Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-07-11
That County Printing Bug.a-Boo.

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The most noxious weed is the Of
which is constantly springing i
among, and apparently attempting
crush the life out Of the useful cereal
The most detestable impostor is Il
irresponsible mudslinger who feigr
honesty as a suitable disguise /
which to traduce honorable men. Th
most contemplate villain is the vii
migrate who would attempt to pul
down q successful rival in business b
ialsehood and SANDER.
I I
For some weeks the REFLECTOR ha
been the target at which number o
these odoriferous beasts have BEEF
hurting their slime and filth. Having
nothing to lose, and apparently moth
ing else to do, the Populistic ant
Democratic papers Of Abilene hare
devoted their columns to q concerted
effort to impede tie growing popular
ity Of the only Republican paper in
the city. With venom born Of jeal.
ousy, hatred, malice and vicious ma
levolence they have conspired to make
the attack. They have not hesitated
to drag themselves down into the vor-
tex, and acknowledge themselves to
have been parties to an alleged con-
spiracy to dcfraud the county, in
order, II possible, to bring some sus-
picion Of dishonesty upon the REFLEc-
TOR.
I I
For several years prior to last jan
uary these posers Of purity and hon
esty, by order Of the county commits
sioners, shared in all the profits Of
the county printing. II they were
honest they published in their papers
during that period every word and
every line Of county printing. They
published it in exactly the same form
and type as did the REFLECTOR.
These seli-constituted guardians Of
the public treasury received sixty
SIX and two-thirds per cent. Of every
dollar that was drawn out Of the
county treasury during that period
for doing the county printing in ex-
actly the form and manner which they
charge is illegal, while the REFLECTOR
during that time only received thirty
three and one-third per cent. As long
as these blatherskites were drawing
their sustenance from the public crib
their sense Of honesty was as latent
as . Democratic principle, and as
yoraciops as the average Populistic
oficeholder's appetite. But no sooner
had these political gangrenes been re-
pudiated by the county commission
ers and found themselves in a condi-
ton Of AFFECT beggary, than they be-
gan their TRADE against the REFLEo-
TOR. Then for the first time they
discovered that for years they them
selves had been public pilferers and
public plunderers. And when no
longer able to share in the swag Of
"brigands, thieves "robbers,
and "scoundrels" with whom they
had so long divided, they suddenly
profess sanctifcation, and hold up|
their hands in holy horror at the very
appearance Of wickedness. Death
bed converts are not regarded with
very much favor in this country. 1t
would have been much more weighty
evidence II 1t had been given when 1t
first came to the knowledge Of these
ranting ROSTERS. Their delay in this
matter until they were deprived Of
share In the county printing renders
their testimony Of doubtful value.
All contracts for county printing in
Kansas are made and let under Sec
ton 50 Of chapter 80 Of the General
Statutes Of 1889, which reads as fol-
lows;
For publishing any legal notice, or any
order, citation, summons, or any other pro-
ceedlng or advertisement required by law to
be published in any newspaper, at a rate not
exceeding one dollar per square Of two hun
dred and fifty ems for the first insertion, and
fifty cents per square Of two hundred and
twenty-five ems for each subsequent inser-
tion."
There is nothing in the statute
which specifies either the style Of type
which shall be used, or the manner in
which 1t shall be set. II the county
commissioners should contract to
have all the county printing done in
capital letters and double loaded there
Is nothing in the law to prevent the
making Of such contract. II the
commissioners Of this county for the
past ten or fifteen years, while these
ABOUT PEOPLE.