The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-25
THE CITY ITS OWN CONTRACTOR.

The adage. Competition is the life Of +rad ;, hos
become ingraned in the Very blood or7 - -
our EnglISh-Speakng people that the Iot+o. lo,- ~
tlohng OF its soundness causes much taa sa,pa S,,
P'''e d'''Fih anu opposition that met the first 40
''' upon me theory Of the formation of the earth
7' mas no' Only become part of the thought
" INC PeOpie OUT II mas become part of the civic
organizations and, wherever work is to he demo for
'ie STATE or any OF its subdivisions the law com
mahds that competition be invited and USUALLY III.
work IS awarded to the lowest bidder The visdorn
OF this policy is denied in English cities and IS heinz
hifaigned in this country and while it's wisdom NAV
De mpregnabe to assault, it must be admitted thar
us opponents make strong showing for their casa
lhey put 1t upon two grounds, the conception of
IL municipality as a business institution, organized
-lh''hiS Ior business purposes, having its distinct
functions that require business methods for +batr
-DeSt performance; and next upon the score OF
economy The movement to have municipalities do
all their own work, street opening paving and re-
ptirng construction of wafer light and other plants
disposal OF garbage and the other needfuI works Of
city organization received in England great inn
pulse from the frauds contractors: and tho rosufr
Oh TWO years experience has in some cities proved
so SATISFACTORY, both on the of economy and or
better work, that the plan is being adopted in other
ciueS. we have had our fill of experience with the
defects of contract work its expensiveness and its
lack Of durability where fraud had not entered to
lower the required quality. The change can be re-
garded as established in England, and its success
there warrants its consideration here.
On the question of cost the advantage is with the
munIclpazation method mainly because of the un-
bHSneSSke way in which the contract system is car
ried out. Any business house corporation before
engaging any constructive work, considers the ques
ton OF ways and means and makes provision for the
payment rs fast at least as the work is completed
The city corporation decides to have a particular
work done, adyertses for bids awards the contract
and then makes assessment upon property from
which money is to be obtained with which to make
payment for the work Usually year elapses be-
fore taxes are paid and there is the usual number
delinquencies. If it is street paving with asphalt
the contractor is obliged agree to keep it in re-
pair certain number of years free of cost lie has
TO accept certificates in payment, calling for money
when the tax is collected which, if money Is
needed he has to get discounted All these features
the contractor takes into his reckoning when making
his bids. To delays interest, discounts the
cost of repairs and other increasers of cost he in
the amount for which he could do the work
a cash basis and, if the bidding was close and
his margin small, is under a strong temptation to
increase his profits at the the quality of the
work.
When the board of public works was consider
ing the asphalting of Arundel and other streets
the HILL Comptroller McCardy, among the objectors
stated that there trust combination that
controlled the asphalt business and charged about
twice what the work is worth. A large part of this
is due to the stated the unbusinesslike
method of conducting city affairs under the cempett
tive system, and would be removed
the city relieved from the system and able to carry
on the work itself. There is why the
city should pave its streets with its employees
than there is why it should let out it's policing by
competition, and there is reason for maintaining
police force that is not good for permanent street
construction and repair force. The merit system or
obtaining competent persons for minor positions is
largely based upon the ground that city is mainly
a great business institution and bound to bust
ness methods in its affairs. With equal force this
applies to all branches of city work.