The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-10-13
VIII nE NO CoNrRAcTs TO Irr

WILL BK NO COyTRAcTs TO LET.
one burden ctthe howl made against
the candidacy Of Mrs. Annie Vincent
for county clerk carries with It an
ring. Republicans use
the argument that IL Mrs. Vincent Is
made clerk Of the county her husbands
printing plant and his friends will
profit, since she in measure will be
Influential in awarding contracts.
Such argument is all poppycocl, and
should sink by the weight OF its own
folly. The county clerk has nothing,
whatever to do with the letting Of
contracts Such work Is in the en-
virons OF the county board alone.
Moreover, were the same charges to
be brought against the commissioners
they would not hold good for the sim
pie fact that during the next two
years there will be no contracts to let.
The present board Of commissioners.
dominated by Sin Killer Atherton and
his misguided champion, woozy Sta
pleton, have not permitted the grass
TO luxuriate under their respective
feet Like buccaneers on the
high seas they have gobbled
everything in sight ard during the
past three months have sand
bagged Taxpayers with the sang froid
that would prove them adopts in an
other line These two commissioners
have bargained, contracted aud obli-
gated everything pertaining to the
county-have absolutely plugged up
every avenue where q new contract for
county goods, supplies, labor and
whatnot is liable to pass. So far as
aiding Vincent's print shop, were she
so predisposed, which alleged predis-
position the Leader brands a cold
blooded reflection on an honorable
woman-Mrs. Vincent would be utterly
handicapped, since the Sin Killer and
his Woozylets at the last meeting of
the board, as a return for political
services rendered, awarded TO the
Capital plant the county printing. The
contract covers period OF twenty
nine months from August /, or in
other words, takes in the full period
OF Commissioner Sturgis' incumbency
and also that Of the county clerk to be
elected next month. The awarding Of
such contract was monstrously rotten
and grossly illegal-but brigands and
civil desperadoes never consult the law
when coveted point lies without its
pale. Not only was the printing con
tract sewed up, but every other
county interest capable of barter
through bids, was disposed of for two
years or more-thus leaving the incom-
ing commissioners and the county
clerk little to do, save paying the
padded warrants for work illegally
let and nominally performed. THE
LEADER does not care a tinker's epi-
thet FOR the county printing. We have
furnished the supplies and done the
printing for the county for several
years. and received pay for the work,
but after figuring in the worrying incl
dent TO cashing delayed warrants,
there is no fair profit. THE LEADER
believes the work should be passed
around, and has no kick coming, since
the Capital has been awarded the con-
tract. Had this contract been made
Tor six mon ,hs, as has hitherto been
the rue, 10 complaint would have
bsen near, but the action OF Atherton
and Stapletoi ia tying up the county
for nearly three years is so outrageous
ly at variance with all former custom
and present laws that THE LEADER
enters a trenchant protest in behalf Of
taxpayers who in the end must suffer
the consequences OF county mo-
nopoly.
No, II the candidacy of Mrs. Vincent
is successful, she will enjoy sinecure
so far as work is concerned. Sin
Killer Atherton and Woozy Stapleton
will leave the county board with their
taxes paid for years to come and their
respective pockets lined with velvet,
Having debauched the county, they
now cooperate in an attempt to defeat
a candidate on the grounds that she
will be in a position to further her
personal interests and those of her
relatives, But the talk OF Sinny and
Woozy is like their contracts-nauseat
ing and long drawn out