The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-03-16

of proof
Atabout this stage Of the proceedings
Mr.. HoEFrLER presented to two of the
Commissioners, bit of paper or which
il was written that the bid of S249, "be.
ing the lowest" was accepted He ask
ed if that was the contract. They re-
piled that it was. Then Mr.. HoEpFLER
doubtless anticipating that the Demo
crat would make the bogus 5000 bid a
pretext for coarse abuse) objected to the
form of the entry, and without further
objection from anybody the form was
changed. The proposed entry was not
a lie, for S249 pas the lowest bid when
the award was made, and Mr. HoEffLER,
as we believe, was not guilty of the al.
legged disrespect to the Commissioners.
This whole tissue Of misrepresenta-
tions in the Democrat reads like bit Of
strategy, devised to provoke a quarrel
between the Auditor and Commissioners,
in the hope that by championing one
side that paper might earn a few crumbs
And now a few words ON point that
is, perhaps, Of little more consequence.
The Democrat has been iterating and
reiterating, in season and out of season,
that it has saved several hundreds of
dollars TO the county in this matter of
the printing. Because it claims such
pre-eminent merit for this, and because a
few we'll meaning persons think it is en-
titled to the credit, we propose to let in
little daylight on the subject.
1t is not difficult to show that it was
not the Democrats desire to serve the
public, but its greediness which led to
cutting down the price of printing be
low a fair price, and that it is entitled to
precisely the credit that man deserves
for sparing that which he grabs for and
cannot reach. 8 is H'' 'aa
Witness the following: -
Before Mr.. DRIGas published his bid
to do the printing for $3.50, be sent Au'
ditor HoEFFLER to the editor and to the
publisher Of this paper with this offer
The printing TO be divided between the
two papers, and to be charged for at the
rate of one dollar per square.
This proposition was accompanied by
the threat that if it was not accepted be
would publish bid to do the work fol
$3.50. ~ ro.
This proposition, looking very much
like collusion to- prevent competition
was promptly rejected. s4a adT
The bid, therefore, for which so much
credit is claimed, was Haunted Lefore the
readers Of that paper, as a punishment
to US for refusing to enter into that. dis
reputable arrangement.
One more fact:
After Mr.. DRIaGs' offer to do thu
printing for $3.50 and Mr.. WEsr's ofel
to do it for s249 were before the Com
missioners, Mr.. DRIGGs said to Mr.. ARM
STRONG that the Commissioners were in
very critical position, and that he coult
show them the way down and out. H,
proceeded to develop his plan, which wa'
to give him $3.50 for half the printing
and Mr.. West $3.50 for the other half.
Mr.. ARMSTRONG objected that thil
would not be satisfactory to the people
after bid was 10 to do all the work fol
3249. Mr.. DRIeGs replied that if thi
compromise was accepted, he would us,
his influence to reconcile the taxpayers
Add to the foregoing the further fac
that for the printing which that pape
got under Mr.. REEDS administration, i
charged top prices, and the degree o
credit to which it is entitled will be rea
sonably well aseertained.
If there is any merit in this matter th
SPIRIT and not the Democrat is entitled
to it; but we disclaim any credit for re
jecting proposal which we regarded a
discreditable, to say the least Of it, Fun
thermore the publisher of this pape
makes no false pretenses that he woul,
do the work for less than it was worth
if he could fairly and honestly get fai
| price fortit. 5l aD1 fw @
The course of the Democrat, in bein,
meek and mild when it hopes for favor
and malignant and abusive when it
disappointed, awakens a strong suspi
cion that it hopes to force the Commis
sioners to buy its silence-that 1t is read
to accord "all honor" or to vituperste, a
the crumbs are doled out to- it or with
held from it. Gg eai
The above are only specimens, and ar
tno worse than scores of others, but, 70
the present, we win let them suffice, gla
to conclude q dsagreeable subject.
| We have said very much less on thi
topic than'we were justified in saying, a
we have at hand small volume Of ma
terials. We will return to i: only whe
we think the public good demands IT.
We have not spark of malice towar
the Democrat. We do not envy it it
patronage; we certainly do not envy
its place in public opinion. 1t is we
come to all it has, and we hope it wi
receive more support when it deserves
better, ,snd that it may soon be above th
necessity of employing such wretche
resorts for help. -
We notify the Democrat that this
not challenge to handy epithets. w
eau afford to submit to its abuse bette
than we can afford to sacrifice our sci
respect by engaging in such contes
with it.
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