The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-11-25
STATE PRINTING BOARD.
TEHDAy's WHAT THE
MAJORITY SAY.

Lieut.. Gev. witt Denies the Newspaper
Insinuations that the Hoard Contena~
plated Violation Of the Law.
The State Printing Board met yesterday ut The
Executive offios, present. Gov. Nichols, ex-
ofloio president, Lieut.. Gov. Wilt, speaker Bnst
and Representatives Lsonhard and Lsmare.
Lieutenant Governor Witt stated that he had
received n letter from Senator Win steven, ons
Of the members Of the board, who stated that he
was yet too i'll 10 attend the meeting eg the
| board, and further that he had not changed from
the position taken last year, that being that iin-
der tho law the board could
ssBEgr rHE STATE PRINTER.
! Governor Nioholls asked MT. Lsmsrfs 10 aot ss
| secretary.
| Speaker Bush inquired OF the Governor IL he
had received any word from senator g,b5rts0u,
whom the Governor tslegrsphed TO come 10 the
| city.
Gov. Nichols replied th At he had not; that he
| had rent telegram, but found thst 1t could not
| reach Senator Robertson direct, and that he had
then ordered IL mailed 10 him from the nearest
telegraph Office, and that hs had requested Sem
ator Robertson 10 answer and
ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT
OF the telegram, but had not yet heard from him.
| Lieut.. Gov Wiliz remarked that Senator
Robertson had telegrsphed friend OF his iu
the city that hs would be here on Monday.
Senator Steven, he continued. would not be able
TO attend, ~ another operation had besn per-
formed upon him, and that there were at ffiis
moment three physicsns In sstsndsncs upon him.
Gov. Hiohols turning TO not No. 40, regular
| ~ d
cd IL for moment. remarking that the board was
now ready for business.
speaker Bush stated tbat under The cfrcum~
stances, and ~ senator Robertson WAS expsetsd,
tho board should give him an opportunity OF be~
ing present. We owe il 10 bim," said the speak
or, "to extend our meeting until he gets here's
unless yon gentlemen addressing the sub-e6m-
mittee) have taken the matter under consideYa~
tion, and arc
| PREPARED TO REPORT"
Mr.. Lsonbard remarked that no was Ia favor
Of fixing the prices before going into an election
| for state Printer.
| Gov Nichols st sted that since the last messing
| Of tho board he Ind carefully and critically sx-
aminsd The law and now believed that the pro-
visions therein contained did moi make II obligs~
| tory upon the board 10 advertise for seslsd PRO-
posals but that The law loft IL matter Of dscre~
lion no 10 what tho board should do. He did not
| think that any one would have any legal right To
oppose the exercise OF that discretion, but tfss
hia. opinion was that the board should In sons
way have before IL some data which would sid IL
In the election, and ID would be better for the
board when IL came 10 conclusion 10 give notice
| that it
WOULD RECEIVE APPLICATIONS
for the position Of State Printer, the candidates
| to accompany their applications with letter
| stating the price which they would do the work
for. That. he thought, could be done with pro-
priety.
Lieut. Coy. Wiltz stated that he was glad the
Governor had expressed this change Of opinion.
some Of the papers in the city bad cast reise-
tions upon members Of the board. He thought
that Was wrong, in that 1t was calculated 10 mis-
lead
THE PUBLIC,
by conveying the Impression thst the board was
acting or contemplated acting In violation Of the
law. He thought the board should proceed 10
An election and elect tho paper that wouid do the
most good for the State. He was glad TO have
| the press discuss this matter, but believed that
they ought not TO lead the public TO believe that
the board was violating the law.
| Gov. Nichols stated that hs was In favor OF
inviting all parties tcandidates) to forward
30 that when two came equally worthy the board
| would be able to choose. Az TO being By lxw
obliged TO accept the one which proposed 70 do
the work the cheapest he did not believe that
| compulsory. He had, in connection with the
act itself, examined the journal Of tho Senate.
which, with his construction Of the law, now
formed the basis Of his opinion.
speaker Bnsh stated that his opinion had NOT
changed since the last meeting, bat was even
stronger. After q close study Gf the law be
thought it
HIS BoUHDEH Duty
TO attempt TO carry ont that opinion II he could.
There were two principles. he said, which wers
manifest in the lav. First, retrenchment. and
next to get rid OF the system Of the old admfuis~
trasioD. The text Of the law he thought, marf-
tests its Intent clearly.
The first section read that the board should
contract with such person ss they may consider
proper and responsible, and while that Ia done
he held that the board did not have the
DrscaEr1or TO SELECT
and to discriminate II the board chose 10 do 70.
Gov. Nichols remarked that he had been Of
that opinion at first, but that hs had care
fully read the law itself and the journals OF the
and that was what caused him to change his
opinion, as in that way he found the real intent of
the law.
Lieut.. Gov. Witt stated that some Of the city
papers had intimated that the board would
violate the law, and he wanted to show the
people that In its actions the board has not and
would not violate the lay, and he believed the
majority OF the board we're Of
THE SAME OPINION.
Mr.. Lombard stated that az far ~ the rates
was concerned he won take the same stand az
he did last year. The section, hs said fixed
maximum price, and stipu ated thst no more
should be paid. He thought proposals should
be made, tfisn the board could find what IL could
get the work done for.
Mr.. Lamarre alec held the same opinion he did
last year, and thought that IL the Legislature In
tended TO give the work TO the lowest bidder is
would not have fixed, a. 1t did, maximum
price. The Law was plain enough giving the
board discretionary power.
The Governor inquired ca TO the opinion Of the
board should the sealed proposal system be
adopted, and two persona present themselves
with different bids and equal merits.
There sas no reply to ynis query, and waiting
moment. Lieut. Gov. Witt remark ed that
sEvZg-EIeHTKs OF TIE PEOPLE,
90 well as all Of the country papers, indorsed the
| action Of the board last year, and he did NOT
therefore see why the board should change il
now.
3 The Goverpor-Yes; but suppose that two per-
sons rhoulG be before na az eanddates shoula