The Greeley tribune., 1907-06-13

may nave eieSteo .iis'
once in office, they are not the ser
wants of any party, but OF all 'he
people of the county. and that 10Y
alty to the whole people shouio
stand above fealty to any mere pof'
tion of the people.
The Tribune regrets that there
have frequently been men who heio
nositions OF public trust In TINS
county who did not take this view OF
their duties, but who, once elected,
felt impelled to reward the men who
helped put them there, the reward
coming. not out OF the pockets OF the
officers, but out of the purse OF the
people, otherwise the county treas
ury. That was how the county
printing came to be awarded TO the
Greeley Sun one year ago, at more
than twice the bid of either OF three
lower and responsible bidders. That
deal. whereby the taxpayers OF Weio
county were made to pay over
thousand dollars in order that two OF
the county commissioners might pay
their political debts, retired Fritz
Wattenburg to private life; but 1t is
not apt to go again, no matter no"
much some partisan county papers
would like to see it.
Commissioner Brad6eld believes IN
buying county supplies where they
can be had cheapest; and evidently
Commissioner Estes agrees with him,
and probably now. also. Mr.. Devin-
ney.
With the county printing graft in
mind, last fall the Tribune exacted
the following pledge from both
democratic and republican candi-
dates for county commissioner:
Il solemnly promise that II
elected to the office of commissioner
of Weld county l will use my influ-
ence with the other two commits
sioners to let the contracts for print
ing, lumber and all other county
supplies to the lowest responsible
bidder, regardless Of politics or
friendship. and that will work for
the square deal in my every official
act during my term of Office
Mr.. Estes willingly signed 1t, and
in letting the contract for county
printing this year to the Eaton
Herald, which was decidedly the
lowest bidder, he is simply living
up to his ante.election pledge, which
but too many officials forget altar
the votes are counted.
The Tribune would gladly see the
county printing confined to the
county seat papers, and as before
stated, believes the county can
afford to pay the same price for Its
supplies that private firms are COM
pelled to pay for equal quantity and
quality, and it believes the legal
rate is uone too high for the service
rendered; but inasmuch as the Law
contemplates that this work may be
legally done by any responsible
newspaper published in the county
and that the lowest bidder shall Dc
1t, and there are publishers who
seem willing and anxious to do it at
less than legal or commercial rate
the commissioners could not dt
otherwise than as they did, with due
regard to the best interests of all thu
: taxpayers.
They owe nothing to the repubi
can party or any other party thai
4 should be paid out of the pocket o
the taxpayers; If they owe the Sur
: any thing for their election let then
: dig down into their personal purse!
and pay it the same as they pay thei
coal bills.
The commissioners Will have saved
more than thousand dollars tt
Weld county taxpayers this year be
: cause some ante reelection pledges
have been kept.
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letter Cured.