The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-01
ARE ExORBITANT.
High Prices Are Paid for State
House Supplies.
The Open Market System Not
Proving a Success.
BEST OF EVERYTHING.
Articles of Most Expensive Quail
ity Are Furnished.
Red Ink, Copy Books and Rulers
Double in Cost.
BEST OF EVERYTHING

| There is reason to believe that the
stationers who supply the state with
pencils, paper and other stationery
| equipment are having fun with Gov
ernor Hoch and the executive council.
Bills for the states stationery sup
plies for the month of August, which
came in yesterday, show that the state
is not getting any noticeable discount
under the present open market sys-
tenn. Prices on a great many articles
are considerably higher, and even on
some of the same articles, each dealer
had different price.
1t also appears that the dealers are
seeing to it that the state gets the
most expensive quality of many things,
instead of taking some article a little
less fancy at a lower price, as it used
to do under the contract plan.
When Governor Hoch gets his state
accountant to work on the case, he
will very likely resume his agitation
| for the creation of the office of state
purchasing agent.
Here are a few examples of how the
state is paying for things nowadays, in
comparison with the contract sys-
tenn:
Red ink. which under the last con-
tract the state purchased for Al cents
/ pint, appears OH CQG august Dill alt
| ~ cents pint.
! Sixteen inch rubber rulers; old price.
cents apiece; present price, 80 cents
apiece.
Leader files, old price. SIS per dozen;
present price, $5.75 per dozen.
| Sealing wax, old price, per pound, Is
cents; new price, 25 cents.
| Paper weights, old price, so cents
per dozen; new price, $3.50 per Dozen
Nine inch shears, old price, about 20
| cents. present price 30 cents
Gilt seals, No. 2S, old price, $4.25
per 1000; present price, $3.50 per
1000.
Carbon paper; old price, Rodgers at
$1.25 per box; present price, Monarch
at 50 per box.
Copy books, old price (most expen-
sivxe kind) II cents apiece; present
Pencils; old price. for Dixon, or
quality equally as good, 334s per
dozen; present price for Fabers. SO
cents per dozen.
One of the biggest jokes, however, is
on the item of Arron's No. "a pen,
which seems to be popular with a
number of the officials. On the Hall
Stationery company bill, this pen is
| charged at the rate og $1.40 per box;
on the NJ. L. Zercher bill, the same
article is charged at $1.25 per box
OF course under the present system,
or absence of system, the dealers can
charge the state whatever they please.
1
can go and buy it's stuff elsewhere. But
as the Topeka dealers in such goods
number only three, and as it is incon-
venient for the state to go outside of
Topeka to buy it's supplies, the state
seems to be decidedly up against it.
A little over two months ago, the
state advertised for bids on its station
cry supplies. When the bids were ex-
lamined, the members of the executive
council thought they detected a scheme
to hold up the state, and they rejected
all bids and readvertised. Three bids
were submitted the next time. from
the Hall Stationery company, M. l.
Zercher and the Mcdowell Office Sup
ply company. Governor Hoch declared
that these second bids added insult to
injury; that they were even higher
than before, and that the state should
buy it's supplies at Kansas City or Chi
cago unless the Topeka firms would be
good.
In reply to the governors state
ments, NJ. L. Zercher. one of the bid
ders came out with this declaration:
''The governor has recently ordered
up fine carpets and desks to approx
mateIy the amount of an entire year.
stationery contract, all delivered a
once and at a greater profit than oul
delivered in small amounts anC
throughout the entire year. But thi.
was not done before the council ant
the newspaper reporters.
fair bid on stationery offered to the
state of Kansas than that which Gov.
ernor Hoch turned down, and placed
the state to the expense of readver
tising.
''The governor has had under con
sideration and taken action upon con
tracts a thousand times more impor
tant to the state of Kansas than the
stationery contract. The best men o.
the state think very serious mistake;
were made. The greatest graft tht
state ever knew Mr.. Hoch pursued tt
the last ditch and failed to land. Oul
bids are right; we have no Pullman
passes to hand out
Secretary of State Burrow wanted
! purchasing committee appointed. to con
sist of Governor Hoch, Attorney Gen
eral Coleman, and Treasurer Kelly. Bu
much enthusiasm, and nothing at al
was done.
The result has been that the stat
officers have been buying their supplies
in the "open market Either the!
have placed the order for goods them
selves. with whatever dealer they saw
fit or they have given their requisi
ton to the secretary of state and h
has placed the order.
Chief Clerk Cornell, of Secretary Bur
rows office, says: 81 don't think w
are buying our stationery supplies nov
as cheap as we did under the old con
tract. I know that some items ar
higher"
It is very difficult to determine tn
relation between the old contract prices
and the prices the state is now paying
The contract specifies certain brands O
goods, and in many cases. a differen
brand is now being supplied Exac
comparisons are therefore impossibl
except in limited number of items.
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