The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-11-23
THE PUBLIC PRINTING.

Of discussion, and to take such preliminary
steps as would enable them on the "frst Mon.
day in December" to act intelligently for the
best interest of the State. Such, at any rate
we understood to be the object Of the meeting
and we merely reported its proceedings, re-
framing from comment which might have
been construed into an effort to advance our
own personal interests The Printing Board
Is composed In part of the highest officials of
the State, and of members Of the Senate and
House of Representatives, chosen by their
colleagues to represent and protect
the public interests In the matter
of the public printing. We are very
sure the gentlemen composing this
board, in any action they may take, will be
guided by their understanding of the law
and O conscientious purpose to secure eff
cheney, integrity and economy in the execu-
ton of the public printing. 1t occurred to ms
that 1t would be manifestIy indicate for us
to attempt to instruct such q board in the
law or to lecture them upon their duties to
the public especially in our own interest
The Picay,o,e, however, seems to have enter
tanned different view of the case.
That journal, during the past ten months,
In all It's controversies with the DEMOCRAT, has
endeavored to represent us to the public as O
terrible enormity because we held the con-
tract to do the State printing; that contract,
In it's eyes, indeed, has seemed the sum of all
evil and iniquity; yet 1t is now SO eager to
obtain the contract itself; it Is 50 ravenous
for estate pap" that it has dsregarded pro-
priety, decency and common honesty in q fu-
rious effort to bullyrag the board into the
adoption Of Its peculiar ideas about the dis
posal of the printing contract and its dis
honest construction Of the law.
So far as the members of the board are
concerned, we assume that they will not be
intimidated by the ferocious attitude as
sumed by the Picny,tne. They understand
their obligations to the public, and will dis
charge them as they deem best. We deem it
important, however, to notify the public that
the Picayan,e, for the purpose of fortifying its
assertion that the object of the Legislature
was that the printing should be given to the
lowest bidder, has grossly and palpably
garbled the law in quoting it. 1t quotes part
of the first section Of the act as follows:
Provided that the said board shall be en-
powered to contract for the printing Of the
reports OF the various heads OF the Executive
DbpHIbllleUu, anu Jllo DlbIk WOIh vi JIlc hu-
ditor's Department, with some other person
than the State printer hereinafter named;
provided said contract be after consideration
of all proposals made, and the price thereof
do not exceed the maximum fixed In this act.
If the reader will turn to the act itself he
will find the following important proviso
Immediately following the PtcayaU,e's quo
taton:
provided, the State Printer shall fail to
furnish said printed copies within ten days
after the reports shall have been placed In
his hands for publication.
BY emitting this proviso the Picayune
changes the whole meaning of the act. This
was willful and disgraceful effort on the
part Of that paper to misrepresent the mean
ing of the law to the public. Misquota-
tions, even Misrepresentation, In politi-
cal discussions, are often regarded with
a large measure Of federation. But this
is not a political matter. The law and
the discussion concern a business con-
tract with the State involving from thir
ty to thirty-fve thousand dollars. Any
misrepresentation in relation to it; any
falsehoods told about it; any efforts to de-
ceive any of the contracting parties concerned
relative to the law, is as much swindle
personal property or real estate. We regret
to see paper, claiming such an
enormous circulation and such an
unbounded business, attempting to influence
a public contract by such low and contempti-
BILE arts as this. Will economy and honesty
in the execution Of the public printing be Sc
cured by awarding the work, either at the
lowest bid or at stipulated prices, to a journal
which has not honesty enough in it's bones to
quote fairly law governing the contract
If the Picayu,ee is capable of garbling an act
of the Legislature to deceive the public
and influence the award of the public print
ing, will it be too honest to take advantage of
the intricacies of the printing business and
the ignorance of board or Legislature to
cheat in the execution Of the work and the
charges, for it, to make up the real loss on the
figures it may bid for it and obtain it at?
The repeated declarations Of the Picayune
that it was the purpose of the Legislature
that the printing should be awarded to the
lowest bidder, and that economy would be
insured by that system, are not sustained by
the facts. The history of public printing in
this and all other States shows that where
the Legislature has fixed fair specific prices
for the public printing and selected a printer,
1t has always cost the State less than when it
has been given to the lowest bidder. The
work Is so intricate and difficult of computa-
ton that there are an infinite variety of
means for imposition; that these means will,
in very large majority of cases, be taken
advantage of has been proved by experience.
An honest man will generally bid what he
can do the work for and make profit on it.
sharper will generally underbid everybody
else and take his chances for beating the
State He generally does so, and in the end
the people pay more for the work than it
would have cost them at the higher rates
bid by honest contractors. Hence expe-
rience has shown that the lowest bidder
system in the matter Of the public print
ing is not the most economical. In
such contracts the State is almost univer-
he, oufhnrifiac ha titt1a Or