Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-12

AakalJ ll0Mlt JNmd LIE
system ana the ltd aishment Of this
board? 8.
There i no deSeefhse. under the law for,l
the methods followed by this board In
Its purchase OF supplies for the state
Conced9ng only for the
purpose Of presenting the facts that
such purchases by the board are legal
(which they are nOt1 II Is still true that
the methods Of secrecy thrown around
the business and the persistent refusal
OF the board to givefthe public informa-
itfOn as to the prices paid to successful
bidders Is unfair. and savors of disrep-
utable methods. Nowhere in the law is
secrecy provided for save in the one in
stance of preventing publicity to the
names OF the states unfortunates, and
this for the sake OF friends of such un-
fortunates. Nowhere does the law JUS
stify star-chamber proceedings in the
transaction of It's business and
they are not justified even IL
such transactions are in fact
above question. Secrecy is not the
badge Of proper methods. The man
ner of the board awarding bids is I'M
fair to bidders and will promptly ter
inmate competition when coming to the
knowledge OF merchants and others bid
ding for the states business and in nos
wise will it subserve the best interests
Bias are not opened publicly nor At
the time stated.
Undue advantage is given certain
hiddorc kxy& fPordjr n nppnrt11r{fSy IN
change bids after opening and without
Iaffording all bidders a like opportunity.
After bids are received private nego-S
contracted for.
|. With a naive simplicity that is quite
startling the board in its first biennial
report page AZ. line 2 from top of the
lpageJ admits of an open and fragrant
violation of the law and heralds the
fact for the apparent purpose of gain
ling credit with the legislature and the
public in the following language:
In purchasing goods foruniforms for
the officers and employees Of our state
institutions. an article that had cost
tfrom 12k cents to is cents per yard at
lretail was purchased direct from the
mill where it is manufactured at q frac-
ltion less than cents per yard. deliv-
cred. the employees receiving the benefit
LOT the reduced price But instead of
buying in small quantities we pur
chased 10000 yards, and with the credit
OF our great state behind us and, paying
cash we We're able to secure the lowest
price and the benefits Of all discounts
The board thus openly admits the IL
Illegal use OF the support fund OF the in-
4 stitution for the purchase of private
supplies OF officers and employees to the
extent of many hundreds of dollars, for
the benefit Of the state? No Let the
report quoted above answer. The em-
fployes receiving the benefit of the re-
duced price,
The law, section 81. chapter 1873,
4 Twenty-seventh general assembly, pro-
4 vides that on or before July / the board.
with the written approval OF the gov
4 ernpr, shallfiX the salaries of all the Of
ficers and employees in the institutions.
4 This approval of the governor was un-
Idoubteddiy required to prevent the
abuses heretofore complained Of by the
Investigating committee. and to render
4 stable the wage schedules of the officers
land employees Of the institutions.
j Yet, in face of the strict provisions OF
Il the law, the wage schedules have been
repeatedly changed by the board and
!, without the written consent OF the gov
i ernor. 1t may be cont tended that NJ
j Iwrong is done by this course, but it i.
:. fixing precedent for the very abuse:
q complained of by the investigating com
mittee.
, Nearly a year ago became con,
It,~y, hat \, ~, fot,
= one member of the board Information
J; was given to bidders for meats ant
Z other supplies. by which such bidder!
could reduce their bids after the closing
7 of the bids This gave an unfair ad.
vantage to such bidders and this oppor-
tunity was not afforded to all bidder.
, lsalike
: 1t can not be commended that sucl
Z practice is justitiable because the STATE
:. derives the benefit of a lower price, TO
, who can say that no one else would
: have desired a like privilege? An,
! thinking man must know that sucl
: procedure would drive away bidder.
and injure the states interests as sool
as 1T became known. Can it be sup
= posed for a moment that the Cudah,
!, Pachinp Company, or Swift & Co.. or 7
NJ. Sinclair & CO., or Libby, Mcneil 6
!, Libby, or John Morrell & Co., woul,
! have entered into competition for TIL
/ Estates trade if they had known tina
: Armour & CO. We're given tips as t
4 bids after filing and after closing tn
bids? This is only one instance-ther
e ARE others.
!, Soon after the awards in June last
Y |reported my discovery TO the chairmal
3 Of this board, who has shown at al
a times a desire to comply with the law
T so far az he could without an open rup
+ ture in the board.
The marked change in those who ar
I the successful bidders this month (Sep
! tember) on the meat contracts full
$ justifies the assertion that certain bid
y ders We're afforded an undue advantage
Z Having thus laid before the board thr
s its chairman the fact of improper prac
$ tice in receiving bids, instead of re
= ceiving the support of the board III cor
! recting abuses. it became the objec
: of constant attempt to offend 10 tn
: point of resigning my position as sec
: rotary of this board. This was done. a
/. / believe, to the end that some one ma
I be appointed in harmony with the prac
!, tices of the board.
& There has been continual interfer
Y ance nv one member of the hoa rd wifi