The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-06-23
srArE PRrnrIhe cONrRAcTs.

IN SaAtAS 70 ~ NRPAyaSAB WHNA
the Board Of State Institutions will be
required to advertise for bids for the
execution Of the State printing for the
two years from October 1, 1905, to
October /, 1907.
As that board Is primarily response
bic for the acceptance Of and payment
for the work done under State printing
contracts, whenever complaint Is made
TO Il Of deficiencies in the character Of
the work which would operate as viola
tionS Of the contract, it would seem
that much Of the rotten work" Of
which 80 much general complaint has
been made might have been corrected
and made TO pass muster, by reprinting
according TO the contract, IL the proper
representation Of the facts had been
duly made 10 the board by the several
officials for whom the work was done;
that the defects in the work were not
30 corrected indicates that the board
was not properly or officially informed
concerning violations of the contract.
So much has been said, however, in
the newspapers, in public and in private
concerning the character Of the work
performed during recent years, that the
members Of the board are doubtless now
fully advised In the premises, and the
board, as a body, cannot plead ignO-
rance of existing conditions.
1t is therefore extremely probable
that in making the new contract for the
ensuing two years, and in watching and
supervising the execution of the same,
the officials composing the board will
adopt the most rigid and effective
measures TO protect the interests of the
people, whose servants they are, and TO
prevent in the future, a recurrence of
the experiences Of the past.
In the first place, the proceedings of
the board in the matter Of opening and
considering the bids are Of the most vi
tai Importance. Evidence exists land
was ready TO be presented to the Sen.
ate investigating committee II the same
had been called for and drawn OUT
concerning the manner in which the
contract for the State printing was
awarded two years ago, and the circum-
stances under which the bids were
made four years ago, which, If known
TO the board as a body, would have re-
Rected little credit upon it as a guard
ian Of the peoples interests. OF course,
now that the present contract is near
ing it's end, and the legislative commit
tee failed TO probe the matter to the
bottom, no good purpose could be gained
by dwelling upon that which is past, ex-
cept to use it as a warning for the
future
The leaking of important imforma-
ton concerning the probable amount to
be required of any particular class or
classes or items of printing should be
carefully guarded against. The eOnsid-
GRAFTON Of the bids in private by any
person or persons not members of the
board, for the Ostensible purpose of
asCertaining the relative merits of the
respective bids, should be absolutely
forbidden. The bids should, of course,
be opened and considered by the board
in public, and in the presence of all
bidders or their representatives who
may desire TO attend. In short, there
should be no possible opportunity or
chance for advantage Of any one bidder
over another Nothing less than this
will be honest; nothing less will satisfy
those who propose putting in bids.
The character and business reputation
Of bidders should be a prime factor in
the decision of the board. Any person
who has been known or shown to have
violated previous printing contracts
should be summarily barred from the
contest. Neither the State nor the
board can afford TO do business with
that sort. The bids should be required
TO name the bondsmen who will stand
for the execution Of the contract. And
the widest possible publicity should be
given the call for bids, to the end that
every printing concern or every individ-
ual printer in the State who may be
disposed to bid on the work may do 80
undeTstandingly.
Our:printer friends throughout the
State should remember that the State
printing for he term beginning OctO-
Der will include the printing of the
U