Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-04-21
COUNTY PRINTING SETTLED FOR AN
OTHER YEAR.

COUNTY PRINTING SETTLED FOR AN
OTHER YEAR.
The matter of awarding the county
printing for the ensuing year, beginning
on May 1. 1897, was finally disposed of
last Wednesday afternoon, when the
commissioners made an order to the eff
feet that the INDEX should be made the
official paper at 40 per cent of legal rates.
and the Kiowa Review to do the job
work at rs per cent of last years prices.
excepting the printing of the Australi-
an ballots, for which seyenty-ive
per cent of the legal rates es
tablished by the recent legislature, is
allowed. No bids were submitted or
called for, but l.. NJ. Axline filed one IN
the county clerks Office and after the
official paper was elected and the job
work awarded, 1t was opened. Axline's
bid, not considering the printing of bal
lots, was 2 per cent higher than the
amount it will cost the county under
the Boards arrangement. Upon the
proposition of ballot printing Mr.. Ak
line was silent. Commissioner RANKIN
did not concur with Commissioners
Wyer and Walker in awarding the work
| to the INDEX and the Review. He
stated that he was in favor of letting
the work to the lowest bidder and
would continue that policy 80 long as
he is commissioner. We expect to
keep this statement where we can get
at it for future reference.
The INDEX has a few remarks to
make on the way in which the commits
sioners have dealt with US and we must
ask pardon for saying that we are not
/ we have received. But while we ex-
press this dissatisfaction we want to
make the statement that what we say
in this connection is not applicable to
Chairman II. G. Walker. Mr.. Walker
made strenuous effort to give the IN
DEX its present quota of the county
patronage at so per cent of legal rates
"a fair compensation, neither unusual
ly high nor unusually low-and what
we should have had. We had a right
to expect 1T from Populist board OF
commissioners. But Commissioner
Wyer did not look at it in this light and
we were given the cold information
that if we would not take the 40 pei
cent offer we would get nothing, as Mr.
Wyer would,vote with Rankin, republl.
can, and throw it to the lowest bidder
if Chairman Walker chose not to come
to hrs (Wyer's) terms. Had we consult
ed our own interests we would not have
accepted Mr.. Wyer's terms. We viii
lose money by it. We took 1T under
protest and only for the welfare of the
party. If we received the support from
the Sound Currency League" which
the Cresset does we could probably take
the work for nothing IN order to ''freezs
out" rival contemporary, but as We
do not We must depend on legitimate
sources for patronage and support.
This is the reason we cannot do coun
ty printing as cheap as can the Cresset
aud the POpullsts of Barber county wei
understand that what we say is true
We are unable to account for Commits
sioner Wyer's action. Only month age
he agreed to use his best efforts to secure
us the work at go per cent of legal rates
but last week we found that he haC
changed his mind. l.. M. Axllne claims
that he engineered the scheme. W.
would hate to be compelled to admit i
to be true;but during the meeting of tn,
Board we have never approached Mr.
Wyer on the subject but that we have
been coolly received and only once re
celVed satisfactory answer. With Mr.
, Walker it was different; he did his ut
; most to secure us the work at reason
able rates and we appreciate his serv
} ices. We want to express our thank,
r for the far and firm position he hal
8 taken and for his refusal to cater to TIT
3 wishes of gold standard editor wht
8 makes his living by advocating a form
! of government that is destined to bank
? rupt the masses of the American PEG
pie.
Before we close we desire TO say
7 few words in regard to this euphoniou
3 but misapplied word, economy" An,
system in any department of govern
ment which deprivcs the laborer of fai
3 wages is not economy.
4 One Of the fundamental principle
upon which the Peoples party was or
5 ganized is fair and remunerative wage
5 for labor and products. Mr.. Wyer ad
p mits that he knows nothing about tn
T printing business or the labor and ex
pense attached to it;yet he goes to Lut
Axline, the worst enemy the People
: party has in the county, and asks 70
!, advice and instructions, while he ig
nores the only Populist newspaper me-
in the county. Is it any wonder tina
:. we are not satisfied?
:. We will do the work at loss durin
= the coming year. Any newspaper ma
= who does not receive support from lille
: Ultimate channels. will say SO. But W
will get along somehow and perhaps fl
ture developments will throw som
light on the seeming mysteries of til
present We would regret to learn tina
some of those who profess to be GU
: friends have lent their influence to tn
;, worst enemy we have. to bankrupt tn
: | office