Graham guardian., 1913-03-21
GOVERNORS REPLY
Gets Peevish Over Criticism
and Says Will Offend
Again and Again
CONTINUED from page one)

mands upon the committees activi-
ties.
BY reason Of the fact, perhaps.
that was stockholder in the Old
Cominion Commercial company and
for many years actively engaged in
it's management, am informed on
the subject of merchandise values,
and this information enabled me to
discover. upon early investigation,
that various institutions of the state,
under the system which has hereto
fore Northumberland which | pre-
sumo would be found satisfactory to
the committee--were being sysmati-
cally robbed through the medium
of high prices. | protested against
this, and indicated reforms which
have resulted in important savings.
In the carrying out of these reforms,
three purchases two by the indus
trial school and one by the insane
asylum-were made from a large
eastern wholesaler, though the prac-
tice has tesn. wherever reasonab y
possible, to buy from local instltu-
tions. incidentally, the prices Sc
cured in these two instances, and
the savings effected, might have been
interesting to the committee If that
phase of the matter had been con-
sidered worth while. The purchases
were not made at my direction, but
on the judgment of the superinten-
dents concerned, and the goods were
shipped direct to the institutions.
Totally without my knowledge or
consents statement susceptible
of easy verifcation--the wholesale
house, because of its objection to or
rule, common to many concerns.
against having accounts except with
established customers. billed the
goods through the Old Dominion
Commercial company, and that COM
pany, ignorant of the offense invol-
we'd in being accommodating to the
state, and unaware Of the misfortune
which attached to having me as a
stockholder. permitted itself to be
thus used; and then. not desiring to
lose the money. made claim upon
the state for the amount of the pur.
chases.
regret that my suggestions to
the superintendent of the insane
asylum and the industrial school re.
suited in the laying at my door OF
an egregious sin. but glory some.
what in the fact that the sin
consisted, in this as in the case OF
many other charges which have been
directed at me, of the saving OF
money to Arizona's taxpayers. lr
accordance with my pledge to the
people. and in conformity with my
business views. l shall not hesitate
to offend again and again.
The accusation that THE rule Of
the board of control is purchases
under the emergency clause rather
than by bids" and that bids art
not called for as they should be anc
running accounts are kept with firms
under the emergency clause" would
be denominated, were it made b,
any other than fair. unbiased anc
unprejudiced legislative committee
as a deliberate lie. The records oi
the board of control will show thai
bids for supplies for the various in
stitutions are regularly advertised
for, and that whenever reasonable
prices can be secured. awards art
made and contracts entered into
When reasonable prices are not of
fered. the bids. ii any. are prompt,
rejected in accordance with tht
power conferred by law upon thu
board, and while readvertising. sup
plies are bought, under a most legi
innate application Of the emergency
purchasing clause, in the open mar
ket. This procedure has invariabl.
resulted--there being not a single
exception lin important saving t,
the state, as an investigation of tht
records will prove. and take peas
ure in stating that in the absenc'
of a specific prohibition of law tn,
practice will be continued, regard
less of the interests that may holt
it Objectionable.
After quoting from the board O
controls report, to the effect tina
the affairs Of the Industrial schoo
have been pursuing the even tenoI
of their way" the committee on stat'
institutions and public expenditures
in a manner which, but for the com
mittee's well known fairness, hon
esty and impartiality, would be re
garded as deceiving, endeavors tt
show the existence at the industria
school of a quite different state o
affairs, would point out. since !
would not be discovered from a rra !,
ing of the committees statement
that the report above quoted is o
date of June 30, 1912, while the un
desirable condition of affairs at tn,
industrial school to which the com
mittee evidently sees need fol
directing attention. was Learned
through the medium of repor
which, according to the information
youchsafed by the committee, wal
made to me under date of Octohel
9th, more than three months after
the report that the affairs of tbs