The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-08-25
COL. JENrFER.s EXPLANATION.

In another column will be found the letter from
Col. Jenifer, president OF the school Board, to
which We referred last week, relating TO our edi-
torial Of the 9Th inst. which called public aticn
ton to the fact that Mcssrs. Medairy 4 Go. had
offered to supply the Baltimore city schools with
books Mt u discount Of per cent. less and the
stationery a, discount varying from 80 to co per
cent. less than the Baltimore county School Board
had been paying that firm. In our editorial we
expressed the opinion that from what We knew Of
Col. Jenifcrs character We believed he would
never consent to permit Meiairy a Co. to con
tinue supplying the schools at the Old figures IL
he had been aware Of the favorable proposition
they hal made to the city. In this opinion. 4,
seems, We were mistaken. for his whole letter il a
defence Of Meiairy 4 Co. in the high prices which
they charge baltimore county. lie says after
waiting three weeks We select three items ON the
list to call public attention TO. viz ink paper and
pens. Does not Col. Jenilcr know very well that
it was the same week aug Ithl in which We pub
lishcd the list CANT prices paid to Medairy
4 Co. that We called public attention to those
items; We could no; DO il before, for We had not
the prices In our possession. l. no; the compare
son true. viii not the School Board pay, rs We
published il. 1913 cents PER gallon for the ink. $l2O
per rcam for the paper. and 2Gi cents per gross
for the steel pens more to Mcdairy Co. than they
will charge Baltimore city for the same articles,
Col Jenifer says that the paper i - cents PER
ream and the steel pens cents per gross less than
our figures. the paper being represented to be
better quality, and the pen maker falling = cents
n gross since July 18th. The colonel's expiana.
ton Of Medairy 4 Co.'S mode ofpacking their ink
bottles aud the time and expense incurred in ship
ping their packages to the schools is wholly rreie.
want, for any other book seller in Baltimore city
would. for their own protection. act in the sane
way IL they had the furnishing of the book. and
stationery to the county schools.
We will say, h1ever, that the city schools are
notfurnished by wholesale; paper 10 no, furnished
by the ream nor ink by the gallon. The following
Is part Of the contract which Medairy 4 Co. have
signed "All stationery and other articles TO be
delivered promptly to the various schools, accord.
ing to samples, on approved orders from the Board
Of Commissioners Of the public schools, ia such
YHaRtifie. aud at such time OF times ~ they may
require"
The question for the School Board TO consider
and determine IL not what Medairy 4 Co. make
or lose in their business transactions. but rather
wha, is the lowest price at which the public schools
Of the county eas be supplied with books.
We say that there Is not book. seller in Dali-
more who will not willingly supply tho School
Board a, m average discOun, Of 10 per cent, less
than they pay Meiary 4 Co. Give them a trial
and see how soon they will take them up and thus
save TO the county more than 81 900. so long as
they do not the School Board i. paying the extra
money to Medairy 4 Co.
II We were president Of the School Board. as Col.
Jenifer suggests, our drs. vote would be in favor
Of saving this $1,000 to the school fund Of the
county.