San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-03-26

this city. The bids OF reputable archi-
tects In this city, and abroad. were less
than 500 apart, and yet the contract was
let for $27, 900 less than these architects
estimated. One of two things is certain.
The architects were attempting to bleed
Uncle Sam most numerically or else
Uncle Sam Is going to bleed the con-
tractor. 1t cannot be otherwise. 1t Is a
fair inference that these architects did
not connive in making their bids, for
they were strangers to each other and
thousands of miles apart. By their expe-
rience they have become familiar with
the details of such work as Uncle Sam
requires and are judges of its cost.
They know that the supervising archi.
tects of the government are fully posted
concerning cost of public buildings and
are not deceived The simple fact
that competent architects, from San
Antonio to Washington, figured on cost
and came within few hundred dollars
of each other, proves that careful and
close calculations were made, and yet
that building is let at a cost OF S27, C00
less than these architects estimates. The
inference is plain that the bid accepted
was entirely too low and that
the contractor cannot construct
according to plans and sPeci-
fications and make expenses. Uncle
Sam usually sees that work for him is
we'll done and no Sinking, and the con-
tract price, no matter how low, will not
be taken into consideration in passing
upon the work. The architects of the
state in conference have called atten-
ton TO the unprofessiOnal manner of
competitions among themselves and to
the necessity of such regulations as will
protect them from the encroachments of
incompetent and unprOfessional COM
petition. The builders also must be in
cluded in this reformation before the
evil can be remedied. 1t is to the inter-
eat OF those who are building as well as
of those who do the work that this
change to more professional methods
should come.
The Dallas Times Herald having been
brought to book by the LIGHT for it's un-
just charges Of parsimony against this
city. the Herald makes its confession of
error in the following characteristic
fashion:
The San Antonio LIGHT, in spirit of
sorrow frescOed with anger takes the
Times Herald to task for saying San
Antonio is stingy. Rather than that
the LIGHT should get its tail over the
line, kick down the dashboard and
make a scene, the Times Herald will 8d-
NIT that San Antonio is not stingy. 1t
will here and now admit that no stran-
ger ever visited San Antonio without
being treated in the most hOspitaple
manner. and if he didn't have money to
get away on he was allowed to walk
out without interference"
IT would be amusing, if it were not so
dlsheartening to anyone interested in
stamping out the old hate of the south
ern Bourbon. to read the screeds pub
lished against northern journals in the
very papers which decry their sectional
feeling. The average southern demo-
cratic Journalist can not accept anything
from northern journalist, not even
good word without damning the author
of it, and that not by faint praise. This
from the BRENNAN Banner ia sample
block from the quarry:
9 hot rlyoh hot hn
northern papers st present gushing most
aud making themselves idiOtIc in their
t1attering reference to the New South"
are such papers as the Chicago Inter-
Ocean and Iowa State Register, that
have been accustomed to traduce and
Villify this section without let or hind
rance. There is dark, deep-laid
scheme at the back of it all and their
honeyed expressions will have no
weight.
When the Banner unearths the deep
laid scheme, the LIGHT will give it %
cents for peep at the circus.
THE Pearsall News joins the ranks OF
those who appreciate the good qualities
Of the LIGHT, even If they cannot in
dorse its stsunch republicanism:
The San Antonio LIGHT now comes
TO our office as an eight page, five column
paper. The change is quite an improve
ment and the patrons of the LIGHT will
doubtless appreciate it. The LIGHT has
always been good newspaper and its
makeup and press work model of neat
ness. In politics it is republican, but
that need not necessarily detract from
its good qualities"
The COtulla Times, referring to the
action of the city council of Laredo SELL