Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1864-12-19

eS00s N bePy ~ ~ y 49, Ye->s'osso - -
ssvssk weeks ego, touching ths uniairness
q Tie Rsseutivs Beard u ths State Agri-
cultural Society in refusing to recognise
bids ssr printing the soeiety's prsmiuo list,
altsr having solicited them. Mark Miller
says:
The foregoing article appeared in . late
numbse of The DAvenpoFt Demeerst esd
Nsss, . copy u which has accidentally 81.
len into our hands-not having IN exchAngs
with that sheet. Swits Z Co., of the said
Democrat ead Nees. have for m9nths been
whining over tie little amount a patronage
in the line oe printing within the gift Of the
State Agricultural Society. A few months
since. thy took us to do Tor word spoken
in reference 70 the disposal Of small item
Of printing BY the seeretsry Of the society,
in which We, pecuniarily, were entirely die.
interested. That article We let pass unno-
ticed. Notwithstanding it, inviduous illus
traiions, nor would the article now before
~ receive more consideration, were We not
in duty bound 70 say something in refuta-
ton Of its charges, e. swindling," !" " dishon-
est acts y against the Executive Commit
TIE. So far ~ We ore concerned, in concec-
ton with the job in question, and the Ex.
ecutive Committee, Judge Wright. Peter
Melendy. ESQ.,. and Dr. ]. n. ShAffsr,) the
simple facts ere these:
Soon after the adjousnment Of the last
annual meeting Of tie Board Of Directors,
we were invited by the secretary Of the So
ciety, to put in . bid for printing 5000
copies Of the premium list. Our bid for
the job was sass, and communicated to the
secretary by mail. Some weeks passed
without any response, and We supposed the
job had been awarded to some other party,
until Mr.. 1elendy called upon Us on hin
way home from joint meeting Of the Ex.
ecutive and Local Committee at Burlington.
Mr.. Nelendy informed US that the Executive
Committee desired the publication Of the
premium list in the Homestead-that he was
authorized to close . contract with US at
$21O. f$l5 less than our bid,) for printing
the premium list in pamphlet form, and
giving one insertion Of the same matter in
the Hopestead. After some hesitation, We
accepted the proposition and fulfilled the
contract on our part. Hence, it will be
seen, we rendered . valuable service to the
society, over and above the bare pamphlet
printing Of the list-especially 50, from the
fact that we were 1t that time printing over
600 copies Of the Homestead weekly. 1t
was in consideration Of this extra service,
that the Executive Committee felt in duty
bound to the society, and to the farmers Of
the State, to give the job to Us.
What little printing We have done for the
State Agricultural Society. has been at fair
prices-at lower rates than was previously
paid to other parties for like amount Of
work. But by al means let Mr.. Edwin
Smiths pet" have the printing Of the
Safe Agricultural Society.
An attempt at handsome dodge very
badly bungled, Mr.. Miller. Your white.
wash amt good; it don't coser up the ini-
quity. We state plainly, - we stated be-
fore, that the State Agricultural Society for
the past two years has solicited our bid. in
common with bids from other printing off,
ces Of the State, for printing its premium
list. Each time did We respond, and each
time was our bid the lowest, and according
to the terms upon which 6ids were solicited
the job belonged to US, and no executive
committee had any right to give it TO an
other. II the committee claimed the right,
after receiving the bids, to give the job to
whom they pleased. why did it trouble off,
ces to make estimates. It did solicit bids,
nothing being said about any publication in
the Homestead, with the assurance that the
lowest bidder would be awarded the con-
tract, and then, having examined them,
awarded the work, not to the loseese bidder
but to one Of the Aighsst. Was that the
straightforward action Of gentlemen? We
don't care whether it is Judge Wright Pc
ter Ne1endy, Dr.. J. N. Shaffer, or any other
man who docs that style Of business, it is
unfair, unjust, and ungentlemanly and the
editor who attempts to justify such conduct
accects position in the same category.
The fling At Edwin Smith, ESQ.,, BY Mr..
Miller, is simply contemplate. Mr.. Smith.
under direction Of the board, soli~ited ths
bids Of the Davenport Gazette and the Dav-
export Democrat. Both Offices made bids
in good faith, and handed them over to Mr..
Smith. That is an the "petting" there is
about it. Mr.. Smith had not the power,
had he the inclination, to show any favor
itism in any direction; and the man who
knows Nr. Smith, and either openly or BY
implication, accuses him Of being anything
else than straightforward, strictly honest
and upright man, utters what be knows 70
BE- maliciously Jalss.
Win Mr.. Miller. please ten us Why
that for t'ee years the Board direc ed Mr..
Shankland. Of Dubuqas, Peter Mslendry.
Of Cedar Falls. Dr.. Sha6sr, Of Burlington,
and Edwin Smith, Of Davenport, to 80 to
printing olIlces in their respective local..
ties and solicit bids for printing tns Pre-
MUM List giving printsrs to understand
that the lowest I'D took The job, and tAen
sfter getting ths estimates md proposals.
aIl il, tsrn right eEsend and give 4 10
the Hemsstes6, rsszsaess Il Aearesi Can
yoa ten - Why, NJ. 1lillsrss fst this has
bsen doss to ysazs inesucesss;oa. h
1863 cur bid ~as 4ieo-ysas was higher
BY trsaty = thirty ds1ass, bat JON ct
ths jpb. Ii 1855 ON bid wss tlo6.oo !;
|ysa ~ 1sss, aaa yea ~ ~ jsh. What
kind of hirness b thete absut thst, n.
Millees Pleass ts,l u. a Sats
Can yoa tn ~ II. NlIs, vhen ~
wsrs required y ~ Dsssd t. have ~