Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-03-17
For the Mineral Point Tribune
The County Printing.

EDITORS TRIBUNE Feeding the re-
port of the proceedings of the late session
of our County Board of Supervisors, pub
lished in your paper last week, notice
that there is proposition before the
Board, as yet Enacted upon, to ''let the
county printing by contract to the lowest
bidder" AS one having an interest in
the affairs of our county, and as an un~
compromising Republican, | hope the
motion will not obtain at the May session
of the Board, to which time it is posts
poned, and give as my reasons therefor :
Ffrst-it is a maxim generally admits
ted in politics that "to the victors belong
the spoils = and in the present case
see not why it should be departed from.
The office of Clerk of the Board of SUI
pervisors has always been more holly
contested for in this county than any 9TH
er, from the fact, as is generally acknowl
edged that to it is attached the greater
part of the printing patronage; depend
Ing greatly on it was the success of the
party presses of the county, which each
party feels it of vital consequence to have
sustained The contests for the occu-
paucy of this Office have resulted with
varied success during the past doze
years-Democrats and Republicans be-
ing alternately triumphant; and | am as
sured by those who ought to know, that
mover before has there been an attempt
TO rob the victors of the substantial res
suits of their victory. Why, then, is
there a desire to do so now? At the late
election we entered the lists, with conf-
dence of electing our entire ticket. Our
opponents me US manfully, and in a
square fight s-.cceeded in partially de-
feating us Now, shall we whine over
our sleight misfortune, and, because we
have majority of the Board, compel
them to give US back that which their
valor won from US in open battle2 Shall
we allow them to charge upon US that we
cannot exist for two years upon half the
public forage (Which we still have) while
they have stood so long up to the rack
without bite from the crib, with pa
thence that shames US.
Sccond-Such an action as proposed
would be taken as precedent; and two
years hence, when we have republican
Clerk-as | am confident we shall-a
Democratic member of the County Board
~. n
to the printing being carried out; and
the Republican members cannot consist,
emily, nay, nor honestly, refuse TO acqui'
esce. Thus, it appears to me that by per
suing this course proposed, we in honor
commit ourselves to it for all future time,
destroy our greatest "thunder" of county
elections, and measureably obliterate par
ty lines, which all wise men admit is not
advantageous to good republican govern
ment
7hird-An attempt to let legal print
ing to the lowest bidder is gross foley
and speaks disparagingly of the legal tall
emf of It's supports, for any lawyer viii
tell you it "ean't be did" The rates for
legal printing are fixed by statute, and
the contract Q f no county board can di-
minish them. Suppose the Board take
bids for printing, and some one offers TO
do it for a mere nominal sum (perhaps
yourselves, Messrs Bliss), and that bid
is accepted. After the printing is done
the printer can claim statute rates for it.
and, notwithstanding his contract, receive
judgement TO the full amount from any
court This has been tried, and the re
suits bear me out in this statement
Fourth Even if the thing can be eff
feeted Jas l presume it can as regards in
cidental job printing!, it is not Justice to
the press to do it l know printers get
no more than fair remuneration for their
services, under any circumstances; and
no matter whsther the disciple of Faust
be Democrat or Republican, 1 do not be-
lieve the people wish to see his porrige
made thinner than it already is Let
friend Ansley have the Clerks printing
during the term of the present incum-
bent, for he has earned it BY fighting val
liently for II You and the Chrc nicle
extend. meanwhile, your circulation
throughout the county, preparatory 70
the next contest, when we will regain
what we lost last fall and Your kin rdom
shall be returned 10 you uadirided, and
undiminishej in value.
VERA PRO GRATIS