The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-06-03


printing, and had stated to him, In
substance, that In view of the adop-
ton by council at its last meeting of
the resolution requiring the newspa-.
per to which the city printing con-
tract should be awarded to publish,
free Of charge, the official minutes OF
city council. he could not consistent
ly make any bid and would not do
SO. so long Jas that condition was at
tached to the contract. II council
wish It's minutes published in full as
the official record Of It's proceedings,
then the city should pay for 1t as ad-
vertising matter just as it pays for
the publication Of ordinances, as is
done in the city Of Charleston, and
Augusta and other places, that he
was not willing to bind himself or
the paper he represented, to publish
matter OF that character, furnished
and dictated by other persons, that he
admitted the news value Of the pr6-
ceedings Of council and had always
endeavored to give reasonably full
reports to such parts Of the proceed
ings OF the council that had news
value. But this proposition Of coun-
ell was an entirely different matter,
and bound him to publish any and
all matter that council might see At
to spread upon its minutes. While he
would not charge council with any
intention to do so, 1t would be possi-
BILE. under the terms Of such a con-
tract. for council to spread upon its
minutes the annual reports Of the wa
terworks commission. the sewerage
commission, or any other matter Of
that character, and require a newspa-
per to publish 1t free of charge, not
withstanding the fact that heretofore
these reports. have always been pub
flished as advertisements. The propo-
sition Of council In reference to pub
iication Of the minutes is not a busi-
ness proposition and no newspaper
man with the proper conception of
what he owed to himself and the
business side Of the newspaper would
agree to 1t. AS far as giving to the
public reports Of the proceedings Of
council. the Daily Item would continue
to report the meetings as fully as oc-
casion might require. regardless OF
whether the contract was awarded to
the Daily Item or not, and
In the circumstances. while the
resolution remained In effect
the Item nor the watchman
and Southron, could be considered as
a bidder for the city printing. If
council desired to publish the minutes
and wanted to do so on an advertis-
ing basis he was prepared to make
bid for the city printing on that
basis. II they desired bid for the
printing, eliminating me matter
OF the minutes a bid would be SUBJ
mitted on that basis.
A motion was made and passed
granting the finance committee fur
ther time for consideration of the
award OF the city printing.
Mr.. Finn called for a report on the
appointment Of purchasing commit
tee for the city. authorized by reso-
luton. adopted at previous meeting
OF city council. Mayor Boyle, who
was authorized to appoint this COM
mittee, stated that he had not ap-
pointed the committee, giving his
reasons for not having done so, and
asked for further time.
Mr.. Finn asked the clerk to read
section zoos to 2010. revised stat
utes South Carolina. Sections read
by the clerk.
The question was asked what bear.
ing these sections had upon the mat
ter before council. Mr.. Finn said. in
reply. that in his opinion, no purchase
could lawfully be made by any board
OF commission or the city council, and
no debt incurred without first adyer-
tising for bids.
The matter OF charges preferred
against Officer J. H. Grady by Chair.
man j. r. Ligon Of the police COM
mittee was called up. The charges
were presented in writing by Mr..
Lison and read by the clerk. as fol-
lows:
Charges preferred against Po-
liceman ]. H. Grady by Jas. r. Ligon,
as chairman Of the police committee:
Conduct unbecoming policeman. to-
wit; The impugning Of improper mo-
tives and the circulating Of SANDER
Gus remarks. rejecting on the integ-
rity OF Jas. r. Ligon. as a member of
the city council Of Sumter, s. c.; said
remarks heiu0 occo stopod ~, ~. -.