The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-09-09

STATE PRINTING ROW
STEWART SHOOTS SOME MORE
HOT SHOT.
The Fallacy of Proposed Reforms
May be Between Read the Lines
Supervisor Aver Paying Higher
Prices and Approving Bills


May be Between Read the Lines
Supervisor Aver Paying Higher
Prices and Approving Bills
A SENTINEL map called on Mr.. VI
l. Stewart Saturday and inquired d
IL the reports now current in the press
of the State relative to the public
printing were true? He replied that
".n the main they were, some little in-
accuracies in construction of sentences
not making the facts as clear as they
should have been.
Il must say that disposition is
manifest to get my language garbled
and unintelligible. For instance when
the papers speak of the accounts pre-
sented to the Auditor this week the
impression is left on the public mind
that no authority of law existed for
so doiog. This is not true as over
S3 coo of those bills had already been
approved by the examiners, aud as the
Auditor acknowledges their action as
dnal those bills must be paid. And
when l spoke of having some matters
OF difference to adjust with the State
the papers make me say that the ex-
aminers have nothing to do with these
matters and that they will have tn be
referred to the Assembly. Now this
is also incorrect. At each measure
ment when we had reason to object
To measurements given US on certain
pieces OF work, we then and there en-
tered our prot est with the tacit un-
derStanding that these matters would
be called up again OfCOurse we accept
ed he amounts given US at the times
nnly as part pay ayments, because our
nece SSitieS demanded we should, but
such action did not bar us from hav-
ing these particular matters reviewed,
and we now consider them as much
before that tribunal as they were at
the time first taken up "a further
explanation may not be out nf order
La the rush incident to handling the
printing a few hours time meant
great deal to US, and to avoid delays
It was better business to accept what
was clear to the examiners at the time
than 1t would.have been to have left
could be reached on the points in dis
puteS
Another thing, it must be remem-
hered that these examiners were en-
pluyed by Raleigh contractors, and
for reasons to their own intereSt-be-
ing watched at every point-they
could not afford To make decision
where even a doubt existed in their
minds, without having time to con-
slider and examine the rules OF meas
uremenJ governing public work. You
must remember also that the employ
ing printers of that city were honest
in the belief and So charged before
theAssembly and in the public prints,
that all printers in the State outside
of Raleigh were ''scabs" The great
Apostle prosecuted the Christians,
but he thought he was doing Gods
service, and we cannot expect even
the best people to be perfect. Why
even the august Council of State
ers Of the State outside of Raleigh
were thieves, and they so intimate
this feeling by fling notice of pro-
ceedings in court to that effect ana by
sending all book work they do not
care to be bothered with in Raleigh
off to Kichm ond, Virginia
by taking all these facts together,
you can see that it required some for
titude for an outsider to even enter
the ''eternal city," much less expect
and stand up all at once for what real
ly belonged to him
But we can now see no good reason
why the good sober sense of the off,
cials, and the cool deliberation of the
examiners, will not be nearly all the
law necessary to adjust any difference
in the printing matters yet OutStand-
ing between ourselves and the State
You know it looks silly and niggardly
to rush into court If anyone happens
to sneeZe at you or nave some slight
difference to be adjusted You possi-
bly, have seen as much frivolous Off
iaJ IL oil no r
the people can we'll stand. and for
that reason if no other we would be
inclined to desist.
"Now, as to the price of the public
printing under our contract. 1t was
adjudged by the Assembly of 1895 that
q cents per thousand ems was cheap
er than 40 cents. that 40 cents for
binding sh e book was cheaper than
60 cents, that 13 cents for binding a
half-bound book was cheaper than &c
cents, that Is cents for binding cloth
book was cheaper than 40 cents, that
| Is cents per token for press work was
| cheaper than 25 cents, and no firm in
| Raleigh has had the backbone to say
| he wanted the printing at our figures
| Last winter the fight was for "a price
! not to exceed that of 1893 " And now
| the supervisor" is paying 37i cent:
| per thousand ems for the composition
aDO IS approving ulS own Oils.
! ssIt is all we'll enough for newspa
pers to howl aud for competitor tt
charge things wheDi they are hone s.
and true 1t is all we'll enough to Us.
diplomacy" and political cunning
But honesty is the best policy, ant
the truth beats all the virtues.
The printers of North Carolina dt
not relish the idea of being branded
as ''scabs" and thieves simply becaus,
they have the audacity to compete TO
the States work in the matter o
printing, and we believe the member
of the next General Assembly will b.
thoughtful enough to avoid any sucl
stigm ma being thrown around the prin
tiers who happen to reside beyond tn
corporate limits Of Raleigh. And
any member OF the last Assembly wa
ungrateful enough to see and hea
such proceedings without raising
protest be ought to be ignored for al
time to come. and we have faitl
enough in the good sense of the prin
ters of the State to believe he will b
ignored-not only himself but all hi
associates"