Morris tribune., 1886-01-13

About one year ago the county com.
missioners called for bids for the
county printing for one y ear. Last
March the bids were opened. The
TRIBUNE offered to publish the pro-
eeedings of the commissioners for one
year free of charge, the financial state
ment for one fifth of legal rates, and
the delinquent tax list for one third
of legal rates. This being the lowest
bid, the work was given to the TRIB-
UsE. The TRIBUNE made this bid In
good faith and stood ready to do all
work in accordance with it, But
whether the commissioners acted In
good faith in giving the work, we are
unable to tell. The new law has made
Q few changes and the commissioners
have showed a degree of statesman
ship in considering these changes
that is truly astounding. No one
needs to be told that in publishing
commissioners proceedings free of
cost, the TRIBUNE is losing money
and that one fifth OF legal rates for
publishing the financial statement is
also below cost. The only item in
the whole years work for which we
were to receive anything like reason
able compensation was the tax list.
Now the new law requires the tax
list to be published during the present
month, instead fIast July, and it
aiss requires the financial statement
to be published now, which under the
old law would not be published TIL
next March and would form part of
another years business. The financial
statement which the TRIBUNE bid
fos wss published last March. The
new Law also requires the commits
sioners to designate paper In which
to publish county work in January,
hereafter, instead of March as here.
tofore. This explanation will enable
the public to understand how won
derfully square-toed the commits
sioners were In dealing with the
matter. Had the commissioners made
the agreement with the TRIBUNE
last March in good faith, comm on
business honesty swould dicta tie that
they take SUCH ,eaptiop as would be
necessary to give Us inst the work
which they then agreed to give. But
our noble minded commissioners failed
to see with that kind OF light. By
resolution, they agreed to allow US to
continue publishing proceedings free
'Sfsoet tilI the close of the old contract
and Expressed o Willingness to let us
publish this second financial state
ment, piece of work we never bid
for at all, at the old rate. Upon all Of
this work the TRIBUNE loses money,
30 the commissioners seem to be will
ing that we should eentInue it indef-
Initely. But how is it with the tax
list? For this the TRIBUNE was to
receive something approaching a
reasonable compensation, so the COM
missionsFs were very quick to take
advantage of the new law and except
it from the balance of the work which
was to be done in accordance with
our old bid. They called for new bids
and when the Sun and the TRIBUNE
refused to bid anything less than le-
gal yates for 1t, the commissioners
were % badly 'lhrpke Hp' that they
refused 10 designate apy paper in
whicIl to publish the list and have
left IL In the hands Of the .oun.y audi
tor. This action Of tile commissioners,
which intends rs to carry out the los
ing part of the CONTRACT while being
deprived of the only part which in
any way approaches profitableness,
Is one which We feel sure an honest
end fair-minded public will not ap-
prove.
The TRIBUNE has announced that
this tax list would appear In its
columns. Now, If it does not TRIB-
UNE readers can see from the fore.
going 1.-The reason why"