Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-08-05

waterville Sentinel Co.. signed print
ing contracts with the State.
The Kennebec Journal promptly
called attention to the law which
reads (Sec. II, Chap. 121, r. s.:
mo trustee, superintendent. treasurer
or other person holding place Of trust
ia any State once or public inetttution
Of the State. shan pc pe,Sunti ~ NY m ror.
tracts made in behalf of the State or OF
the institution in which he holds such
place of trust, and any contract MADE IN
violation hereof Is void.
The Governors Council signed the
Davis contract but Governor Plaistsd
withheld his signature. The Governor
declared that the Sentinel Co. had no
contract because he had not signed
contract with that concern. Three
days later Secretary Of State Davis.
through his paper. the Watervths
Sentinel, declared that the Sentinel
Co. had a contract with the State. He
boasted that he knew the law to
which we had called his attention.
Following the Kennebec Journafs
suggestion the Governor referred the
matter to the Supreme Court. Three
months and half later the court pro"
nounced the Davis-Davis contract H.
legal. Meantime the printing nao
gone on illegally-and continued, H.
legally. in defiance Of the courts de-
cision and of public opinion. the
purpose and the action were entirely
plain-the administration wanted tho
Sentinel to have the contract legally
or illegally; the illegal method had to
prevail to attain the end. When the
Sentinels bill for this illegal printing
came in, it was discovered and point
ed out by the Kennebec Journal that
the Sentinel Co. had charged and had
been paid more than $4,000 over what
the contract called for. A single item
for stock. that was approved, audited
and paid had been raised from some
thing over SO to more than 500.
And, most ridiculous Of all, ap-
peared the same unbusiness-like
proposition of which we complain to-
day-the Kennebec Journals cash
guarantee is tied up by the State as
security while another firm does tho
printing without contract. In the
case Of five years ago there were five
classes of bids and the Journal was
required to deposit Ave certified
checks of $500 each. 1t was awarded
only one class but the remaining $4,000
was not returned-Oh no! The adj
ministration coolly informed the Jour-
nal that it's cash was held as security
for the State until such time as the
contracts should be awarded. In the
light Of the foregoing review business
men will understand where the Jour-
nal "got off"-it furnished the secur-
ity to the state and Secretary Of State
Daviss paper did the work without q
legal contract.
Knowing that all these things caa
be proved against his party. does It
not i'll become the Governor to in.
dulge in improbable and baseless gen.
eralities concerning State printing :?
It seems to us to have been not only
poor taste but foolhardy judgment
for Gov. Curtis has only opened up q
buried chest Of facts against which he
cannot spin a thread. We not only
have the proof, but 1t is a matter Of
State and court record. II the Gov
ernor wishes to indulge in such pre-
lenses for the sake Of fooling a few
who do not know any better, we shall
be glad to make the issue worth while.
|