Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-01-20
RATS! RATsn RATsMi

then-it's natural and involuntary-but
when he persists in identifying himself
with tie donkey race it is about time
that he steps down from the editorial
tripod. The people of Barber county
have heard so much of the wailings of
the Cresset editor and when, some time
last summer, he quit for the time being,
his silly babyish whining because he
didn't get the biggest piece of pie, some
were inclined to forgive him and few
thought there were in reality some of
the instincts of a business man left in
him, but glance at last weeks Cresset
will quickly prove the contrary. 1t is
almost useless to rehash the county
printing story of last spring but since
the Cresset is indirectly endeavoring to
convince the people of Barber county
that the 37i-cent editor should be
awarded the county printing for the
ensuing year, beginning on May l, by
the men he has 80 violently abused,
short review is pertinent and timely.
We shall simply state facts as they ap-
pear on record and the public can do
the judging. The Medicine Lodge
Cresset did county printing at LEGAL
RATES from 1885 to 1890 when the IN
DEX became a PopulIst paper. The
Cresset did the county publishing at
LEGAL RATES again during the year be-
ginning May 1, 1894 and ending April
80, 1895. The INDEX was awarded the
| county publications at legal rates only
two years since it became Populist
paper. And this is what the Cresset
bases its roar onl 1t appeals to the
people of the county to keep on paying
interest on fraudulent bonds but by no
means pay the printer-the laborer-
that which the law declares shall be
his fee for such work. provided, of
course, that the paper having charge of
this WORK is of different political com
plexion than republican. But, oh, how
different when the Board of County
Commissioner happens to be composed
of a republican majority! Presto
change instanter! 1t is just the thing
to give tie printing to republican pa
per at legal rates when the majority of
the Board happens to be republican,
but when it happens to be Populist the
work should go to the lowest bidder
What do our readers think of propo-
sition like that? 1t is so utterly nom
sensical that 20 man with any business
sense can afford to pay any attention to
it. Yet this is Axline's proposition.
We say that so Long as the legislature
of the state says certain or stated
amount shall be paid for a stated
amount Of services, it is right that the
letter of the law should be followed
whether the officer rendering the ser
vices be republican, Populist, or
wheth er he is politically Indifferent.
But when the Cresset contends that
the Barber County INDEX and the Kio-
wa Review have robbed the tax payers
of Barber County of $1,000 90 during the
past year, it convicts itself of having
plundered the ''tax- payers of $4,000 OC
since 1884.
We do not doubt but what the Ores.
set would do the county printing fol-
less money THIS YEAR-it has made il
up by getting legal rates when the
Board was republican. We could I'm.
derbid the Cresset every day in every
year on the same work provided we
we're assured that we would be given
the printing at legal rates when our DO.
litical friends are in power But this
would be unfair and unreasonable and
hence would not be countenanced by
us.
Another peculiar statement found in
AXline's howl is that the Kiowa Review
is getting more than the regular CON
rnercial prices" for some work. Who
establishes the regular commercial
prices?" Has that become one of the
prerogatives of the boastful Axlinei
Mr.. Axline's regular commercial pric
es" differ so much from those of Other
people that it is hard matter TO decide
whose are the standard. For instance
his regular commercial prices" for To-
Gals In some instances are Is cents pei
line, others 10 cents, others and what
hC OAH hOC Oub Va OIuOko, 81 LudJ Ult
regular commercial prices" are hare
to follow. Mr.. Hull gets no more thar
living prices and they are not in excess
of those charged by Dodsworth, Hall s
ODonald and other concerns after fig
uring in the additional 10 per cent
which they invariably add.
Now we hope that this will be the
last time that we shall be called upor
to refer to this matter. Editor Axline's
protested interest in the welfare of the
taxpayers is too thin. His record
shows that he, himself, has practiced
for six years what he complains of now
1t he would engage himself in protect
ing the taxpayers where they are plum.
dered of over $4,000 annually by cas-.
tern capitalists, instead of trying to de.
prive the laborer of his own county OF
his hard earned money. he would save
himself considerable amount of unde.
sirable notorlety.
The Barber County INDEX says that
the government is not recognizing the
peoples inalienable rights and wants
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