Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1898-11-19
About Those Ballots.

The printing of the official ballots
is the only printing which has been
let to the lowest bidder in this coun-
ty for several years. The custom was
inaugurated by a Republican board of
county commissioners in 1897. The
present board followed the example
this year. On Tuesday, October 4,
being the second day of the last regu-
lar session of the board, Commission
er Swiggett came to my Office in The
afternoon and told me that the PRINT
ing of the tickets would again be let
to the lowest bidder and personally
asked me by name to make a bid on
the work. 1 told him / would do so.
After getting from the county clerk
an estimate of the number required
and after estimating the cost of ma
terial and labor, in cash and time, /
submitted the county clerk, according
to my agreement with MIR. Swiggett,
a bid on the work. My bid was sealed
and was for $500 per thousand. This
was on Tuesday, October %. 1t was
then known that the bid of Mr.. Cox
was exactly the same. AS the COM
misSIoners had ordered the county
clerk to let the work to the lowest
bidder the job was held for further
bids. 1 waited till next day, Wednes-
day, for Mr.. Cox to make another bid.
He failed to do so. Then, to enable
the county clerk to let the work ac-
cording to his instructions from the
| commissioners, l made a second bid
of 80 per thousand. Mr.. Cox still
had an opportunity TO bid on the job
| if he wanted it but it seems that he
did not mot at such figures at least)
and the work was given to me. re-
ceived for this work $500. At full
| legal rates it would have cost S34 so.
The county thus saved SI4. 80 on the
job. ,
Now as to the quality and kind of
work done: | received my copy" from
the county clerk who is the officer
charged by law with the arrangement
and printing of the ballots. When
1 set the tickets up l "followed copy"
The clerks copy had but ''oNE very
dim line separating the different
tickets" The clerk did not call my
attention to this defect in his copy.
nor give me any instructions nor
copy of the law. This is not all.
/ began work on this job on Satur-
day. October %. On Monday morn
ing, October 81, / took .'proof'' of the
state, county and CoIlyer township
tickets on one sheet. This proof
sheet L submitted to county clerk, G.
NJ. Ufford, for his inspection, correc-
tion, rejection or approval. He pro-
nounced it OK. 1 now have this
signature Correct Ufford.'' THE
state and county tickets were the
same, of course, for all the precincts J
The same afternoon 1 went to the
office of the county clerk with proof
sheets of other township tickets. /
made two trips there, the last time
about o'clock. Each time 1 found
the office door locked. / printed them
that evening ''rather than have no
election"
On Tuesday morning, November 1.
l took other proofs to the office of the
county clerk. l made three trips to
his office that forenoon. Twice 1
found his office door locked. / finish
ished the printing of all the tickets
that day-a full week before the polls
were to open.
On Wednesday morning, November
,. Mr.. Ufford called at my office l
stated to him that the ballots were
all printed and were lying on the ta-
BILE ready for his inspection and ac-
ceptance. He replied that he was
very busy, took a few of the Wa-Kee-
ney samples" or colored ballots, and
went away / delivered the ballots at
his office that morning about 1890.
This was at least SIX DAYS before
election. The law requires that the
ballots be printed and put in the pos
session of distributing officer county
clerk in this case five days before
election. The ballots were NOT ''held
at the printing office until the very
last minute Mr. Cox. i'll the Inde-