The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-02-06
THE COUNTY PRINTING.

the wish of the taxpayers of Canyon
county that the men whom they have
elected TO attend to the business affair
of the county, shall as carefully guard
the public interests as they would theiI
own private affairs. 1t further believes
that the people have the right to de
mand this much from their servants
and in view of the much talked of IRE
trenchment and economy" which wa:
made the keynote of the late campaign
by the representatives of the present
paramount political aggregation, the
people have cause to expect that the
laws Of business shall be applied to the
affairs of Canyon county In the same
manner as they would be applied to the
management of a profitable farm, store
or any business institution. The Index
has been Informed, and it believes re.
liably SO, that in the matter of public
printing for this county, the present
board of county commissioners have
not exercised the same diligence in the
direction of economy that they would
have done had they been transacting
business for themselves inasmuch as
the report has gone out and has been
| pretty generally circulated that the con-
tract for county printing has been
awarded to the Caldwell Record at
the rate of ~ cents per line in spite
of the fact that the TRIBUNE submit.
ted proposition to do the same work
at q rate of cents per line.
The fact that the bid given by the
! TRIBUNE was ridiculously loW-aWay
below the price which any newspaper
should receive for like service-and
that of the Record was probably not
far out of the way, should have cut no
| figure with the commissioners. They
should have been ready and anxious to
take advantage of any proposition
that would affect saving to the tax
payers of Canyon county whom they
nave been elected to represent and
whose interests they are sOlemnlY
sworn to guard. The writer of this ar
ticle was informed by member of the
board of commissioners several weeks
ago that the printing would be let out
to the lowest bidder and that all the
printing houses in the county would be
given an equal chance to secure the
work. We have no means of knowing
how many of our contemporaries were
given an opportunity to bid on the
work and do not care. We do know
that the Index was given no such OPP
poTtunity and in view of the bid made
by tho TRIBUNE, we dc not care any
thing about that, but we do say that
If the board refused to let the contract
to the TRIBUNE at two cents and let it
to the Record at ~ cents, that the
members of the board have stultified
themselves in the eye of the taxpayers
of Canyon county who have been led
to expect policy of economy and re-.
trenchment under their administration.
Emmett Index. -
About that THE TRIBUNE will say:
We were not invited to bid on the
county printing and so far as we know
nobody was. However, as the cry of
economy had been the shibboleth of
the Peoples Democratic party and we
were given to distinctly understand
that, Economy in public affairs in Ida
no is no longer catch phrase to be.
guile the unwary or subterfuge to
mislead", we concluded to put ourself
in harmony with that commemorate
sentiment and at the same time put
the professions of the reformers to a
fair practical test. We deeply regret
being obliged to admit that, as far as
there is any evidence on the subject,
the Peoples Democratic economy
cry was a hollow mockery intend. |
ed, indeed, to beguile and misIead. |
The TRIBUNE made proposition to
publish all matters of an official
character as required by law for the
uniform price of two cents per liue,
BREWER type measure, and offered to
put up good and sufficient bond for
the faithful performance of the con.
tract. We might say, parenthetically,
hat our proposition to file a bid was
not received very graciously by
certain members of the board
)ut We did not expect to meet
'avOr in the eyes of these reformers
~ giving them so excellent an oppor-
unity to reduce their loud professions
o practice. AS no bids had been pub.
icly called, for none were considered,
md therefore the letting of the county
seems to have been the result
# private dicker in which the public
interests cut no figure. We wish it I
distinctly understood, though, that
HE TRIBUNE has no complaint what. {
yer to make. These facts are related {
imply to do justice to the commits {
toner's. There is fortunately nothing '
the law 30 prohibit county commits t
toner's from paying seven and half a
ents a line for printing which they a
light, If they chose, have done for two
ents. 1t is purely discretionary in the 4
reasts of the commissioners, and we a
lake doubt their consciences are quite a
ease. Furthermore, we believe that K
10 commissioners were justified in g
wing preference TO their party paper. f,
o the Victors belong the spoils is
erect and honored Democratic doc
inc and appears to be growing rapid I
in favor with POpulists. Some v
'ople may contend that this preference t