The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-05-12
THE PRINTING BIDS
Hon. Henry Bodenheimer and the Pub
lication of the Councils Proceedings.
A Record of the Past

HiBIl lliSlt was dlOtlSl WldHBlS bNSl
the city printing.
When the printing bids were called
Hon. Henry Bodenheimer of the Sew
enth Ward, objected to the bids being
opened and moved that the bids be re-
advertised and that in the advertisement
the word daily paper be inserted as
had been done.
1t is just as we'll to be candid and say
that If Mr.. Bodenheimer was friend
of the Caucasian he would not have at
tempted to do that which he could not
do and did not do. However, his mo-
tive was glaringly manifest He was
striking at the Caucasian, and why2
The Caucasian will not quarrel with
Mr.. Bodenheimer, but if he had given a
moments thought to the question of
printing he would have assumed that in
one of the bids then pending there was
an offer of securing the printing of the
city at less than d. cents per inch, the
price paid the Times, and as was devel-
oped by the failure of Mr.. Bodenheimer
TO have re-advertised the bids. the city
will save 80 cents all inch. In palmer
words, the Journal will do for the city,
during the next twelve months, for IL
cents an inch what the Times was doing
for AZ cents an inch.
Had Mr.. Bodenheimer's motion pre-
vailed the Times would still be doing
for az cents an inch what the Journal
will do for II cents and what the Cau-
casian offered to do for 10 cents.
AT last years bidding, March 9, 1900,
the Caucasian's bid was So cents, the
Journals so cents. the Times AZ cents.
At this letting Mr. Bodenheimer did not
urge opposition TO the Caucasian.
II may be of general interest to OBJ
serve that at the same session of the
Council Mr. Bodenheitner, chairman of
the finance committee, reported adj
versely on the proposed increase of the
Auditors and Comptroler's salaries,
which in view of the limited financial
means of the city may be approved,
but the same emphasis should have gov
erned in the case of the Street Commits
sioner, whose salary is fixed at $1,000 per
annum but for whose department there
was provided SEQ which seemingly was
not disturbed Had Mr. Bodenheiiner.
in the service Of economy as chairman
Of the finance committee, declared that
this extra should be Topped off. ii would
have been clipped in twinkle, but it re-
mains perhaps as a bone of contention
i'll the future legislation of the Council
In explanation it should be stated that
this $500 is intended as an additional
salary to the Street Commissioner as
superintendent of the city stables, prac-
tically investing all officer with two po-
sitions aggregating $500.
Az the same session Mr.. Bodenheimer
submitted resolution, which was de-
feated, the purpose of which was TO an-
thorize the eitys fiscal agent to buy d
per cent bonds with the bridge fund,
now drawing 6 per cent interest. He
failed to explain how this investment In
per cent bonds would benefit the city
or help (if it did not tie up) the bridge.
As reported in the proceedings of the
official journal. the Times:
Some Of the ceuneilmen called atten-
ton TO the fact that the city was receiv-
ing 6 per cent for its money where it
was, and asked what the idea was in
trying to purchase 4 per cent bonds. Mr..
Bodenhein1er said he knew the city was
receiving per cent, but it was not enti-
tied TO It.
II would be interesting to know in |
what sense the city was not entitled
to it.
But this is enough.
WANTS IT IN "A DAILY.
As We have said, II Mr.. Bodenheimer
was friend Of the Caucasian he would |
not have raised the point of a daily, |
and he would have been governed by
precedent, which has become law
In the requests for bids for printing,
the word daily has never been used
There is no law requiring the Coun-
cil's proceedings to be published In a
daily newspaper.
In daily would imply that the city's
business would have TO have space in
the paper every day in the week (when
the proceedings are given only one pub
licationl.
With the fullest of humility, 1t
may Be SAID that If there is one thing
of which the Caucasian has some knowl-
edge it is in connection with the public |
printing
The Caucasian was several times the
city printer, when it operated every af-
ternoen (Sunday excepted) with full
afternoon report of the Associated
Press, when its daily issue was changed
to twice a week and three times a week