Bisbee daily review., 1913-03-01
GOVERNOR HUNT
MAKES PROMISE.

MAKES PROMISE.
Governor Hunt in a communication
tc the legislature gives assurance thac
in the future no more prisoners doing
time in the state penitentiary viii be
allowed to visit Florence: This assur.
auce. comes after the investigation OF
the prison management complained OF
by the citizens of Florence had been
completed by the legislative commit
ties and before any report had been
made.
The letter sent by Governor Hunt
to the legislature on Thursday
breathes different spirit to that
which featured his first communica-
tion after the petitions signed by the
citizens of Florence had been pre-
sented to the legislature. This change
in sentiment on the part Of the exec
utiye may be attributed to lack OF
rulI knowledge on his part as to what
had been permitted to occur in Flor
ence by the prison management. No
one ever believed that Governor Hunt
would permit superintendent Sims to
continue to allow prisoners to annoy
Florence after he heard the evidence
presented to the legislative commit
tee and hence his order to the prison
management to keep the conyie,s
away from Florence should not be sur
Irisfng.
Another matter brought out before
the prison investigating committee
was that the superintendent had fer
eight months ignored the law which
directs that the purchase OF all sup
PLIES for the penitentiary and other
state institutions SHAH &c by con-
tract let after proper advertising by
the beard of control. The governor
touches on this part of the investi-
cation, but not to give assurance that
in the future the law governing pur,
chases Of supplies shall be oOeyed, bur
TO declare that purchases in The fl-
ture will be made where needed arti-
cles can be had cheapest.
This paper believes that the SUD
plies should be purchased for the pen
itentiary in the manner provided by
law and in no other way. Who may say
that supplies bought in open market
BY prison superintendent in the fu-
ture win bring the best bargain?
What has been done in this matter IS
nothing more nor less than setting
the dangerous precedent that laws
may he ignored by officers in incur
ring obligations against the safe.
Paragraph 1855 Of the state statutes
prescribes the method for advertising
and bidding for supplies in the follow
ing terms: Hereafter when the board
OF coatrol OF the penal. reformatorj
ana charitable institutions Of this
territory. shall advertise f0r bids for
Supplies for the several institutions
under tbei. control. they shall make
out q list OF the supplies required.
stating in such lise the quantity ana
quality desired and the prices then
paid for the supplies Unfinished ami
shall place such list on ile in their OF.
ice and open for inspection and that
bids viii be received fo- the same.
said notice shall also contain the
terms uDon which bids WI be re-
cefsed. and the tirae for which sup
plies are required.
In the race OF this law who VIII
say that the board Of control or SU
perlntendent Sims, Of the penitentiary,
wes authorized to buy prison supplies.
expending thousands Of collars for
that purpose in the open market dur
ing the last eight months. This action
vas a plain ease OF ignoring the law.
TO say that the state has Teen saved
money b. his method Is to say some
ahHg based on nothing but 'neFe
opinion, a. no one may say that lover
rrices might not have been obtained
II lids had been asked for as directed
BY the statute.
Public officers should always he