The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-02-18
County, Printing.

County Printing.
The present law regulating the pay.
ment for county printing done fol
counties was passed by Legislature
not particularly friendly to printers.
The whole question was carefully
considered and every guard possible
placed about the matter. The Legis-
lature fixed certain rates, which are
now usually known as illegal rates"
and they are the same as those which
litigants pay for ordinary legal public,
atoms. No printer VIII say that the
usual legal rates are too high, but
many claim they are too low. Be that
as it may, work done in careful
painstaking manner is worthy of and
should receive q fair conapeRsatioH.
In printing papers there are many
ways of making both ends meet. One
man will print clean, neat paper,
filled with the current news of the
locality in which it is published. An
other sets just as little type as possible,
fills his columns with dead advertise
-ments and puts cut a paper that costs
comparatively nothing: One labors to
build up q permanent business, the
other cares mot, knowing that he can
leave and try some other locality as
soon rs his utter worthlessness is
found CUT and his starving out is an
accomplished fact. The last-named
individual generally raises howl be-
cause the county printing is not let to
the lowest bidder. And his howl
always winds up with the demagogue's
appeal to the "poor people," and re-
marks about high taxes.
For few weeks past filthy bird in
this county has attempted to smirch
the character of men who happened to
know his total inability to do decent
work, and very properly refused to
allow him to dictate to them what
they should do. This creature appeals
to the people and lies by wholesale to
make out that he is martyr in their
cause. His "favorite" subject is high
taxes-caused by legal rates being
paid for the printing required by the
county.
County printing can be divided into
two classes. First, that for which the
county pays legal rates. Second, that
for which the county pays legal rates
and receives back legal rates. In the
first will come treasurer's statements,
clerks statements, road notices, etc.
In the second, delinquent and final
tax notices, etc. Both are paid out of
the general revenue fund.
In 1877 the printing cost S734.25; in
1878, $S4S; and for six months of 1879
S4l6. (The total figures for 1879 had
not been brought up.) The county
printing will average about $500 per
year. From that sum however must
be deducted at least $500 per year paid
back on sale certificates, delinquent
tax notices, etc. so that the actual
has never exceeded an aver
age Of $500 and we think for five or six
years past has been as low as $500 per
year. Considering the amount of
work done the price paid has been low
enough. The valuation Of our county
is about $4,000 and counting the
for county printing at 5000
the enormous burden" would be .OO3.
Or to bring it home to the people: If
man paid taxes on a ,OCO valuation lie
would pay burden of 80 cents per
year. If he paid on SEQ worth of
property it would cost him three cents.
The farms in Allen county will not
average in valuation $1,000 hence the
farmers do not pay burden to exceed
30 cents per year. Take out your tax
receipts and see what valuation you
pay taxes on. If it is 500 you pay
three cents if $500 you pay six cents,
and so on in proportion, And then
lake Birds column after column of
high taxes" and see where the poor
iool lands.
He speaks of farmers who have sought |
him to pour out their SORROWS about
nigh taxes. Ask him to publish few
If their names. Who are they, Birs !?
Again, Bird never asked for a bip; he
,nly wanted share of the county
printing.
In Leavenworth county the Demo-
ratio Commissioners gave the Demo-
ratio Standard the printing, "a Sc, 900
,lum,) and would not accept a bid
rom the LeaveHworth Times at 80 per
'ent off. In Anderson county the
printing has been given to the Journal
or years by the Greenback Commits
'ioners although the Plaindealer
Uttered to do it for nothing. In Craw-
ord county legal rates are paid. In
Woodson, Doniphan and in a
arge majority of the counties of the
State the same is done. And why?