Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1894-01-18
THE COUNTY PRINTING.

as they do that they acted for
the best interests of the taxpayers OF
Fergus county.
Messrs. Chandler and Perkins are
too we'll known for their intelligence
and sterling integrity to be injured by
an individual who would resort to
blackmail and the pollution of the
of justice to gain a livelihood.
While these gentlemen require no de-
Tense at our hands, the ARGUS always
acknowledges the right OF taxpayers
to know for what purpose their money
is expended and is always ready to
impart any information it may have.
For this reason we have something to
say on the bids for county printing.
The bid put in by the Mud Geyser
was a fraud on the face of it and was
readily detected by Messrs. Chandler
and Perkins and even aroused the
suspicion OF Mr.. Wareham. AS the
board had to deal with a notorious
''crook" they were o N the watch Tor
some manifestation of his cunning.
To show the character of the Mud
Geyser's bid we produce it's figures:
Commissioners proceedings and le-
gal advertising, 50 per cent less than
statutory rates.
Legal blanks of every description, 30
per cent less than statutory rates.
Blank books, records with printed
headings and similar work will be fur
nished at actual cost, with freight or
expressage added.
We will furnish stationary at the
following rates:
Letter heads, printed, 5000 per
900.
Note heads, printed, "a. 5Oper 900.
Bill heads, printed, $500 per 1000.
Envelopes, official size, 800 per
200.
Envelopes, ordinary size, $500 per
1 200.
All other work not specifically men,
toned will be performed at proper
tionate rates.
1t will be observed that the largest
item of expense to the county in the
above-blank BOOKSHELF be fur
nished at actual cost, with freight or
expressage added" Who is to deter
mine the "actual cost" of the books?
Would the board be justified in ac-
cepting such a loosely constructed
bid? There is nothing to prevent any
kind of a charge for blank books, as
it would not be difficult to get two
bills from the manufacturer, one in
excess of the other. That there was a
scheme in this can readily be seen.
Some of the figures on printed sta
tionery are a little above regular or
commercial rates and the ARGUS will
be able to supply the county in sew
eral instances from fifty cents to a
dollar less on a thousand than in the
above bid. The ARGUS bid is as fol-
lows:
Commissioners proceedings and all
legal advertising, 40 per cen off from
rates allowed by law.
Legal blanks of all descriptions, ex-
cept whole sheets, 35 per cent off from
rates allowed by law; whole sheet
blanks, rs per cent off from legalrates.
Blank books and records with
printed headings or full printed page,
medium, deny, cap or double cap, 40
per cent less than legal rates.
All other printing for which the
county is chargeable at commercial
rates.
The above V everything men,
toned in the printing law, the kind oi
blank books being specified. All other
work not mentioned in the law, and
which is insignificant compared to
blank books, will be done at CONNER
cial rates or at prices for which the
same class of work is done for mer.
chants and others.
Our bid is a trifle lower than for the
past three years, and We dare say
lower than for which the same class
of work is being done in any Other
county in the state. We have the
bids to show that ourcontract is from
Is to so per rent less than the con
tracts in the counties joining on Fer
gus. In other counties there is no dis.
| position to force the compensation
down to a protitless basis and in some
instances Democratic commissioners
have not entertained IA bid from an
opposition paper. Certain fair and
just rates have been fixed by law and
no honorable newspaper publisher
will try to beat down the prices until
the margin is but a miserable pittanee.
None but a 'scab" or a blk who en-
poets to take advantage of his bid
would be guilty of doing so.
We have on file two letters from
blank book makers In this state So
Letting our orders. They say, "As an
extraordinary inducement we will
make you a rate of 40 per cent off
statute rates." or exactly the same
for which We are furnishing the
books to Fergus county. Now, those
OF our readers who are doing business
on a close margin these hard times
will confer a favor by informing us
where our margin would come in were
we to buy from these houses, not
withstanding that we would like to
do so.
We will send the ARGUS free for the
next four years to the taxpayer who
will find a county in the state that is
getting its printing done cheaper.
ALor