The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-11-23
An OPRn YIELD,

b still open 20 any Of them who may
desire 10 DO the State printing!
While II iS quite true tI.s.. sO-ealled
contract exists between the Board Of
State Institutions and the Capital
City Publishing Company, extending
IN time from October !, 1906, 10 OctO-
Der /, 1907, there has never been q
shadow Of doubt that such alleged con-
tract IL based upon the most glazing
and palpable fraud, and could at any
time since II was signed have been set
aside and annulled by an appeal to the
courts.
Let Us recall few Of the facts, made
public at the time. On the LIST day of
August, 1905, the board met 10 open
bids for the State printing. There
were but two bids, those Of John G.
Collins and /. B. Hilson (fOr the Capital
Publishing Company. The Collins bid
was the lowest. The contract was
awarded 10 Hilson. Why? Because
one Of the so-called conditions required
each bidder to deposit a certified check
for S12, 800 with his bid, and Collins did
not produce such check, while Hilson
did. Collins knew that this require
ment was illegal, being imposed for the
sole purpose Of excluding competition.
Besides, he did not possess Sl2, 800 in
bank or in cash, any more than Hilson
did, and he refused to become a party
to the dishonest farce Of handling such
q check unsupported by funds for its
payment
That this unusual and dishonest re-
quirement was imposed for the express
purpose of shutting out legitimate
competition, and especially competition
from Collins, was evident from the
the fact published in the issue Of The
True Democrat of August IL, and never
since denied by anybody that shortly
before the date for the opening Of bids
member Of the board WAS heard to
remark that he would see to it that
John Collins did not get any Of the
State printing, no matter what he
might bid" So, 1t was not only
fraud upon every printer in the State
VINO might otherwise have desired to
bid, but II was a deliberate conspiracy
to prevent the State from having the
benefit of legitimate competition, and
to insure the contract to one who was
at that time an administration pet
whatever he may now be.
That the successful bidder" was
part and parcel Of the conspiracy was
proven by facts subsequently pub
lished In The True Democrat and never
since denied, tO.wit: Hilson, In the
course Of q legislative investigation, in
May. 1906, testified that he owned
$40, 900 Of the $4,000 stock In the
Capital Publishing Company" less
one share. In June or July, following,
the sheriff Of Leon county levied upon
and later sold at public auction, to
satisfy some small Judgment claims,
certain presses and engines belonging
TO the Capital Publishing Company"
plant. At the sale, August z, w. A.
RAwls, representing the Capital City
Bank, claimed that Hilson had no In
tsrest in the property, all Of the plant
Of the publishing company being mort
gagged to the bank. Here, then, was q
bankrupt bidder for the State print
ing putting up certified check" for
S12, 500 ! The rotten" printing foisted
upon the State by HilsOn under this
contract, and the exorbitant charges
therefor made and collected by or for
him, add to the proof that the whole
scheme was saturated with graft of
the most brazen and deliberate variety.
The foregoing assertion that this
rotten contract for rotten work could
at any time have been set aside and
new-and honest--eompetition insured
through an appeal to the courts is
abundantly demonstrated by a recent
decision of our Supreme Court, in d
case involving a sewerage contract. in
which the court, speaking through Mr..
Justice Taylor with all the other JUS
tees concurring), says, the italics being
ours;
The intention Of the law In recurring
such contracts 10 be let or awarded TO
the lowest responsible bidder for the
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