Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-06-16
THE E A

Among the various things investi-
gated by the grand jury was the 'print-
ing steal" As all matters brought he
fore the grand jury are shroudcd in
more or less secrecy it is not definitely
known who made the complaint.
However il is reasonable to presume
that it was brought by the ''bush-
whackers" or some convenient tool OF
theirs. As will he seen, the grand jury
investigated the matter 50 far as the
bids were concerned. and made their
report as follows:
while the contract for the county print
ing was let at what seems a. reasonable
rate, and considerably within the statute
limits, il is our opinion that common bust
ness sagacity demands that such contracts
hc let IL the lowest bidder, after previous
notice for bids from Responsible parties,
aud that thou the county should bc pro
trc,cd 10y good aud sufficient bonds
We are glad the grand jury took
action in this matter and believe tax
payers will hr satisfied with their re-
port. OF COURSE il Is not clear Just what
the writer of the above means. An
opinion is given which is contrary to
the statutes by which the board OF
commissioners is governed in this and
every other county in the state. At
tached TO every notice advertising foI
bids will be found the clause: "The
board reserves the right to reject any
and all bids The board is not COM
PEELED to accept the lowest bid. The
law leaves it discretionary with tn,
commissioners, and it is right. Sup.
posing a bridge was To be built across a
stream in this county, and the bids
ranged from 5000 to 81 800. In cas-
the board wanted a bridge worth $500
would it be wise for it to take the $50,
bid, knowing thai the work could not
be satisfactorily performed for thai
money? The legislature very properly
left this matter to the discretion of the
board. The writ. also says that "sucl
! contracts be let after previous notice
for bids" etc. The law requires n,
notice in the matter of county print
ing. Ii provides that it must be giver
to a newspaper published in h county
and that preference he given t" a
paper published at the county seat
What is the object in giving notice
when only two or three papers are
competent to bid. The nature of The
case is different from bids that come
before the board at nearly every SEES,
sion, where a hundred or more are
competent to bid. Printing contracts
are let 10y the year or the life of the
board, just as the commissioners see
tit. We simply refer To the above Ia
show that the board acted in accord
ance with law in accepting the bid for
county printing. IL the law is wrong
it is the fault of the legislature.
We were called before the grand jury
to explain our bid and that offered by
the proprietors of the mud geyser.'
1t seems we did so to the satisfaction
Of that body. What the "bushwhack-
err said to the grand jury we don't
know nor care, but no doubt he proved
himself as competent n liar under
oath as he has on all other occasions
An oath is no check to such a dirty
lickspittle. From our experience il
doing the county printing and from
our efforts III trying to get rates from
eastern publishing houses we are pre-
pared t say that when IL man puts ii
a bid To do blank book work ut 30 pei
cent oil from statute rates and ship tho
work into this county, lie stamps him
self as IL thief, or else he is simply aim
ing 10 make political capital. Th,
board did not regard the mud geyscr'
rs Il competent bidder, say nothing q
being OH an equality with the ARGUS III
regards circulation. The paper has
no legitimate circulation today. L
has been forced on people withou.
their consent, or at least without theil
ordering it, and many declare that the,
will never pay for 1t.
That this county escaped being looted
by these parties there can be no doubt
One instance shows this. At the frs
term Of court in which Judge DuBos,
presided there was a grand jury. Afte
the report was read the Judge requested
that it be published in both papers
The proprietors Of the mud geyser
construed the suggestion as an orde
from the court, published the report
and at the next meeting of the commits
sioners put in in bill for $50. In
stead of charging the county the lega
rate of $3.50 per folio 100 words
which would have made their biI
$3.50, they charged commercial rates
or Is cents a line. The commissioner
cut their bill down tu $3.50, and tn
thieves never murmured. Now, til
ARGUS has never, since the formation