The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1877-12-01
State Printing.

Governor, Speaker Of the House, tN
Senators and two Representatives
met the other day to contract with
Public Printer for the State, as tn
law directs. Speaker Bash introdn
eeu q "b!d' resolution: that is, h
proposed that the Board should Hrur
the State printing to til" lowest bid
Ssg, upon call for sealed proposals
The printing la|. Act 40, regnla
Session 1877, states that the salt
Board "shall be, aud are hereby an
thorized to contract at Il rcnsondJI
rate, not to exceed the prices here
matter named, with such person 4
they may consider proper and re$pon
sibie, to do and perform all the print
ing md publishing, of what ever ma
ture," necessary for the use of thu
General Assembly, &c. This clans
Speaker Bush tells us, means tina
sealed proposals shall be advertised
for, and a Public Printer selected
who viii be the lowest bidder.
That the clause quoted admits o
such obstruction, contortcd az il
may lie, We most positively deny
and that the law means what it save
in SO many words, we have the de.
bates on the measure to show.
On February 9th 1917 Mr.. George
from the committee on public printin"
reported from that committee MINER
Gus amendments, among which it WAS
recommended that, "aftcr the word
responsible" in line 33 should be in
serted the following words "after
the consideration of such proposals as
may be received by them" This,
had it been adopted, would have al
lowed the Board to have received
bids, and at the same time would have
given some shadow for Mr.. Bush'S
strained construction, but II was roted
dorm By the Senate. The very title of
the act contains no such intention as
Mr.. Bush would have it to contain,
and the Constitution expressly insists
that the title shall show the contents
of all bills.
The printing excepted from this is
plainly stated in the law, for it pro.
vides that bids mag be received for
work for the Auditors office &c., but
it is impossible to ring such a con.
struction upon the first clause of the
bill.
The debates on the bill took wide
scope, and it was proven that TIE ibid
system WAS the most outragcs of all,
because the bids were made without
regard to fair compensation for the
work; were, ia fact, put in at rniuous
figures; at amounts that could not nor
woaid not pay for their composition.
And whys Simply because the Oh
ject' was to secure the contract at any
price, and the Legislature was expect
ed to make up the loss and give the
contractors their profit through def
cheney bills. This has been done time
aud again 10 this State and it is Mr.
Bnsh's business to know it. To stop
this demand from impecunious public
printers was one object in fixing fair
rate for the printing and selecting a
person, both proper and responsible to
do the work.
And besides this. Act 40 as passed,
MS intended for a purpose which ev-
ny Democrat in Louisiana perfectly
understood and which was made pub
lie through their representatives aud
pressnt the time of the discussion and
passage. For long time the people
fought Radica]is,D without the aid of
0 metropolitan journal published in
the English language. The old Bill.
Ietin in 1874 reflected their views, but
t was forced to succumb from want
Of patronage. The Times aud Pica-
pune, both owned and controlled by
those who were any thing bnt friends
Of popular liberty in Louisiana, play
I'd continually into the hands of the
Enemy. They were in fact of more
use to Radicalism than to the people.
This fact was recognised from one end
If Louisiana to the other, and Mr..
Bush, Governor Nichols or no one
Use eau deny it. This want of a re-
preventative paper in New Orleans
vas supplied by the Democrat and to
hat paper the people Intended the pub
ic printing should be yiren at fair es.
aIlished rates.
The rates fixed by law are not one
ent in excess of fair and honest COM
'ensation fol the work, and are much
css than private individuals have to
,ay for advertising, and the attempt to
over up this under an Interpretation
y which to get cheaper work and