Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-02
BIDS WILL REMAIN SEALED
Proposals for Supplies Will Not Be Opened
Until Board Meets
EATON REsENTs IMPLIED ctNsURE
In Future the Clerical work of Tabu-
IatinE Bids VIII Not
~ BE Done in Adj
vance.
From a stan correspondentO

(From stan correspondent
LINCOLN. Neb., oct. Especial LAND
Commissioner Eaton has announced that
ne will not. hereafter, open the quarterly
bids for state supplies in advance Of tho
meetings Of the board Of purchase and
supplies. When the board meets in the
morning Cor the purpose Of purchasing
coal and other supplies needed TO keep the
institutions going for the next three months,
II will be confronted by a bushel basket
full Of bids In assorted envelopes, to be
opened and tabulated Eaton's new policy
has been dictated by the fact that he has
been subjected to criticism for following
the old course, which II has been claimed
made abuses possible, although 1t was adj
mtted generally that It saved considerable
time 10 have the offers tabulated for the
inspection Of the contracting board
II have been subject to some unjust criti-
cism," said Eaton, when asked by news
paper man whether or not he had opened
the bids in advance. Il do not propose to
give any further opportunity for my crit
les"
He then led the way to an immense vault
and there opened a cupboard in which
the bids are kept. The envelopes were
heaped up in disorder, but the seals were
unbrokeu as far as could be determined
by casual inspection.
Recently It was bruited about that the
coal bids had been opened prematurely
and that certain interests would benefit.
Eaton's sweeping denial that any of the
bids have been touched, covers the entire
situation. Recently a bidder on a large
contract with one Of the state departments
insisted that unfair advantage had been
taken because the bids were opened and
then rejected, urging that It would enable
competitors to get his prices and method
Of estimating the material needed to his
disadvantage. 1t is said that the premature
opening of bids might through official con-
nivance place other bidders than the pre-
ferred Individual Mt a disadvantage by
showing him in advance what the offers
were so that his bid might be reduced to
the winning basis.
The practice which Eaton has discon-
tlnued Is of long standing. The bids have
been opened a week or more in advance
OF the board meeting and the actual date
for their opening under the terms of the
advertisement In order that the land COM
missioner's clerical force might prepare a
tabuation which would show the pur-
chasing board at q glance just what the
bids were on each class Of merchandise
wanted. 1t was acknowledged that abuses
might creep in through an understa nding
between bidders and officials. but the
system was justified on the ground that
1t saved time. When the, board meets in
the morning the first duty confronting it
will be the opening of more than 300 bids.
To Examine Teachers.
Joseph Sparks, formerly superintendent
at Aurora, has already entered upon the
performance of his duties as a member
NJ he etc lain
teachers certificates provided for in the
certihcation bill enacted BY the last legis-
lature. The active work of this body will
begin about January l, when the task of
examining the grades Of nearly 10000 teach
ers holding county certificates will be
taken up. The other members OF this
board L. g Harnly, chief clerk in the
state Superintendent office: Superinten-
dent A. e. Ward of Harrington, and Miss
Anna Rowland of Lincoln, will begin work
about the frstsof the year. The salaries
OF these officials will be determined by the
amount OF money received in fees. Practi-
cally all Of their time will be required, and
they wilhgfVe up their other professional
work
The work rof the, examining board for
state certiheates will be. much lighter be-
cause OF the fact that there are com
oaratively few applicants for the higher
grade documents. The members of this
after board are superintendent A. c.
Fuller Beatrice; Superintendent e. B.
sherman, Columbus; Principal Cora o'Con-
lell Ashland.
Go I'm for Science.
At the university, the officials say that
more students than ever have registered
or the scientific and engineering courses,