The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-08-23
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 1906.
COSTLY FOR THE TAXPAYERS.

SOSILY FOK lttE lAhFA
From the bungling and manipulation revealed
in connection with the work of constructing and
equpping the addition to the Technical high school
the taxpayers of Providence can form some idea OF
the extent 10 which their interests are sacrificed
by the men who misrepresent them at the city hall.
This particular case is only typical OF the
many instances in which public work is made use
of by the city hall ring fatten the bank accounts
of its favortes at the expense OF the property own
ers Builders and others who have no ring
affiliations and who do not play the game OF poll
tics for what there is in it, long ago abandoned
all efforts to secure contracts from the city. Re-
peated failures and repulses led them to believe it
utterly futile to hope for fair or just consideration
at the hands of ring that appeared to have pets
picked for favors from every branch in the building
industry.
There is not citizen who has given even
casual attention to this Technical high school
snuddle who is not convinced that either through
incompetence, worse, the taxpayers are being
outrageously and ndefensiby mulcted
The original estimate of the cost OF the work
was $4,000, but it had not proceeded very far
when the committee city property made de-
mand for $4,000 additional Even friends OF the
ringsters were amazed at this, but ultimately
$4,000 additional was provided by the city council.
What sort of business capacity it be that
makes bunder of $4,000 or $4,000 in estimating
the cost of mere addition to school building?
Is it the kind of capacity the taxpayers should
tain at the city hall?
But incapacity is not the chief cause of such
fragrant disregard of the interests of the taxpayers
Politics of the sordid and selfseeking sort is re-
sponsible for the wanton waste of public funds that
has been in progress many years and has left
the city SO little to show for the millions that have
been expended
If the spirit OF the city ordinances had any
influence at the city hall this wasteful policy would
never have been inaugurated, nor would the ring
that has entrenched itself there be able to enrich
its favorites at the expense of the taxpayng public
The ordinances provide that before any building
for use of the city shall be altered or repaired the
expense of which may exceed $500, the committee
or commission having charge OF il shall cause to
be prepared plans and specifications of the work to
be done and shall give notice in the newspapers
employed TO do the city advertising OF the time and
place for the exhibition of such plans and specii-
cations and of the time during which proposals
will be received.
Bids SO made are to be opened only in the
presence OF the committee 1t is explicitly provided
also that no contract shall be made at higher
price than that offered by the lowest competent and
responsible bidder and that where the contract
shall exceed the sum OF five hundred dollars il shall
be made in writing.
Has it been the custom at the city hall 20 OBJ
serve these provisions OF the ordinances? Only
rarely. To do would prevent the ring from
giving fat Jobs to its pets and that is not what the
ring is in business for.
The law is evaded under cover OF another
provision OF the ordinance which authorizes the
city council by resolution to empower the COM
mittee city property TO have work costing
more than $500 done without advertising for com
pettive bids and without making contracts in
writing.
1t is because advantage is taken of this pro-
vision, which was obviously intended TO be used
only in special and exceptional cases that compet-
tive bids for municipal work rarely asked
for and in this is TO be found the explanation of the
excessive cost OF public work and the ease with
which ring favortes are enabled 20 obtain il prac-
tcay at their own price
Does any sensible citizen believe $4,000
would be required to pay for the plumbing at the
Technical high school. a double the amount
the work could be done for according 10 the state
ment OF plumber competent to give authorita-
tive opinion, il competitive bids asked for1
Does any citizen believe $4,000 would be re-
quired for the electrical equipment, II proposals
had been advertised for3
Indeed, does any man OF average mentality be
iieve the whole work could not have been completed
within the original appropriation OF $4,000, il
sane business methods had been followed and il all
work had been awarded TO the lowest competent
and responsible bidder after competitive proposals
had been asked for?