The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-08-11
THE STATE PRINTING.


Der Of the board which was TO consid.
err the same and award the contract was
heard to remark to a citizen Of Leon
county that he would see TO 1t that
John Collins did not get any Of the
State printing, no matter what he
might bid" As II a juryman. should,
in advance, announce the verdict he in
tended 70 render, or a Judge should
forecast, before the trial, his own de-
cisiOn.
John Collins comedies that the official
referred 10 knew what he was talking
about. The unheard Of and arbitrary
terms announced, whereby each bidder
was repaired TO put up a certified check
for $l2, 800, not only prevented the con-
sideration Of John Collins bid (which
was lower than the only other bid pre-
sented), but prevented competition
from other printing establishments in
the State. Whether the cabinet officer
referred TO was or was not instrument
tai in imposing so unjust and outrageous
a condition, and whether or not his re-
mark about Mr.. Collins, chances re-
ferred TO the requirement Of $l2, 800
check as a condition precedent to the
consideration of any bid, are altogether
immaterial; the fact remains that who
ever invented or consented to such an
Onerous condition, must have done 80
with the premeditated purpose Of elm
mating all annoying competition from
the pathway Of the concern whose bid
was successful, and thus not only pun
ishing John Collins for having told a
good many uDpalatable truths about
the jennings administration in his little
paper, but Of rewarding a devoted
friend Of and apologist for the same adj
ministration.
Mr.. Collins is fortunately abundantly
able TO servive the result Of the bidding
for the State printing; and also hopes
to survive, in the opinion Of all honest
people, the crooked methods, which de-
feated him. He knows TO dead GER
tainty to whose animosity they were
due, and he promises them that when
the subject Of State printing contracts
and matters pertaining thereto are
again the subject of Legislative inves-
tigation as they will bet will occur
at the beginning and not at the end of
the session, and there will be no White
Wdshing.
Another thing in which the public as
we'll as our brethren Of the State press
are particularly interested is the fact
that it will never again occur as it did
two years ago-that the opening Of
printing bids will be adjourned" from
one day to another, for the express
purpose Of aiFording opportunity toj Jug
gle with the bids, changing the figures
80 as TO let in and insure the success
Of bid that was not the lowest and
best, with the changed figures approved
by the initials Nv. S. j." These
things. and many others, are all sus-
ceptiblc of absolute and incontestable
proof IL those who are personally in
terested desire 20 have them proven in
the courts
Recurring 10 the so-called investiga-
ton by Senate committee of the re-
cent session, there are many, perhaps,
who in the hurry and confusion of the
closing scenes Of the session omitted to
compare the embarrassing report of
the committee with the evidence upon
which it purpOrted to be based, report
ed in an appendix by the same commit
tee. In the light Of recent events
which occurred at the August legal
sales day, as set forth in our local col
umns, this evidence is more than inter.
esting. In that investigation the com
mittee pretended to find out who and
what was the Capital Printing Com
pany." Here il some Of the testimony:
|. Is. Hilson stated that he started a
printing office in Tallahassee in Febru-
airy, 1901, alone; that afterward the
Capital Printing Co." was formed,
by making an inventory of his office at
$40, 600 and Of the old Tallahasseean Of
flee at $1,000, with X. Gamble, who
claimed to be the owner, and issuing
$t4S. OOJ in stock. Of which be owned $40
600 and Gamble $1,000. and that in or
der to comply with the incorporation
law he gave one share to his wife; and
that these were the only stockholders.