Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-05-05

see why should pay $1,000 more to an
other man"
He seems utterly 70 overlook the fact
that these contractors who have figured
are all under practically the same condl-
lions as regards the purchase OF material
and labor, that none of them has any
monopoly Of the proper methods Of get
ting a building constructed or securing ma
terials to build with, and he seems to
overlook further the very great point,
which this article is intended to bring out,
that some men and some firms have built
and continue TO build their business sue
cess on good work, on the philosophy OF
the square deal and that others achieve
success financially by following the oppo-
site policy.
Another thing that sometimes happens Is
this The owner does not take the lowest
bid. He follows the advice Of his archi-
tect and takes a higher bid, but insists
that this bidder can bring down his figure,
and that he shall do so to get the bust
ness. He seems to forget that he is throw
ing temptation in the way Of this man to
skin" him on the Job. The contractor
who had put In a fair figure for the kind
OF work he contracted for, with the in
tention OF living up to the requirements of
good work, feels that II he does not take
the contract and "skin" him, It win be
given TO some other contractor, that he
will give the owner as good II not better
value than the other fellow, and under
these conditions and this strong temptation
he cuts down his figure and accepts the
contract
Now, the owner and the architect may
both feel that the character Of the work
and material is protected by the arohi-
tects knowledge OF what should be done
and by his watchful supervision OF the
work
But here is the second point to consider,
that In all business operations of whatso-
ever kind certain amount Of dependence
must be placed upon the character and per
sonality of the man doing the work II Is
absolutely impossible to conduct any line
Of business without this element of de-
pendence
The clearest illustration of that a. AZ
forded in cases OF entertainments and
thievery from banks. Absolutely every
safeguard that human ingenuity can devise
is thrown about these banks by the law,
by the systems of the banks and by the
combined watchfulness and the mutual
safeguards which one bank AFFORDS another
Yet in the last analysis the prevention of
crooked work depends upon the honesty
Of the men handling the money. The finest
systems that have been devised are simply
the result of human skill and when they
are devised human skill put to work to
operate against them can overcome them
New conditions simply produce new de-
vices OF evasion.
There is no man so smart, no man so
skilled, no man vigilant, that he cannot
be, overcome by some other man when
given the opportunity.
The builder cannot expect to get from the
contractor the perfection of work he de-
sires without paying fair price that will
yield the contractor a Just profit
1t is the firm belief Of the writer that
our methods of building contracting are
surely but slowly being revolutionized to
where eventually all contracts will be let
on the basis Of the actual cost with the
addition of fixed percentage or a speci-
fed sum for the contractors profit.
Then, when this condition arrives, the
building owner and the architect will be
very much more careful in selecting their
contractor for his character and honesty
and the results will be much more ad-
vantageous to the owner than the present
method OF setting a premium upon the
ability OF a man TO make figures lie
The contractor who intends to do good
work, who knows that under his contract
he is assured OF a fair profit, is ready to
yield to any businesslike methods Of check
ing up and safeguarding the interests Of
the owner that can be devised. Like the
honest bank clerk, the more he is watched
and the more he is checked up the better
he likes It, because he knows that by this
method his square dealing will be best
seen and appreciated.