The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-09-03


to show that Sheriff McCabe, who IL
also one of the proprietors of The
Miner, was actively engaged in trying
to defeat certain candidates for nom.
ination on the republican ticket, hav.
ing particular reference to Sandy Nc
Rae, candidate for county commits.
soner. 1t was asserted that Mr.. Nc.
Rae had incurred Mr. McCabes dis
pleasure by keeping his oath Of office
and voting to award the county print
ing to the lowest and best bidder in
stead of seeking to pay what the ma
chine probably felt was persona
political obligation with public mon
eys."
OF course there Is no truth what
ever in this assertion, and 1t will not
be dignified by a detailed denial. But
since the Press-Times has called at
tention to the awarding of the print-
ing contract which 1t now holds. The
Miner will go little further into the
subject in order that the public may
know something about how this low
with it. That the Press Times sub
mitted the lowest bid is conceded. The
Miner, like most business concerns,
must have a reasonable profit on what
1t sells, or 1t must soon go out Of ex-
istence. 1t was upon this basis that it
submitted bid for the county print
ing, believing then, as 1t believes now,
,, that the taxpayers desire to pay a
price for goods furnished or for SER
vices rendered that allows a reason
able profit.
Lowest Bid Not tho Best.
But in the Press Times The Miner
has a competitor which does not de-
pend upon profits for maintaining Its
business. II it did 1t would long since
have passed out Of existence Not that
1t Is in the least averse to making a
profit; on the contrary 1t levies them
competing bidder, but it readily ac-
cepts business at loss If by 50 doing
It can take business from it's COM
petitor. This was the kind Of COM
petition The Miner had to contend
with in bidding for the county print
ing The bid of the Press Times,
which was accepted by the county
commissioners was so low that in some
cases it did not cover the cost Of the
paper upon which the printing was to
be done. That paper knew it could
not beat The Miner on a fair business
basis and 1t therefore made the prices
s. low that the commissioners had no
other option than to accept 1t. But
while willing to pocket its loss" on
the face of the bid, events soon re-
vealed the cloven hoof of the Press
Times. The county invites bids for
certain stationery and forms in regu-
lar use. but there Is always much
printing for the county that is not in
cluded in the bid, and it was on these
that the Press Times evidently plan
ned to recover some Of it's losses un-
der the bid.
What the Record Shows.
On the 14th of last July the Press
Times filed a bill for printing with the
clerk of the board of county commits
sioners, subscribed and sworn to as
being correct. In spite Of this affida-
Wit, there Is endorsement on the bill
which shows that 1t was originally for
$210.10 and that the commissioners
cut it down to $1,000, almost half.
Evidently this was not a clerical err
ror, and little further investigation
shows how it was planned to make a
profit on that "lowest and best" bid.
Here are few Of the items trim
med down and the reason which Is
noted on each one and Is now part of
the record on file in the clerks Office
where anyone can see 1t who desires:
For 500 registration notifications
charge Of 81 was made. This was re-
duced to so cents. This was a little
slip SKA inches not listed in the bid,
but in the bid was form SBx7, bor-
dered. which the Press Times agreed
to print for $3.50 per 1000. Naturally
the commissioners declined to pay 81
for 500 forms half the size.
For 5000 transfer certificates, say
L. charge of $1425 was made, being
at the rate Of $475 per 1000. This
was reduced to $3.50, or to the rate Of
$3.50 per 1000, for the same reason as
shown above.
For 5000 transfer applications, SIX
s, charge of $26 was made Reduced
to 50.
For $4,000 electors oaths S1ax11, a
charge Of $3.50 was made, or at the
rate of $5,43 Ia per 1900 Reduced to
$3.50. Bid agrees to print forms SAX
IA for $3.50 per 1900
For 5000 registration before Judge
of election, S1ax14, a charge Of $3.50
was made, or at the rate Of $3.50 per
1000. Reduced to $3.50. Bid agrees
to print same size for $3.50 per 1000.
Miner Made Bona Eide Bid.
The bid Of The Miner was based on