La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1905-01-25

county printing. pad any attention
TO our wilma" Neither before
nor since the election did we men
ton the subject of the county print.
ing to single member Of the board
We put in our bid. hoped to get I'll
Of it-and got most Of il. We an
not kicking. We did not ask the
members Of the board TO explAnA'
tionize Themselves and give SONS
good reason for their aetion- II th<
editor Of the Gazette wants To know
he can probably find out by bring
ing the matter up at the next meet.
ing.
The Gazette editor says he has
dug up over $500 in cash TO the
cause of Republicanism and its can
didates since coming TO Otero coun-
ty." We have interviewed the
Republican county chairman and
several Republican officials. and
they disclaim all knowledge of any
such muniicent contribution. In
fact, they say they were not aware
that the ''steadfastly Republican
editor" had contributed 30 cents To
a Republican campaign fund The
only way we can figure out the 800
cash contribution is by supposing
that the editor of the Gazette has
charged legal rates for every social.
political or incidental mention in his
sheet of Republican candidate
or the party since he has been . resi-
dent of Otero county.
The "steadfastiy Republican edi-
tor" certainly got his share Of the
county printing last year. receiving
total of 81. 1852 for legal print
ing sa00 more than the great fami-
ly journal received. The Gazette's
bills were for legal printing exclu-
sively. while those of the TRIBUNE
were for job work exclusively.
There is not much profit in job
work-not circumstance TO what
there is in legal printing.
Three months before election two
daily papers were started in Rocky
Ford for the express purpose Of
holding up the county for the pub
lication Of the official list Of nomi-
nations last fall. Rocky Ford has
as much need for a daily paper n
the mayor and people Of Newdale
have for a $40. 900 opera house. The
Daily Gazette and the Daily Enter
prise were inaugurated just within
the time limit to make each legal
publication a week before the elec-
ton. at which time the official list Of
nominations is published. II was q
graft proposition from start to
finish. There was not = nickel's
worth Of advertising in either sheet.
and we are reliably informed that
neither had a circulation at any
time exceeding 100 copies. Early in
the game the sanity Barkley. the
original prohibitionist Of Rocky
Ford. discontinued the publication
Of the Daily Enterprise-for . con-
sideration. We understand that he
received half of the 500 paid by
the county after the expense Of pub
lication was deducted.
The TRIBUNE has been importuned
repeatedly during the past FIVE
years to start a daily paper. and has
been assured Of golden opportuni-
ty to hold up the county for from
500 to 81 900 every time m election
is held. Some Of the officials seem
to think that . gutter snipe that b
printed north and south on one side
and east and west on the other is .
daily paper. providing it comes out
every day. The TRIBUNE has per-
sistently refused to start . daily
paper. and will persistently refuse
until this burg is large enough and
the business men are willing to pay
newspaper advertising rates to sup
port daily that will be a credit to
the community.
The publication Of the official list
of nominations in daily newspaper
Of 100 circulation is not worth 90
cents to the taxpayers of Oteru
county. yet the sum total of the bills
for publication in two such news
papers in this county last fall agRre-
gated 81 .s72.72 The object in pub.
fishing the ballot a, all is publicity
and we do not believe the law eves
contemplated or expected that il