrtisament in another column of this paper,
| requesting proposals for County printing !;
said proposals to be sent in by designated
day in June. Now we ask the reader to trace
the attempted meanness of the new Board of
Supervisors of this County backed by their
plant tool, the venerable Auditor, who for
the past year has been receiving $4,000
or $1,000 salary for entertaining visitors on
shecp-raising and cabbage planting About
sixteen months ago, We Ct. NJ. NEwsoN) were
awarded the contract for the County print
ing. on the execution of which we scarcely
paid for the labor performed This contract
was signed, sealed and deposited among the
papers of the County, alsl wlr.."rre time of
the contract had expired, the Board, during
orr absence and oithout our knooledge, again
awarded us, 1--WE believe unanimously the
printing, and instructed the Printing Commit
tee to enter into new contract with us for
the old prices. We endeavorcd several times
to get the Printing Committee together, for
the purpose indicated, but failed. However,
we did the work sent IN our bills they were
audited and allowed, and we were paid in ac-
cordancc with the vote constituting us County
Printer. Previous to the adjournment of the
old Board, We again called the Auditors at.
tention to the fact that our contract had not
been signed, but through some hocus- pocus
movement best known to the venerable gen
tlcman who does the talking for the County
and the Pioneer office, (Mr. BUCHANAN would
he glad to be re-elected) our contract was not
signed. In the meantime, the very ailable
and gentlemanly and communicative County
Auditor, sought te shirk the responsibility of
giving out the tax list, telling us that by good
rights, unier Our contract, we were entitled
to it and should have it, while, doubtless, at
the same time, he was playing into the hands
Of his Democratic friends, to whom he looks
for reelection. lie was ingenious enough or
supposed he was, in getting the old Board to
exoncratc him from any blame in not giving
out the tax list, when the law plainly says it
is his duty to do so. Having asserted, in the
presence of the County Treasurer and others,
that he should have nothing to do with giving
out the list, he finally slips it into the hands
of Mr.. MILLS of the Pioneer office, and we are
dcfrauded of our just rights. So much for so
much. Reason for all this Mr.. BUCHANAN
wants a reelection, and he is vain enough to
think he can get it from the Democratic
party!
We'll, what follows? In comes no.
tice of proposals for printing, when our con-
tract, which is in the shape of resolution
on record, does not expire until September,
1860. 1t is possible that the Board of Com
mssioners, backed by the Auditor, may sue
coed IN this vlanous game but we shall test
the question, and give our aniable friends a
fair chance TO show their hands.