Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1878-02-09
THE DODGE CITY TIMES.
BODICE CITY. SATURDAY, FEB. .. j..
From the LeaFenwsrih Times.
COUNTY PRINTING.

der of things IS beginning 70 prevail IN
Kansas, in regard TO county printing.
Heretofore County Boards havo IN many
Instances let out the job printing and ad-
vertislng of their respective counties upon
''cqt throat bids frequently giving the
work to trsmps and irresponsible parties.
much TO the prejudice and injury of the
legitimate. established nswspapers. The
fees TO be paid for nearly all kinds Of
county printing arc fixed BY State law, ~
rates thai allow just a fair living compen>
sation for Doing the work -As low as any
printer can do It and make wages. But.
as We have said above. these rates have
frequently been cut down bv County
Boards BY receiving bids from irresponsi-
bic parties az less than living rates. who
expect 10 get even" by cheating the
county IN the quality Of the work done.
This has long been recognized Is an evil.
Whore q publisher has invested his money
IN his Office, and Is giving bis time and Ia
Dor To the work of building up the coun-
ty. his efforts are of great value to the
whole community, and 1t Is neither fair
nor right to compel him to bid against
some tramp Who CONES in with . few fonls
of tsye. VITO has no interest in the county
or It's people, and who expect to stay only
long enough to do the county work and
get his pay. Yet such cases have been com
mon IN the past all over Kansas, and the
bona tide puolishers of The State have been
greatly injured thereby. The people have
also been discommoded by this practice,
10 a very great extent, by having the lax
list. sheriti's sales and other lega! adve
tiscments published in obscure papers.
But large number of tho counties of the
state have already discontinued this I'M
Wise policy, and the following opinion res
Gently given by the Attorney General of
the stat VIII probably cause all the other
counties TO do likewise. Having been APP
Piled TO for information IN regard 10 the
power OF County Boards IN the premises.
the Attorney General. after a careful ex-
animation of the laws bearing upon The
subject. furnishes aa opinion concluding
rs follows:
Having said this nuch. conclude that, as to
all printing required to he done Tor the county ,
ana ior "nlen The ices are FINED by section
seventeen. article two, chapter twenty-five,
general statutes ls5,, the County Commis sioners
have exclusive power TO designate the PRINTER
oc printers who shall do the work. and the pa
per or pzp-rs. in which the zdyeri isements shall
be printed, but thry have no power to change
the fees liked therefor; nor is there any law au-
thoIizing them 10 dispose Of the county printing
by bids.
,. II there be any portion OF county printing
required by the act Of is12, or any other law
ana FOR which the fees are net fixed. then they
have eAclusive control ~ to the amount of COM
pensat;on. And may il such rates they may
deem proissr or can centract for.
3 think the printer 10 entitled 20 the fees
fixed by .aw for any part Of the printing which he
may Contract 10 do Tor the county.
WILLARD DAVIS, Attorney General
Referring 70 the FOREGOING the Paols
SDlrit sage:
inssnuch the County Board Of Miami
County meets next Monday fer the purpose of
letting the county printing 10 the lowest bidder.
We tn.na they SHOULD take ofhcial notice OF the
above decision Of the Attorney General of the
State, IL has slways appeared ridiculous to IA.
that the county board nad the powrr to change
. statute nAiDg fee for certain kinds Of adver-
tisihg lndsr his decision OF the Attorney
General The county OF Miami Setually owns IN.
Western Si.lrii about -, 90 Tor which could
cue znd get judgment Gnier the circumsts nc, :
We d. ihinG We are privileg d TO urge the county
board TO h.resier do las,Ice TO the printers oi
This iuny. W. do not want t. .p.Ay the hog. ,
but simply ASK that what work We do shall be
s.id ior al the rate fixed by law
Considering Tins thing further, we find
that some al oar Courts had previously
taken thls same view OF the case. Judge
". X. Perkins las recently decided "a
county printing case III Cherokee coaBig,
ana n1s dccision in regard 10 the Tax list
WAS "a follows:
Jhat Ice lSs 4 oyi ded jus, Nhat should be psii
- 80, lrln,ei. Eua did mol slow the county 10
speculate III u, clsE OF such advertising; that
Sle count. had No rlsut 80 cent oil the Inoney
collect Il. aud thUIr Mas 10 PROVISION whicl N
IitivE AZ u use The amount paid To the treasurer
~ sAorsA 81 tsat pad TO the PRIMER, and that
tie culntiiissluntrs had no control CE The ~
sisi except to zee that the bills presented were
correct, zHd If correct to pay the same
The Spirit here calls attention to tho
Tact that over twenty counties IN the state
have this ear lei their printing at legal
rates, without receiving bids, and then
adds:
We do not DENY the RICH; under the law, OF the
county board 10 name the county printer md the
SihciAt PAPER, but under the above decis ions it
ief..ciiN plain that they have more rig hi
70 iet lhr eouaiy printing to The iow.st bidder
than iiey hsSe 10 contract 10 lie; out the work OF
thv r. giser OF deeds or clerk 81 tae court TO he
lcHss. hitetF. The Ices are fiX'G by he statute
IN. -aN riinily giNes the BHaiu Tie right To a.y
Ni.At PAPER shail do The Auyer islng.
ihr Sllrit, the Miami Republican Rad Loais-
tuf. Hes ale, could eli br NJ actions against The
county Hnd recover IRON 1t the dllis renee be-
tween lie contract lrioe paid ior advertising,
during the last six seven years and Ihe pricr
nxed by law
President Hayes has consulted Senator
Plumb of Kansas. and received from hin,