The record-union., 1892-11-26
ELECTION ADVERTISEMENTS.
Newspaper Publishers Before the
Board Of Supervisors.
They Certify Under Oath That Their
Bills are Correct and District At
torney Ryan Sustains Them.

for examining into various bills against
the county-principall for publishing
election notices.
Chairman Greer called the board to
order promptly at2 O'Clock and explained
what the session was called for.
District Attorney Ryan was sent for
and then the RECORD UNIONS bill was
taken up. This was bulked bill for So
523 81 and was for publishing the ballot
procIamations, registration notices, ETC.,
and besides included bills for advertising
the call for bids on county supplies and
other matters not pertaining TO the cleo
ton.
THE LAW.
District Attorney Ryan read Section
1194 of the election law, showing that the
County Clerk must publish the proposed
ballot in at least two newspapers Of gen
eral circulation in the county, and 1t must
be published at least twice in each paper
once on the day before election. Mr..
Ryan said the law clearly made IL dis
cretionary with the Clerk as to how many
times he ordered the ballot published,
and also as TO the number OF papers 1t
was published in. But he must have ii
published at least twice in two papers OF
general circulation.
Now. Mr.. District Attorney" said
Chairman Greer, ''do l understand you TO
say that the County Clerk had a right to
publish the ballot more than twice, II he
so desired ?'
''Ges, sir; that is what the law says"
replied Mr.. Ryan.
Supervisor Miller, Chairman of the
Printing Committee, said that he had or
dered Mr.. Rhoads to stop the publication
after it had run several days, but that 1t
was printed again in the papers.
''N ell" said Mr.. Ryan. the law says
that il must be published on the day be-
fore election, so he was compelled to have
it published again. or else invalidate the
whole thing.'
Mr.. Miller said that one county paper
published the ballot on the 18th of Novem-
Der. instead of the day before election.
lie thought that this would De illegal, and
wanted Mir. Ryan's opinion.
Mr.. Ryan said that the 9TH of NOvem-
Der Tell on Saturday, and that was the
publication day OF the country papers.
Without getting out special edition they
could not have published the ballot and
proclamation on the day before election.
lie thought there was nothing wrong
about what they did.
THE "RECoRD-UNION's'' BILL.
1t was resolved then to proceed with
the examination Of the bills. AS the
RECORD-U UNIONS was the first on the list,
General 7. ". Sheehan. business man
ayers of that paper, was invited inside the
railing.
Chairman Greer asked General Sheehan
il. IN making up the RECORD bill,
he had charged the county any more
than lie would any other advertiser.
The General said he had not. In fact,
the county got the printing cheaper than
any transient patron would have gotten
il. The papers regular rate was 81 per
s, uare of l56 ems, 70 cents for the second
and third consecutive insertions and 80
cents for each subsequent consecutive in
sertion. The county had fixed the size Of
squares at 240 ems, and the charge was
s. 80 for the first consecutive insertion, IL
Tor the second, % cents for the third and
75 cents for each subsequent insertion.
The first proclamation, continued the
General. was published ten times by or
der of the board, through Supervisor
Miller. The ballot had been published
four times when the County Clerk dis
covered that an error had been made and
that it would have to be published over
again. 1t was published twice before
election, making six times in all. 1t was
printed on the Saturday before election,
and the paper was put 10 considerable in
convenience as the corrected COPY was
received late, and he was compelled to get
out a twelve-page edition to accommodate
the ballot-sOmething that is difficult to
accomplish on short notice. The second
proclamation for the publication of which
a bill was presented, contained the pro-
posed constitutional amendments and
propositions to be voted for. This procla-
nation was certified to by the Secretary
of State and County Clerk.
PERFECTLY LEGAL.
Mr.. Ryan read the law again, and found
that so Jar rs the RECORD UNIONS bill
was concerned the law had been obeyed
il every particular, and that 1t could not
he objected to on any legal technicality.
lslx- nTl a
to ascertain whether or not the rate
charged by the RECoRD-UNION is more
than that set by the board,'' said Chair
man Greer.
District Attorney Ryan said he was not
an expert in measuring up printed mat
ter, and could not help the board out on
this branch Of the subject.
General Sheehan said that the RECORD
UNION had never at any time charged the
county more than anybody else The
county had set rate, which was really
lower than the papers regular advertis-
ing rate, but the difference was so slight
that he had not declined to take the print
ing. Previous to this time the board had
adopted a rate lower than the paper's
regular rate, and he refused to accept it.
" hen ordered TO do some county print
ing he charged the regular rates. For
this" said the General. I'VE were cited to
appear before the Grand Jury and ex-
plain why we charged more than the
county rate. We said to them that the
county, nor anybody else, could make US
charge less than our rate and we meant
il. | Will not take an advertisement from
anybody tor less than our regular rate
never did and never will" General
Sheehan explained the system Of rating
continuous insertions and Interrupted in
sertiOns. For the latter 81 80 per square
was charged each time, just as if il was
new matter. He also said that had he
been so disposed he could have charged
double rates for the printing OF the ballot
because 1t was double-price matter. and
the paper had to pay double composition
rates.
Mir. Miller said some people wanted to
know what made the printing bills so
high.
'Well," replied General Sheehan. "it
was the law, not the newspapers"
District Attorney Ryan stated that. pro-
vided the bills were correctly figured up.
they would have to be paid.
'.Gee Whillikens!' exclaimed Mr..
Bates, 'it cost the county whole lot TO
learn these Democrats how to vote"
YES" replied Mr.. Greer, VINO is n
Democrat to the core, but you accom-
plished it."
Mir. Miller said he had measured up the
REC0RD-O ONI0N' : bill and found that, ac-
cording 10 the schedule, it was correct
Itwas only the legality OF the bills that
he had questioned.
TIE 'HEE'S ELL.
The bill presented by the Bee was next
taken up. II was i'll several sections, but
aggregated ;, 800 Is.
y. =. McClatchy, business manager of
that paper, stepped forward and said he
was ready TO answer any questions re-
garQlng the bill. In answer TO questions