Semi=weekly graphic., 1896-04-08

"eorruption.n
 Since the Lord Mayor demands ] that the editor of the GRAPHIC prove his little less than statements or else stand before the people ot Pine Bluff blasphemer and an at. tempted robber of mans most pre-. eious possession-his good name,
 we at once proceed to substantiate te our charge of irregularities in the administration of the affairs of this city"
 Under the head of Municipal Cor porations'' Sandels X Hm's Digest provides:
 SEC. Ssi5. hi cities of tue first class there shall be Board of Public Affairs. composed of the Mayor. as chairman, and two citizens Of the city, elected by the City Council. and at the first election under this act, one shall be elected for the term of two years. and the other for the term of one year. and every year thereafter, as each members 1 term expires, his successor shall be elected for the term of two years. The time for the election of members on said board shall be on the second Monday after the election of Aldermen in each year
 SEC. 6SO4. No person shall be eligible to membership on the board who is related to the Mayor or any Alderman of the city with in the sixth degree of consanguinity or afin- l ity under the civil law.
 SEC 5SOS. The board shall have the exclu- siye power to make purchases ef a!l supplies l tor ,l- site for public purposes in such city and to make all necessary contracts for work or labor 10 be done. or material OF other neces- sary things to be furnished for the benefit of such city, or in carrying out any work or un- dertaking of a public nature therein; hut where the amount of expenditure involved therein may exceed $500. said board shall first transmit 10 the city council an estimate thereof, and an ordinance authorizing such expenditure, with their recommendation in relation thereto and. upon the passage of such ordinance. it shall ke the duty of the board 10 advertise and let the work or con tract to the lowest responsible bidder
 sEC. 5309. In cases where the amount of expenditure involved may exceed s50. said board shall first give notice to he council of their intention to contract in relation there to, and thereupon if ordered by the council to advertise for bids in relation thereto they shall do so and let the work or contract to the lowest responsible bidder otherwise, and in all other cases, said board shall exercise their own best judgment and discretion in the matter of making such contracts but they shall have no power in any case, ex- cept upon advertisement and to the lowest bidder, to make any contract with any per son associated in business with or related within the sixth degree Of eonsanguinity or affinity under the civil law. to any member of said board or member of the city council, and every contract in which any such for bidden person shall have an interest, direct or Indirect, shall be utterly null and void.
 SEC. 53li. All contracts by the board shall be made in the name of the city. and, where 1 the amount to be paid hereunder exceeds s50, 1 it shall be in writing and signed by the Mayor l by order of the board, and sealed with the l corporate seal
 SEC. 53l2, All payments on contracts made l by the board, forthe benefit of the city. shall l be upon order of the city council, but no such l order shall be made until the person claiming l under such contract shall have first filed | with the city clerk his statement under oath | disclosing the names of all persons directly l
  or indirectly interested in the contract or the | proceeds or profits thereof. declaring that no | other person than those named is interest 1 ed, and that no person forbidden by this act | has any interest in the same The Mayor is ex-officio chairman Of tine Board of Public Affairs. i Under all previous administrations, until the present Mayor came into power, the policy Of former Mayors has been to let contracts, in compli- anee with the statutes of the State, for supplies for all departments of the city government, or in the event of no contract, then to issue a requi- sition for the supplies and cause bids to be made on the same.