Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-02-20
The STAT. Printer Question.

Inc W0terlOO CONTseT Teturn6 70
the above subject this week, and
submits . courteous and very ingen.
ious rejciader to our structures up.
on its previous article against the
policy Of abolishing the Office oi
State Printer. 1t admits TIM force
Of our argument, that in case Of fail
ure to do the work properly, it would
be equally as difficult to recover up
on the bond of the State Printer as
upon that Of any competitive bidder
for the work, but says:
The real element of advantage,
however, which we maintain exists
in behalf OF an elective State Print
er as against contractor for this
work on the auction plan, lies in
this: He who seeks such an import
ant and responsible Office is pre-
sumptively an honest man; he has
character, friends, hackers, reputa-
ton, influence as such officer, all of
which constitute moral stress in a
degree not logically applicable to
contractors.
On the other hand it says:
The contractor is in private serv-
ice, intent upon gain and utterly
free from the restraints which pub
lie Office imposes, and in this moral
restraint there is obvious s'guaran.
ty" unknown to and unfelt by the
mere "bidder."
Now, we maintain that there are
many printers who might and would
contest for the State printing upon
the 'sauction plan," upon whom the
restraints Of personal and business
honor, reputation, character, &C.,
would operate quite as effectually
as anything which binds the elect
i've officer. Contractors are not all
so "intent upon gain" as to ignore
all other considerations, and prop
er discretion allowed the officers or
board by whom the contract is
awarded, would easily confne the
competition to those parties who
are qualified and willing to do the
work we'll and faithfully; and still
the State might gain by tho opera
ton. The argument that would give
the State printing to an elected Off
Ger, because bidders are not honest
or responsible, would have the same
applicability to all matters in which
competition is invited by the State
or nation. Builders are fully as in
tent upon gain, and equally unre-
strained by moral considerations as
printers; therefore we should have
. State Mason and a State Carpen-
ter. The men who furnish supplies
for our State institutions are but hui
man-unless in office-therefore, we
should have q State Butcher and a
State Miller. So the Federal gov
eminent should on tho same princi-
pie supply the army and navy and
the Indians, through men who are
kept in the paths Of virtue and hon
esty by the "moral" restraints of off,
cial position. And thus, the fur.
,ther we pursue the comparison the
nearer We como to reducsio ad 06-
swrdt.,n.
Regarding the failure Of the plan
Of competition in other states, to
which the Courier alludes, we have
no knowledge Of the circumstances
under which it was tested, and can.
not say whether it had fair trial
or otherwise. 1t is certain that it
works satisfactorily in some instan-
ces. The Courier says in conclu-
sion:
The BULLETINS statement that
"the new Code WAS sighted not
withstanding fair price was paid
for it," we cannot indorse, believing
that the execution of the printing is
. good average job. The paper
might we'll have been heavier, but
the State furnished that, not the
Printer.
Now We ask our friend Woodraff
to take up the next copy of the new
code that comes in his way, and if,
upon comparison Of its pages, one
with another, or with those of the
code of 1860, he will deliberately
say that the press work upon the
new volume is first-class, or even
we'll done, then we shall be driven
to the memorable conclusion-that
he was not the proper man for State
Printer. 49,