Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1907-06-21
A Peculiar List.


plies awarded by the supervisors in
May last under contract system with
the lowest bidders. The contract for
stationery was awarded to Vela Y
Plccardo; for provisions and clothing
to GinocchIo Bros. Under the law,
all supplies for county officers and
hospital must be contracted for annu-
ally with the lowest bidder, after due
public notice for bids. This is a wise
law, and if carried out according to
its spirit and intent would exert a
salutary effect upon the finances of
the county. But no matter how wise
ly law may be framed for the safe |
guarding of public interests, it Will
inevitably fail of its purpose if the
details IN the carrying out thereof are
allowed to be dictated by private
rather than public motives. If the
call tor bids Is so fashioned as to be
clouded with uncertainty, asking for
articles that are not in existence, and
therefore cannot be furnished; or, on
the other hand, if those having charge
of the allowance of the bills are care
less il the discharge Of their duties,
passing them for payment without
satisfying themselves whether they
conform with the requirements of law
or the terms of the contract price list,
of course the law must fail in its
beneficent effect. Eternal vigilance
is necessary through every stage of
the game, from the passage of the law
to the final payment of the claim,
and if one link in the extended chain
is weak or inefficient, the penalty, so
far as the innocent public is conuern-
ed, is too often the same as though
the law had been designedIy framed
for vicious ends.
With the price-Iist for hospital sup
plies we make no adverse comment.
We do not understand such things
sufficiently to discuss details. 10 the
uninitlated, however, the list, both
CT articles and prices, bears the stamp
of good faith. There is nothing of
the. pltfall method about it that we
can detect. The bid shows on its face
that every article enumerated is eX-
pected to be called for, and furnished
at the price stated.
But with the stationery bid it is
different When the proposals fol
these supplies were first published,
the Ledger called attention to the
peculiar character of the list Of
articles. Leaving the contract prices
the list itself awakens distrust. II
creates the suspicion that it was in
tended to shut out, instead of invite
competition. Anyone having even {
smattering knowledge of stationery,
will see at glance that the list il
full of "jokers,' calculated to side
track the intending bidder in gooc
faith. The earmarks of good faith are
lacking. A man thoroughly posted il
such matters would naturally hesitate
to bid for such list of ''so-called'
stationary supplies, because of its
unlntelligible, ambiguous and CON
Trajectory character. 1t Is possible
that present officials who have to dc
with calling for proposals, or letting
contracts, are not awsTe of its pc,
culiar makeup. 1t is their business,
however, to get posted, more especial.
ly when intimatIons have been public.
ly made, as in the present case, that
the list was out of plumb. The truth
is, this list is relic of long ago. II
was concocted in the distant past, and
has doubtless gathered moss with the
passing years. Let it be remembered
that for many years past, until the
present year, the stationery contract
has been in the hands of the same
business firm or house, and that house
closely related to or identified with
one or more county officials, or the
local administration. For successive
years the contract was held by the
Freeman Estate Co., and the relation.
ship embraced the district attorney s
office and the sheritf's office. There.
after the former sheriff became sole
proprietor of the local Stationery
store, and the contract for Stationery
supplies was held by him. Through
nearly all these years there was little
or no competition. One bid wa:
usually presented. and that was thu
successful bid. We cannot assert
because we do not know. that the ex
traordinary draft of the proposals TO-
bids. and the decomposition fact, ar,
due wholly or partially to the ahov,
stated facts. We simply mention tn,
circumstances, and leave our reader
to draw their own differences.
Now let us critically examine th,
"so-called" stationery list, in con
nection with the prices attached t,
some OF the articles: Here is the frs
item:
No. best quality legal cap, 16 lbs.
Royal mills, per ream, 81 90.
Stripped of the mo IL and tn,