Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1912-12-26
news OF THE.
STATE CAPITAL
lee0UlNv INTO VARIOUS. PUR.
cHAsEs Foa THE STATE
PENiTENTiARY.
COMPETITIVE BIDDING OPPOSED
Senate Committee Is Making investi.
cation Of Prices for its Supplies
--Partieuiaf.y 'haki Cloth
and Coffee.

That the state benefits by reason
Of the fact that state warrants are
now equivalent to cash and discounts
can be secured on purchase OF goods,
where year ago many concerns
would not sell supplies to the state
because these firms would have to
wait indefinitely for their money; and
that the penitentiary at McAlester is
being maintained at less per capita
cost than any other prison in the Uni.
ted States. we're statements for the
benefit Of the senate committee in
the investigation Of methods Of the
board Of affairs.
Warden r. w. Dick OF the state
penitentiary was questioned regard.
ing the purchase Of khaki cloth. Mem.
bers Of the board of affairs stated
that In making the order for the
goods they had acted on the recon.
mendation Of Warden Dick and his
storekeeper, as to price and the quail.
ity OF the goods. Mr.. Dick told the
committee that he personally knew
nothing as to whether the price was
right relative to the kind OF goods
ordered, that he, too. depended on
his storekeeper; that the price fur
Dished the board of affairs was sim
ply done in an advisory way and they
could have changed it had they de-
sired to do so.
Warden Dicks Explanation.
He also said in answer to ques-
ton that the board could ignore the
recommendation regarding supplies
and purchase what it wished, but that
he might refuse to approve the claim
him. Members of the board said that
in some instances they were guided
greatly by recommendation from
heads of institutions and in some in
stances felt they were justified in
acting on the suggestions, else when
II came to approving claims the heads
of institutions would not do il.
Warden Dick stated that when the
goods were received his storekeeper
called his attention TO the quality
and said they were off weight The
matter was reported to the board OF
affairs Immediately and the claim
held up. Mr.. Dick said that he noti-
fed the company sending the goods
and 1t volunteered to make reduc-
tion in price. He approved the claim
but asked the board of affairs to look
more closely into the matter. The
latter did and a further reduction
was secured. He said that even now
he did not know If they were paying
too much for the goods but that after
having tried the cloth ii appeared tC
him that after all reductions had been
made from the original price 1t was
probably worth what it cost.
That the whole system of competi
tive bidding on supplies for the state
institutions is wrong and not condu
Give to the best interests of the state
was the statement of Warden Dick
He cited a number of instances tt
bear out his contention, and said tha
IL the board of affairs could go int
the open market and buy supplies lik'
the wholesale houses there would b'
q great saving and the best goods
could always be secured.
investigating Khaki Purchase.
Chairman Thomas of the committe
asked Secretary Howard of the boar
of affairs IL any correspondence hat
been had with army headquarters a