San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-03-28

bearing on this subject, To begin with we
copy the following from late issue of the
Rockdale Messenger:
THE COUNTY PRINTING
At the last term of the commissioners
court Messrs. Geo. D. Barnard Il Co., sta.
TONERS. of St. Louis, Mo-, were allowed
$522.35 for stationery for the use of the
county, and Messrs. Clark & Courts, of Gal.
weston, were allowed $1O420 for station
cry. in these stationery bills is included,
of course, blank books. But it is safe to
estimate that over seventy-fve per cent of
these bills were for what is technically
known as job-printing. The Messenger
knows that st. Louis printers get good
prices for their work they keep travelling
men on the road soliciting orders and must
have full value for work to pay expenses.
The Messenger has not seen any of the bills
but it will agree to duplicate them and de-
liver the work in Cameron free of charge.
Everybody in the county is preaching econ :
omy, and saying patronize home industry,
but sending 1922 IS to st. Louis for work
that could be done in the county and the
money kept at home, does not look much
the county officers were in favor of patron
izlug home industries. The county papers
have hard time at best, ond yet they do
more for the county than any other one
agency. What would county be without
newspapers Why should not the county
printing be done at home. all things being
equal {? The owners of county papers live
in the comfy, work for the county and
spend their money in the county. The St,
Louis stationers do nothing for the county
and spend no money in 1t except what
money the drummers spend for travelling
expenses. The Messenger is not kicker,
but it thinks it has the greatest propagation
to kick.
The above is all strikingly applicable to
the state of things in this county, save that
the amount expended for stationery for
county officers is less than in Milan county
where Rockdale is situated. The list of al
lowances made by onr commissioners court
at their last session shows that the sum of
$3.50. so on this account all went out of the
county and all we believe to Geo. D. Barn
ard & Co.. of St. Louis, In contrast with
this only S41.25 were allowed to the print
ing offices of this county, $31.25 of which
went to the Times alone.
Now when the amount of gratuitous SER
vice, public and private, which is exacted
of the local newspapers is considered, the
cratuitous notices of public meetings, sup
pers and festivals, notices for churches,
societies, etc., the ax-grinding to which
they are subjected by self seeking politi-
clans, and others, the write-ups they are
expected to make in aid of the settlement
of the county and every public improve
ment, the long winded marriage and obitu-
aries notices, and the ''oodles," oceans of
.'tatfy" they are expected to deal out to
everybody on all occasions, we must say,
such treatment by the county officials Is
very ungenerous.
We feel sure that our present county Of
ficials generally, only need to have the
matter clearly laid before them to do the
fair thing by the local papers and printing
offices. We have heard Capt. Storey, the
county clerk, express himself decidedly in
favor of a reform in this matter, aud the
other ''heads of departments" no doubt will
fully concur with him, We respectfully call
their attention to the facts we have present.
ed. We say with the Rockdale Messenger,
we should be glad to duplicate st. Louis
prices and guarantee satisfaction. We
want nothing but what is fair and just,
and trust we shall have no further occa-
sion to refer to the subject.