Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-05-09
Peoples Party Ticket.
For Congress 18th District,
/. z. CAMPBELL,
of Sedgwick county.
AN EXPLANATION WHICH DOESN'T EX-
PLAIN.

II is now month since the county
printing outrage was perpetrated on
the people OF Barber county, and no re
publican sought to explain the manner
in which it was let until finally Com
missioner Nay indiscreetly rushed into
print. He tells US what he "knows of
the matter" in last weeks Kiowa Re-
view. Mr.. Nay goes back to 1898 and
says when the commissioners awarded
the printing the INDEX got it at 40 per
cent of legal rates. There is where
Mr.. Nay is in error. The INDEX did
the printing that year for Is and 20 per
cent, and lost money on it. That is
not his fault, it is ours; but We only
mention it to prove to the public that
Commissioner Nay makes misrepre-
sertations in discussing the position of
papers that criticise him.
Mr.. Nay wants to know why we did
not submit lower bid last year. If
we wished to answer that as we should
we would say it is none of the Com
missiOner's business but to satisfy his
inquisitive mind, we will say that in
that year of our Lord he and Mr.. Ran
Kin thought to shut us out by requiring
a bond, which requirement was senseless
and unprecedented, so far as former
boards were concerned. And why do
we say they tried to shut US out? Be-
cause they knew that at that time the
INDEX was company paper and there
was dissolution suit pending and the
owners of the paper believed that the
managers would be retired. Hence
they knew 1t would have been almost
impossible to secure a bond and we did
not have the audacity to ask our
friends to take the risk and we did not
feel like obligating ourselves. There
tore, Mr.. Nay, we submitted a bid at
legal rates. Do you want to know
why? We will tell you. Because we
knew that we could readily turn the
contract over to some other paper at
those figures. Do you understand?
But suppose that everything you say
were true, does that justify you and
your republican colleague in ignoring
your former policy and refuse to per-
nit any other papers except your party
organ to bid on the printing? Suppose
you should have submitted il to bids.
and they would have been too high to
suit you. could you not have rejected
them? Your explanation is too weak.
Why not come out and say that you
are serving the bosses and be done with
it?
But granting, Mr.. Nay, that you are
as spotless and as infallible as our Re-
deemer himself, how can you justify
yourself In jumping into print and de-
Tending your republican colleague-Mr.
Ranksn-when you know that he went
on record favoring letting the contract
to the lowest bidder and then went
squarely back on it. Honor bright,
Mr.. Nay, do you think that is honor
able? DO you think that it is right for
public servant to violate his pledge
under any circumstances?
The INDEX has no personal fight
against either OF the republican Com
mlSsloners, but we do destesS this
thing of catering to political ring at
the expense of the taxpayers and to the
exclusion of other business concerns
that do not wear the republican collar.
There are few men in Medicine
Lodge who get most all the favors and
others who would like at least a hear
Ing are entirely ignored. The county
printing is not the only one, and if Mr..
Nay will get his tympanum down close
10 the grass roots he will hear such a
rumbling of public cond emnation that
even he, immaculate as he is, will be-
gin to suspect that people are tired of
such Outrages.
VI MIR. Rankin nothing better was
expected. lie always was a chronic
office seeker and was always ready to
DO anything the bosses required of him
Tor little local political prominence.
But II we are correctly informed, Mr..
Nay was not anxious to have the Office
ana stated to number of taxpayers
that II he were elected the politicians
would not dictate to him. But those
who had faith in him now realize that
they are doomed to disappointment,
and those who manage the republican
machine are more than satisfied.
Come again, Mr.. Nay, and give us
something more solid and plausible.
Above all, do not fail to answer the
questions we have propounded. They
are fair and candid.