The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-02-11
whole, and this motion was carried
by large majority.
EnspNtuw. DnunrS Ctol,hnI

SOuuIy 1uIbcIS SStuuUcUs
The bill introduced by the committee
on public printing and which was
championed by Representative Tufte
was the cause of another warm dis
cussion in which the printing steal
and the connection of the Grand Forks
Herald and other printing concerns in
the state, with the same was a prom
inent figure. The bill for which Mr.
Tufte stands as sponsor and of which
he attempted to claim on the floor Of
the house he was the father. repeats
all the laws of the state requiring the
printing of the state and of the sever
al counties to be done in the state
when it is possible to do so. The old
veterans were into the breach at once
and for a while the fight was decid-
eddy warm and some of the things
banded about We're not pleasant 10
the ears of those who have been re-
sponsible for the public robbery of the
state. Representative Stevens led
the fight and did not minca matters
in stating that the bill was urged in
| the interests of printing concerns out
| side the state which had lobbyists at
the legislature at this time to urge
the passage of the bill. He admitted
that the privileges of the law had
been abused. and when MIR. Tufte at
tempted to read from some sort of a
pamphlet the amount that the state
had paid for its printing more than
was a legitimate price for the same,
Mr. Stevens replied with telling pur-
pose that the father of the bill was
outside the house, and Mr. Tufte at
tempted to state that he (Tufte) was
the Gather of the same, Mr.. Stevens
replied with singing sarcasm that he
knew better. He then proceeded to
show that the country press of the
state had done millions of dollars
worth of good in advertising the state
and without cost. and that the taking
of the county printing from these in
situations was taking from them their
very life.
Major Butte was opposed to the re-
peal of the law and stated that if. as
was charged on the floor, there had
been combination among certain
printing concerns in the state to rob
the people by means of excessive
charges, these parties should be pro-
secuted rather than that the law
should be repealed. He called atten-
ton to the fact that there was law
against murder but that if it was vio-
lated the law was not repealed. but
the violator was caught and punished.
The printing graft was in the same
position.
Representative Stevens, who is
country newspaper man himself, and
therefore competent to talk with au-
thority, discussed the position of the
country press as it had developed with
the country, starting with the army
press, then moving up to the Wash
ington hand press, and occasionally
getting sufficiently prosperous to in
dulge in the luxury of a gasoline en-
CINE and cylinder. These things
had been possible for the country
newspapers because they had been
given a fair show by the legislature.
1t was some slight recompense for the
work they were doing in behalf of the
state.
Representative Mockler made hot
speech in favor of the bill. He stated
as his reason for doing this that it
was charged in the press of the state
and that it could be proven by the
original contract which the parties to
the combination had made, and which
could be produced before an investi-
eating committee of the house at any
time. that four concerns in the state
had entered into a contract by which
they agreed to pay to the three par
ties remaining out of the competition
twelve per cent each of the price re-
ce:ved from the state for the printing
done, making clear robbery of thir-
ty-six per cent. He did not favor a
law on the statute books which would
permit such open handed robbery of
the public treasury. He was in favor
of an investigation Of the matter as
we'll as repeal of the law under
which it was done.
Major Butts came in second time
and stated that the cat was let out
o: the bag by the Burleigh represen-
ta.ive. He to had seen the contract
made among the printing concerns and
knew of its contents, but he still fav-
ored the punishment of the violators
of the law rather than a repeal OF
that law. Let them introduce a reso-
luton looking to the investigation of
the graft and he would be only too
glad to support it. The bill was re-
commended to the house for final pass
age.
Senate Gets Busy.