Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-01-14
SMELLS TO
HEAVEN
Commissioners Disregard the
Law to Favor Polite
al Organ.
If the ''Dear' Stands will Cost
Taxpayers Over
$1,000.

Is 1t the place of j. C. Bradley and
Nick Cook to paytheir political debts
at the expense of the taxpayers?
Have these two commissioners CON
cluded to turn the board into po-
litical machine with the aid and con
sent of Stuckman, who wants to stand
in" on road and other appointments
These and many other questions are
ones that will play an important
role in La Plata county, and at once
recall the statement of prominent
Durangoite appearing in The Herald
a few days ago to the effect that a
commission should be appointed to
wait on the commissioners and call a
halt.
One year of financiering by J. C.
Bradley. followed by Cook and Stuck
man, the latter following in every
thing, in order to stand in" has
made a 80 per cent increase in taxa
tion necessary, and a still larger in
crease may be expected in the future
II the present tactics continue.
In December the board went to
some $40 or $50 expense to advertise
'Oi piNo ici touity ohpPlitS anu pl
ing for the year 1901. The adver-
tisement specified the character of
the printing wanted. The Herald
last spring, put stop to combines
wherein the county and city should
pay exhorbitant prices by refusing to
enter any combines. 1t took the
commissioners at their word and put
in bid for county printing. The
bid was exceedingly low and would.
If accepted. affect a saving of over
one thousand dollars the present year
as compared with 1900. The Demo
crat and Wage Garner also put in
bids. The Herald's bid was much
the lowest, The Wage Garner com
ing next. and then The Democrat,
with high prices for about everything
required. This, it is now evident
was agreed upon before hand. The
bids were opened Monday aftcr1Uol
December 81, when, according to
past PRECEDENT. contracts should be
let. The business manager of The
Herald was present and waited some
time the action of the commissioners.
Commissioner Cook became very So
licitous all at once and said there was
no hurry. that he did not like to see
anyone do work and lose money, etc
Mr.. Raymond informed Mr.. Cook that
The Herald was not seeking sym
pathy. and that it stood prepared to
carry out the contract, giving bonds
If necessary. The matter went over.
the board taking no action Wednes-
day, January 2, after feasting on the
good things of the land. the commits
sioners met in solemn conclave and
decided that it would be detrimental
to permit The Herald to do the print
ing. and passed a resolution TO this
effect. the said resolution placing the
control of the printing in the hands
OF the chairman to deal out at any
price he might deem right. Con
cerning this action, o. S. Galbreath,
who served several years as county
attorney, and disinterested party,
so far as printing is concerned, refers
to the action of the commissioners in
The Wage Garner as follows:
Some men. when they get into Office.
SSthi " lhlnh ludl luey were DOTH u
command, and that those who voted
them into office are but to obey their
behests. We are led to this sort of
musing by the astonishing action OF
the county commissioners in the mat
ter of advertisement for printing, etc.
The law requiring the letting of
contract is so plain That he who
rtIn oh n a .
That it requires the board to adver-
tise is certain, and that several bias
were filed accordingly there is NJ
room for dispute. The inexplicable
thing of all is their disposition of the
bids. There was no complaint
that any of the bids were too high. ir
fact. we understand that the com
plant was that the bids were too
low. A complaint that will command
the good Judgment of the board of
taxpayers, doubtless. With no other
apparent object in view than to have
the privilege of paying more for sta
tionery and printing than the bids
the board passed res
olution rejecting all bids and instruct
ih6 the CudiTlildl VI tne DOdTu 10 pro-
cure printing, etc, wherever he
might choose at commercial rates,
which means a big advance over the
bid of the Herald. That this action
OF the board is subversive of every
of law and justice governing
the action Of the agent in administer
ing his principals affairs, not even
the board can entertain a doubt.
What is it to lead to, If permitted to
pass unchallenged, who can tell?
Aside from every other considera-
tion. substituting the judgment of the
chairman for that of the board, is rev
illegal and unjust, and can
not be justified by any sort OF rea-