The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-19
Commissioner Holman Fires
BrOadside at Mr.. Bone.
Claims His Statements in State
Journal Were Not True.
81 ASKED FOR NO BIDS"
Holman Charges BOneWith TAX
ing Papers From His Desk.
City Purchasing Agent Question
Starts Commission War.

The smouIdering feud between r. L.
Bone and VI. c. Holman. city commits
sioners. has broken out into open war
fare. With a return fire of all bat
terfes. Commissioner Holman has an
swered the statement on the purchas-
Inc agent question printed in the State
Journal last evening over Mr.. Bones
signature.
Declaring that if there are any politi-
cal debts to be paid by any Of the city
commissioners, Mr.. Bone is the man to
do the business and that all Of his
statements in the State Journal ara
false. Mr.. Holman comes out in open
warfare against the commissioner OF
finance and revenue today,
The statement in the State Journal
last night made by Mr.. Bone that or
any Of my department ever received
bid on printing is not true in any par
tfctlar" said Mr.. Holman today. The
whole thing is false and is not only an
Injustice to me but reflects on the 9TH
er members of the city commission"
The controversy is over an ordinance
submitted TO the commission by Com
missioner Bone providing for the posi-
ton of city purchasing agent. FOL
lowing the defeat of this ordinance
Commissioner Holman gave an inter
view to the State Journal Tuesday
night in which he made few argu-
meuts in connection with the advisi-
bility of the office
Mr. Holman claims that the heads OF
the departments can buy their supplies
much cheaper than a purchasing agent
and that this is a part of the commits
sion Jaw. Mr.. Bone claims that the city
can buy cheauer with a purchasing
agent who would supply all of the
needs of the city. The present con-
troversy which has Tipened into
regular campaign fight concerns some
bids for printing in Mr.. Holmau's de-
partment-
From Bones statement it would
seem that I only received one bid on
each item" said Mr.. Holman. He
says that he received three bids. The
fact is I never asked any printing Of
flee for a bid nor did anyone in my Of
flee ask for 1t nor have l received a
single bid
Then Commissioner Holman accuses
Commissioner Bone of going to his Of
flee while he was out of the building
and taking the printed forms from his
desk without permission or authority.
Commissioner Holman continued:
These bids were asked for by Mr..
Bone without authority from anyone in
connection with the city or with my
department. He came TO my office
when I was not there and deliberately
took those printing forms from my
ueSk anu went 70 the pAAliNctS Win
them. He was the only one who asked
the printers for bids. No one else had
the forms to do it.
Consequently I am not trying to
'peddle out political patronage as Bone
says. 1t looks as though some one else
was carrying out that scheme. 1t
looks as though another man was pay
ing political debtS-and not me.
and I think that the other commits
siouers should notice this charge made
1t is reflection upon them as well
as me. But 1 am not going to stand
for such a statement going out to the
peOpIe-a statement that is not true IN
any sense"
From what Commissioner Holman
said today there will be a lively COM
mission meeting Monday morning.
7 am going to take this thing up
Monday morning." said Mr.. Holman.
This is a matter that should be aired
through this body and 1 am going 20
see that they get the truth of the whole
case. When a man comes deliberately
to my office and takes papers from my
desk and claims that 1 have received
certain bids from printers when I have
not. it is time that the commission
should know
las far as the law is commemorative
commission form of government pro-
vtdes that each head of each depart
ment shall make the proper purchases
and all should be entrusted with them.
The head of a department has so much
money to spend every year and he can
not go above that limit or his personal
bond is liable. What would a purchaS-
ing agent know about all of these de-
tails? II We are going to follow out the
law we had better do 1t and not burden
the ordinance book with dead ordi-
nances which cannot be enforced to
any advantage to the city"
Thus endeth the third chapter.