The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-09-18

AHHA VII Va AASWS&A u RA~
vided they only get bread and water.
But If there Is only an average Of six or
seven, I'm afraid they are getting pref
ty near as we'll fed as people who don't
get in such places. And further, II
they are in Jail for selling whisky (and
only get bread and water) trust they
may be kept in there till they get as
poor and lean as did our poor soldiers
In the Andersonville prison. Then
when they get out they would like
bread and water and let whisky alone.
3. Isn't it about time for the county
to quit laying out county roads and
finish bridging the creeks? (But may
he the county surveyor would starve
out then.) It would pay the state yet
to renew the law making every Sec
ton line highway since land Is so
valuable when damages are allowed.
4. What has been done with the
vault to hold the county records? Has
it been paid for and how much? II
not used, why not?
terest in answering my questions and
feeling grateful for the assurance that
others are deeply interested, too, l
close this time with the request that if
any Others pitch into me and publish
my little tax items'' you will publish
theirs side by side, as they will be too
modest.
Respectfully yours, s. NJ. IRWIN.
Geneva, Sep. Is.
ANSWERS.
1. Mr.. Twins allusion to the
county printing gives us an opportunl-
ty for few remarks Oh that subject
which we gladly improve. The county
printing cannot "be done for much
less than the law allows" and give the
publisher fair return for his labor,
space and trouble. The fact that it is
often done for less arises first, out of
the sensless competition of newspapers,
aud second, out of what we consider a
idea of the County Commits
siOners in letting the contract to the
lowest bidder. The law provides that
certain matters pertaining to public
business shall be published in a news
paper 'of general circulation in the
county," The intention Of the law
plainly is to give the said matters the
widest possible publicity, and to carry
out this intention it would seem to be
the plain duty of the Commissioners
to select rs an official paper the one
having the largest circulation. This,
it seems to us, should be the test and
the only test. The paper having the larg-
est circulation should he given the
county printing and should receive
therefor the compensation prescribed
by law. Under the competitive sys-
tenn it will nearly always be the case
that the county printing will I've
awarded to the poorest paper in the
county, for the reason that its space is
worth less than that of its more widely
and more valuable contem-
porary. Under this rule the contract
was awarded two years ago to a paper
that we know did not have more than
$50 bona file subscribers in the county,
but the publisher was unable to fill his
bond and so the work was given at de
cent rates to THE REGISTER and Union.
Surely 10 one, not even Mr.. Irwin,
would seriously argue that we should
let all our county Offices out to the
lowest bidder The idea Of putting
the business of the county into the
hands of the men who are willing to
do it for the least money, is preposter-
Gus. Yet it seems to US be little less
to let the county printing
to the lowest bidder. 1t is mainly a
matter of opinion whether or not the
salary of county officers is too high.
We have already given it as our opin-
ion that they are not. In any
event it will take an act of the legisla-
ture to change any Of them.
2. We do not know what the bill
of fare is at the Jail, but while We have
never heard any complaint, it cannot
he very sumptuous. The jailer is al
lowed 10 cents day for boarding each
prisoner, in addition to which he is
allowed dollar day for keeping the
Jail. This sum, amounting last quarter
to sol, was included in the bill of
s223.55 alluded to by MIR. Irwin. We
have not had time to look up the num-
Der Of prisoners during the quarter, but
the bills are on file in the Clerks Of
ice and may readily be compared with
The jailor's books.
3. Laying out roads AMI erecting
bridges necessarily follow increased
One of the necessities of
civilized life is good roads and safe
and people are generally
Wiling to pay for them. We have not
rad our attention called to the matter
,efore but we have never heard any
that our county was extrav-
giant in that line.
4. The vault for keeping the county
eeords has been paid for $4,000 and
! in constant use.
REPUBLICAN, COUNTY CONVENTION.
Convention called to order by II. w.
Duffy, chairman, G. c., and upon mo-
ion T. s. Slower was elected chairman
nd VIM. Davis. secretary of the con-.